True wireless headphones are on the rise, and most companies have either released their own true wireless headphones or plan to in the near future. One of the more recent companies to enter the fray is Skullcandy, which released the Skullcandy Push true wireless headphones.
But at $130, the Skullcandy Push true wireless headphones are a little more expensive than many of the other offerings. Are they worth the cash? We put the Skullcandy Push headphones to the test.
Design
The Skullcandy Push true wireless headphones take a slightly different approach to design compared to other true wireless buds. The bulk of the headphones is a little larger than other buds, and they have a hook that keeps the headphones in your ears by pushing against the bottom of your outer ear. It’s not a bad look, however the design seems to be necessary considering the size of the headphones — while if they were smaller, the hook might not be necessary.
Each of the ear buds has a button on the outside of it, and those buttons can be used for playback, volume control, and more. You’ll need to take a few minutes to memorize the controls, but you’ll get used to it eventually.
The headphones come in two different colors, including Gray Day and Psychotropical Teal. We’re reviewing the Psychotropical Teal version, and it’s a little different than other headphones, but doesn’t look bad.
As you would expect from a pair of true wireless headphones, in the box you’ll also get a charging case, and it’s not bad at all. On the front of the case, there’s a button with indicators for battery, while on the side there’s a USB-C port for charging. It’s nice to see Skullcandy adopting USB-C here. One minor annoyance with the case is that the lid isn’t spring-loaded — so you have to manually pry it open after pressing the button on the front. Not a big deal, but still an extra step.
In general, while the earbuds are a little large, the Skullcandy Push headphones look quite good.
Comfort
Earbuds often have a tough time when it comes to comfort, though companies have been working on finding new ways to make sure that true wireless buds stay in the ears without getting uncomfortable. The Skullcandy Push headphones follow that rule, and we found they remained generally comfortable for short listening periods.
That’s not to say they’re perfect. For longer listening times, they’ll get a little more uncomfortable, and you’ll find that your ears will get a little sore. Like any earbuds, you will want to take breaks from listening every now and then, but generally speaking we think the Skullcandy Push true wireless headphones aren’t too bad.
Sound
Of course, in the end the most important thing to consider is how the headphones sound, and they sound quite good.
For starters, the bass response on the headphones is decently powerful and deep without going over the top. Often, consumer headphones try to pump as much bass as possible into your ears, but these take a slightly more natural approach, which is always helpful.
The mid range is pretty well-tuned too. The low miss are warm and smooth without ever sounding muddy, while the high mids offer plenty of oomph for things like vocals and guitars.
The high end is clear and detailed, but we could always use a little more of it. The high end that is there sounds good, but perhaps a little more high end extension would have been helpful here.
Performance
The Skullcandy Push true wireless headphones connect to your devices through Bluetooth 4.2, and as such you’ll get a listening distance of up to 10 meters, or 33 feet.
When it comes to battery life, you’ll get an impressive six hours from the earbuds themselves, with an extra six hours of charge from the charging case. That’s not great from the charging case — often cases hold at least an extra two or three charges, so to only get one extra charge from this case is a little disappointing.
Conclusions
The Skullcandy Push true wireless headphones are a pretty solid true wireless option. They offer a decent design and sound pretty good, and while they’re not the most comfortable headphones out there, it’s not so bad as to be a deal-breaker.
But is there a better option? Well, that depends. If you’re willing to spend a little extra cash, then we recommend the JLab Audio Epic Air Elite headphones, which come in at $150 and are a little more comfortable, with a slightly better battery life. If, however, $130 is your budget limit, then these headphones aren’t bad at all.
In fact, because of their good value-for-money and decent sound quality, we’re awarding the Skullcandy Push true wireless headphones the Headphone Review Bronze Medal.
| Store | Price |
|---|---|
 |
$129.99 |
| Sony | $129.99 |
| Frequency response | 20Hz – 20kHz | Active noise cancellation | No |
| Driver size | 9.2mm | Noise attenuation | Unknown |
| Driver type | Dynamic | On-ear controls | Yes |
| Design | Closed | Microphone | Yes |
| Sensitivity | 100dB | Eartip material | Gel |
| Rated impedance | 16Ω | Magnet material | Unknown |
| Total harmonic distortion | <3% | Water resistance | No |
| Rated input power | Unknown | Battery life | 6 Hours |
| Maximum input power | Unknown | Wireless distance | 10m (33ft) |
| Wireless connection | Bluetooth 4.2 | Cable length | N/A |
| Wired connection | No | Case type | Charging Case |
| Detachable cable | N/A | In-the-box |
|
| Weight | 54.2g | Colors | Gray Day, Psychotropical Teal |