Sometimes, you’re killing thirty minutes in your local Kroger/Fred Meyer, and you notice that Skullcandy has a new cheap Bluetooth headphone out, so you excitedly buy it without having heard of it before.
No? Just me? Ahem.
Skullcandy started life as a budget lifestyle/sports audio brand, but over the last few years, they’ve made massive strides in sound quality, and pushed their way into higher price points.
About five years ago, the $49 Skullcandy Grind changed their default sound profile from “Bass all the time” to “Pleasant bass without sacrificing the rest,” and delivered it alongside a big jump in build quality.
Since then, I’ve been calmly waiting for a true Grind successor.
The Riff seemed like a cheaper version of the same concept, losing the metal build for softer ear pads. Now, just like the Grind and Grind Wireless before it, the Riff has begun its slow descent into market oblivion.
With little fanfare, Skullcandy launched the Cassette Wireless as their new entry level product. Is it the next generation sub-$50 champion I’ve been anticipating since the Grind? Or is it a middling headphone I’m happy to stop listening to and hurl in my closet once I finish this?
