Skullcandy is known for making headphones that put fashion first and sound quality second.
You've probably seen its krazy-kool neon and graffiti-splattered cans stacked up for sale in mall kiosks, or clamped to the dome of some young'n on a skateboard as he whisks by and spills your latte all over your Haggar slacks.
The company's demo skews young, and we all know the kids don't necessarily care if their music sounds good, as long as it's loud. Needless to say, Skullcandy's headphones haven't ever scored high marks among audiophiles. Being one of these snobbish elites, my expectations were not inflated when I received a shipment of Roc Nation Aviators, a set of headphones cross-branded with Jay-Z and LiveNation's Roc Nation promotions outfit.
Skullcandy is angling the $150 set as its first foray into audiophile territory. It's a shrewd move. All those tweens who grew up on Skullcandy cans are now graduating to adulthood, collecting their first real paychecks and looking to upgrade all the little things in their lives. And maybe they've outgrown the desire to wear bright pink skulls on their ears.
The Aviators' styling is unique and fashionable, but not garish. True to the name, they're reminiscent of the iconic aviator sunglasses. They have see-through plastic over-the-ear cups, leather pads, suede headband, nylon cord and chrome accents along the edges. Three colors are available: white, black and brown/gold.
So, they're not ugly. That's a plus, I thought. But then I put them on and – wait a minute, these actually sound pretty good. Not amazing, but much better than anything else I've heard from Skullcandy thus far.
The Aviators can get a little abrasive at times, especially when you're listening to modern rock or techno. And the bass isn't as present as I'd like it to be. Hip-hop sounds oddly tinny. But put on some mellower stuff that hasn't been amped up to appeal to today's ADHD standards – Nina Simone, Cat Power, James Blake, singer-songwriter stuff, classic rock – and the Aviators impress. My headphone nerd friends were all curious, so we passed them around and everyone agreed: solid.
They perform particularly well in quieter settings. Walking around on the street or riding on a city bus, I found the thin plastic shell didn't do the best job of blocking out exterior noise. But indoors, in the park or at my desk, they were comfortable to listen to – and to wear – for long stretches.
