As far as brand backstories go, Skullcandy has an interesting tale to tell. It was formed on a simple idea on a ski lift in Utah, USA – to allow users to use their music headphones to answer calls. That’s hardly a revolutionary idea in 2020 but back in 2003 it was. Almost since Apple’s AirPods led the switch to true wireless Bluetooth ear buds, consumers expect these pint sized buds to handle calls and belt out their favourite playlist with equal ease. If the AirPods and 2016 was the beginning of this trend, this year has seen an unprecedented wave of Bluetooth ear bud launches. Skullcandy’s Indy Fuel comes to this party and it has a few party tricks up its sleeve.
Skullcandy’s sporty origins are evident in the build. They are also IPS5 certified (sweat and water resistant) for those runs in a mild drizzle. These buds follow the first gen AirPods playbook with their extended stem design. Rubber accents on the top of the earbuds accentuate the sporty vibe of these ultra-light buds. They’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time and also come with silicon tips for the perfect fit and ear seal. It’s this design element that minimises external sounds despite the absence of ANC (Active Noise cancellation). We dig the matte finish (we checked out the black colour variant; these buds are also available in chill grey). The case is quite compact and yet not as slinky as some of its rivals. The battery indicator (on the case) is a handy touch.
Indy Fuel handles calls quite well, my callers could hear me even in external environments. But both call quality and sound quality in this cluttered category always have to be benchmarked against the cost given that the price band for this segment extends from under Rs 5,000 all the way to Rs 30,000. I paired these earbuds with the Skullcandy companion app on an iPhone and it was hassle free. You can use the buds to control everything from volume to sound modes to skipping tracks and play/pause but it will be a while before you can master the taps and presses that are involved. I was impressed with the treble levels and the thump across my diverse playlist. The companion App also allows you to tweak sound settings.
These buds come with a couple of useful touches. There’s built-in support for Tile, allowing you to track them down in case you lose them under a cushion or couch. The sound alert ought to be louder to make it a more usable feature. The other handy feature is wireless charging, that’s actually a big deal at this sticker price. These features combine with a solid battery life (a total of 30 hours with the case) and great sound quality to make Skullcandy’s Indy Fuel earbuds a great option at its sticker price.
The Skullcandy Indy Fuel wireless buds cost Rs 6,999 and come in black and chill grey.
