I tried the original Push earbuds from Skullcandy back in January, then the Indy in June and both of which cost more than the earbuds I’m trying out now. Skullcandy’s new earbuds, the Sesh, retail at £49.99, meaning they are the cheapest wireless earbuds Skullcandy have on the market right now. It’s a desirable price point which will attract new customers but are they any good? Is it worth paying a little more for one of the original earbuds? Let’s find out.
Tech Spec
- Completely wireless via Bluetooth 5.0
- 10-hour playback
- IP55 water-resistant
- Impedance: 16 Ohms ±15%
- Driver Diameter: 6mm
- THD: <3% at 1KHz
- Sound Pressure Level: 99-105dB
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
- Weight: 59.5g (earbuds and case); 106g (earbuds
The Unboxing
The Sesh comes well packaged, not just for protection but very informative too. The box has a magnetic cardboard door to the front and behind it is a preview of the earbuds and also a simple four-step instruction for setting them up. There are instructions provided, which I recommend reading as these detail the button gestures used for various options. Other than the earbuds, the associated charging carry case is included, along with a micro USB cable for charging.
The earbuds come in black, red or blue and they look pretty smart. We got sent the black version, which includes a matte black casing, with a matte grey front. That front area is the button and includes subtle branding. The earbud buttons are a push to use, no touch-sensitive gestures, unlike some competitors. The earbuds are small and sit well within my ear but are held in place just by the bud itself and could do with some secondary support, especially if used during sports.
The charging case matches the colour and design from the earbuds, so matte black and grey, with subtle branding to the front. The case itself is very small and lightweight, and will easily fit within your trouser or coat pocket. To the rear of the case is the micro USB for charging and there is also a small button to the front. Once pushed, up to four white LED’s will illuminate, identifying the current battery level. Like most other arrangments, the earbuds sit within the case and charge by connecting two metal prongs together. There is a magnet that helps ensure the earbuds are properly connected but I’ve felt stronger and on a couple of occasions I had to help the earbud sink in.
Performance
I was pleasantly surprised with how well the Sesh performed. Plenty of bass, as expected, but it wasn’t overpowering. High’s were clear, mids got muddled in some tracks but overall, a fairly balanced and vibrant sound produced. The volume can hit quite high if needed and as with most earbuds that sit within the ear canal, there is a decent level of sound isolation from the outside world. I listened to everything from Dance Gavin Dance to Tyler, The Creator and it was very enjoyable.
If using your headphones or earphones for calls is your thing, these work just fine but I’ve heard better. It’s worth noting these are IP55 rated, so cannot be submerged in water but will withstand rain, sweat or splashes.
The stated battery life is 10 hours, but that’s all in. The earbuds will last 3 hours before needing a charge, so you can effectively get 3 full charges from the case. 3 hours is not that long at all and may put some people off. These are very small earbuds and to achieve that, it appears battery life has taken a knock. That being said, 3 hours will do me just fine.
Set up was very straight forward and just like any other Bluetooth device, you need to pair the earbuds to your smart device. The earbuds will remember the Bluetooth connection, so once you lift the earbuds out, they will automatically connect to your smart device.
The push-button controls work really well, I had no issues with controlling my content at all. That being said, it can take some time to get used to which command controls what. For example, a single press on either ear is play/pause/answer/end call. To change track, you need to hold the button down for 2 seconds (right = forward, left = back), to change volume is double-tap (right up, left down) and three taps will activate the voice assistant. You’ll get used to it.
Verdict
Although the cheapest in the Skullcandy line up at just £49.99, the audio performance is pretty good and worth that kind of money. They look good, they’re compact and easy to use. Yes, the battery may be a concern to some but for most, I don’t think it would be a problem.
For more info, head over to the official Skullcandy website.
