Earbuds That Don’t Sound As Good As Their Case Looks

In the late 2000s, Skullcandy was a force to be reckoned with. Their knack for fashion skyrocketed them above a less than competitive headphone market. However, times have changed to favor sound quality, and with their Dime Evo wireless earbuds, the company shows a struggle to keep up.

Skullcandy Dime Evo

Wallet-friendly wireless earbuds with a unique sliding case.

Pros

• Case provides both style and function
• App-based customization
• Quality microphone

Cons

• Almost no bass or treble in mix
• Uncomfortable in-ear fit
• Button controls are clumsy

Price and Availability

Skullcandy’s Dime Evo earbuds are available for $49.99 and come in three color variants: True Black, Preppy Sage (a blueish green), and Bone (white). Inside the box are the Dime Evo wireless earbuds, a charging case, three sizes of ear gels, a 4-inch USB-A to USB-C charging cable, and a manual that explains how the earbuds’ buttons function.

Not About That Bass or Treble

I won’t mince words about it: the Dime Evo earbuds simply don’t sound good enough. I’m not expecting premium quality out of budget earbuds, but they cost enough that you’d reasonably expect an accurate sound profile. No feature set or sense of glamour can save headphones that can’t fulfill their primary objective.

The dynamic range of these earbuds barely charts. Highs are tinny while many bass frequencies cut out completely. On nearly every song I tested on the headphones across a spectrum of genres, there were bass parts that were completely inaudible when using the Dime Evo in their default equalizer setting. Boosting the bass to its maximum (which the default setting nearly does) fails to bring out these elements much, instead producing audio clipping and smothering highs. In fact, no amount of equalizer adjustment resulted in a mix that offered a pleasing listening experience.

This is not just an audiophile quibble; the issue is pronounced enough that it’ll be noticeable by any user. There’s a distinctive lack of punch to bass drums or synthesized beats, and lack of fullness to the timbre of vocal tracks. In other words, music sounds empty through the Dime Evo’s speakers. This cheap sound quality is akin to what you’d expect from headphones you pick up for a few dollars at an airport in a bind. Not an established brand’s highest end offering of a product line.

When the only praise I can levy at the earbuds is that they’re fine for podcast listening, something’s gone wrong.

Feels Like a Dime Lodged in the Ear

Buttressing the poor sound quality is a bulky fit that was particularly uncomfortable and often resulted in the earbuds falling out.

The image I took for this section is slightly deceptive as it hides the large circular encasing that plugs up your ear, leaving virtually no breathing room. It feels as if these earbuds clog your ears more than sit in them, and I constantly felt their presence vis-à-vis pressure. This design does have the benefit of muffling some external sound, though I’d have preferred Skullcandy to go with a more ergonomic design rather than an approximation of noise cancelation without the requisite technology to achieve that feature.

There are three sizes of silicone tips included in the package, though I had trouble with getting any size to properly fit my ear. When paired with the bulbous shape of the earbuds, it was nigh-impossible to move around without constantly readjusting them. Given that the main use-case of wireless earbuds is on-the-go listening, this will make the Dime Evo more frustrating than it’s worth for anyone without the perfect ear size.

The buttons on the sides of both earbuds used to control audio and toggle other features exacerbate all of these build issues. Clicking them often results in an earbud dislodging, and commands that require simultaneous clicks uncomfortably pressed against the inside of the ear. The buttons themselves have a satisfying click to them and would’ve worked well with a more ergonomic design.

The Microphone is Great, However

While the Dime Evo was a letdown in the sound department, they surprised me with their microphone quality. They produce a (perhaps ironically) bassy sound that cancels out most background ambiance. You can hear my tests in the clips below, including a comparison with Apple’s AirPods Pro which sounds distant in comparison.

There’s a caveat to this microphone quality. Because the earbuds plug your ears, it feels unnatural to speak while using them. The “stay-aware” feature which allows external sound through (and automatically turns on when the mic is in use) does little to assuage this issue. So, while the resulting sound may be better for those who you’re talking to or may result in better voice memos, it’s at the cost of personal comfort.

The App and Its Features Punch Above Their Weight

Skullcandy’s app offers a sleek and easy-to-use layout for the Dime Evo’s feature suite that feels premium for the price point.

The app is where you adjust features I previously noted, like the equalizer (which comes with 3 presets and a customizable option), the stay-aware mode that allows external sound in, and customization of button functionality. There’s also a low latency option to better sync the headphones with games and videos. Though I only found this to make a minor difference when toggled on, it wasn’t an issue I had with the Dime Evo to begin with.

Lastly, there’s an impressive multipoint pairing option that allows you to connect the earbuds to two devices at the same time. This worked spectacularly well when synced to my iPhone and MacBook Pro. The headphones immediately synced to both upon removal from their case and seamlessly switched between the two based on which was producing audio. I’ve seen higher end products fumble this feature, so it’s commendable that Skullcandy nailed it.

The Case Is a Show-Stopper

Finally, we arrive at the Dime Evo’s primary sales pitch: its stylish and function-forward case. This is a state-of-the-art design that left me thoroughly impressed.

The aesthetics of the case are immediately striking. The “True Black” variant we reviewed features a frosted outer shell that slides down to reveal the earbuds. A clear engraving near the bottom of the shell lines up with Skullcandy’s iconic logo to ensure it pops, and the color coordination of the logo with the clip-on ring provides a satisfying set of accents. Most arresting, however, is how lights on the earbuds shine through the shell when charging.

It’s here that we see function fit form. You can tell roughly how much juice the batteries have by the color and blinking pattern of their lights. No light means a full charge. As cool as this feature is, the earbuds only take about 40 minutes to charge from zero to full, meaning you won’t see it often (which is a good thing). The earbuds hold a respectable seven to eight hours of in-use charge and the case’s battery pack can refill them roughly three times. However, I would’ve liked a way to check how much charge was left in the case outside of plugging it into a power source via USB-C.

The case also sports a sturdy build. Enough pressure is needed to open it that you won’t need to worry about the earbuds falling out if clipped to your backpack. The clip is also easy to latch and unlatch with human hands, while also being designed to resist forces tugging it from below. There’s also a plastic strip on the back to help pull down the shell.

Should You Buy the Skullcandy Dime Evo Earbuds?

I would love to give Skullcandy’s Dime Evo wireless earbuds a roaring recommendation given its innovative case and app-based feature customization. Unfortunately, these accouterments are in service of earbuds that sound extremely cheap and feel markedly uncomfortable. Even when accounting for the budget price point, these are fatal flaws. If Skullcandy can shore up the audio quality shortcomings of the Dime Evo, then this will be a product worth considering, but until then you should look elsewhere.

Skullcandy Dime Evo

Wallet-friendly wireless earbuds with a unique sliding case.