Name: Skullcandy Venue
Brand: Skullcandy
SKU: B07H4XGX16

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Skullcandy

- Treble is too small and too sharp, making vocals sound annoying and overly bright
- Bass does not have enough nimbleness and speed, resulting in messy or boomy sound on bass-heavy tracks
- Lacks aptX codec support which is standard on Android devices and competitors in this price range
- Mediocre ANC performance compared to dedicated noise-reducing headphones from major brands
- ANC introduces a squeaky sound that affects the sound image
- Monitor mode is not effective, basically just lowers volume rather than truly letting you hear surroundings
- Plastic construction with imitation leather covers
- Headphone covers turn upwards when worn around neck, creating odd appearance and poor weather protection

- Poor build quality with creaking and groaning under stress from the plastic construction
- Headband adjustments do not lock firmly in place, making it easy to accidentally move headphones out of preferred fit
- Spotty wireless connection with constant dropouts when walking around with phone in pocket
- Mediocre active noise cancellation that is not as effective as class leaders like Bose QC35 II and Sony WH-1000XM3
- No adjustability for noise cancellation levels, only on/off toggle

- ANC struggles with loud, very low-frequency noise which passes through like water flooding from broken dam
- Weak mids with insufficient presence and detail, particularly affecting reproduction of deeper male vocals
- Build feels slightly cheap with rougher plastic on headband that seems more at home on sub-£100 pair
- Ear pads do not accommodate average-sized ears; holes inside pads are not big enough, causing mild discomfort after an hour or so
- MicroUSB charging feels out of date compared to USB-C standard
- Lack of professional noise cancellation comparable to Bose QuietComfort 35 or Sony WH-1000XM3

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- Long battery life of approximately 24 hours on a single charge
- Fast charging supports 5 hours of playback from 10 minutes of charging
- Balanced sound with a lot of gaming joy and nice middle register
- Tile integration for locating lost headphones
- Included carrying case that protects headphones and holds cables

- Tile integration built into the headphones allows you to locate them via smartphone app if lost
- Long battery life of 22 hours with ANC and Bluetooth enabled
- Balanced sound with a warm tilt to the tonal balance that is not bass-heavy

- Fun sub-bass boost that is localized to very low and sub-bass region, providing kick drums clout without bass obesity
- Clearer sound than expected with fairly well-resolved treble that delivers clarity without sibilance or harshness
- ANC is great for city streets and the office, reducing sound of passing cars to Jetsons-like whoosh and eliminating air conditioning noise and office irritation
- Low weight from all-plastic design means no sense of headphones weighing down on head
- Good amount of clamping force from headband suitable for street headphone use
- Tile integration allows tracking of headphones via app and location history
- Long battery life of 24 hours with ANC enabled, extending to 40 hours in wired mode
- Tastefully arranged buttons across two rubbery lozenges avoid button-peppered appearance
- Fast charging provides 3 hours of playback from 10 minutes on charger

The Skullcandy Venue is a solid noise cancelling headphone with serious problems: weak wireless connection causing skips when walking and cheap-feeling build quality with creaking. The unique Tile integration feature may not be enough to justify the cost compared to alternatives like Plantronics BackBeat GO 810 which sounds better, is built better, and offers better ANC for the same price.

Practical headphones for those wanting Sony WH-1000XM3 but unable to afford them. Don't sound as good, aren't as well made, and ANC isn't as effective, but offer thoughtful and fun sound character. If seeking sub-£200 wireless headphones with fun sound, worth considering despite lacking some premium features.

Skullcandy Venue

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Features & Opinions

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