Comfort and Design

A little small for my liking but still comfortable, easily adjustable and the stashable boom mic is something that all headsets should have.  the GMX in-line mixer with volume and game-to-voice balancing controls, and custom audio profiles for games, movies and music allows you to adjust everything with a simple controller

The headset itself is made entirely out of plastic which feels like it might break easily but I’ve been using the hell out of them for the past week and have had it rolling around in my backpack and not even a scratch on them.

Sound

This is where the SYLR really surprised me, I’ve been using some really highend sets sets that past couple of month so I’ve been pretty spoiled when it comes to sound. Off the bat you can really tell why Skullcandy went after Astro gaming, even though these are the bottom tier headsets in Skullcandy’s line they still sounds amazing, everything from gaming to music to movies all sounded crisp clear and sharp. The surround sound really stands out when bullets are flying by you or when someone is trying to sneak up on you. If this headset sounds this good I can’t wait to try the PYLR 1 and 2.

Some of the titles I played were Halo 4, Borderlands 2, Assassin’s Creed 3, the Walking Dead and Black Ops 2.

Set-up

Almost plug and play, ridiculously simple. The cable (pictures above)  is for consoles, just plug it in to your liking and your’re set. I love it

Conclusion

The Skullcandy SLYR are a great entry level headset for anyone looking for a headset for consoles and PC. Amazing sound, light weight, super easy set up and an affordable price tag all make the SLYR a great buy.

when things are this simple I don’t know about you guys but I prefer to spend my time playing rather then trying to hook up some headsets.

Available in three color variants (black, blue and white), the Skullcandy SLYR takes cues from the Astro line of headsets in style and design. But does it hold up quality-wise? I reviewed the black version with yellow accents; it’s a very sharp looking headset without being overly flashy. The SLYR headset feels sturdy and well-made, and adjusts well to any head size. It never felt too tight, and even after extended gaming sessions, the foam pads didn’t feel uncomfortable.

The sound is fantastic for a headset in the sub-$200 price range. Games feel immersive, with gunshots and explosions feeling appropriately bombastic, while subtleties such as footsteps and whispers are easily audible. Chat sounds crystal clear coming through the SLYR, and I was told that my voice was coming through quite clear as well. It should be noted that you need to really make sure that all jacks are plugged in firmly, as at first the headset would cut in and out, or I would only get sound from one side. The bass and midrange sound great with music as well (side note: the mixer can be detached so that the headset can be plugged straight into an iPod or stereo). Even with the volume pushed past a reasonable volume, there is not much noticeable bleed.

The left side of the SLYR is where the audio jack and microphone are located. When gaming, the GMX In-Line Mixer is attached, and it has a good amount of features. There’s mute, an equalizer with three settings, and volume adjustment for both voice and audio. The equalizer’s settings are Bass, Precision, and the default, flat Supreme mode. Bass makes everything feel bigger but adds a bit of muddiness and unintelligibility to vocals, while Precision brings the treble and subtleties to the forefront, but the high end will likely grate after long sessions. The Supreme mode fared best in my tests.

As I mentioned earlier, the SLYR’s mic picks up vocals clearly, and conveniently flips up and into a hidden compartment on the left side. In my tests, the mic did a great job of only picking up my voice, and rarely did extraneous room sounds come through to my teammates. It would have been a nice feature if the mic automatically muted when flipping up and into its hiding spot, but I’m just nitpicking here.

One of the SLYR’s strongest features is its compatibility with practically everything. This headset works on PlayStation 3 (which I tested on), PC and Xbox 360. Removing the mixer reveals a 3.5mm headphone jack that can plug into all mobile devices like iPods, iPads, PlayStation Vita, etc. The cable is really long when connected to the mixer, but at least it allows the user to freely move around the room without the worry of jerking the console out of the entertainment center.

Overall, the Skullcandy SLYR is an exceptional headset for its price ($80). The breadth of features, fantastic sound, clear microphone and solid design combine to form a headset that I would have no problem recommending to others. The SLYR’s fair price tag also makes it a great holiday gift for gamer friends and relatives.

Design

The Skullcandy SLYR Gaming Headset has a very sleek and stylish look. The headphones are all black and are made with a very sturdy plastic. The headband for the gaming headset are adjustable and are padded for optimal comfort. The earcups are also adjustable and can pivot accordingly to the size of your head. The earcups themselves are padded with the very same soft material that lines the inside of the headband. The earcups are rigidly cut to fit the form of your ear nice and snug. The only problem I found is that it may be too small for someone with larger ears. I tried this out with my friend and he could not fit his ears into the mold.

The mic conveniently folds up into the side of the headphone cup and is easy to move and adjust. The headset comes with a pretty long cable to make up for the fact that they are not wireless headphones. The cable powers the headphones via USB and connects to a sound mix controller that allows you to mute and adjust the volume. The controller also has a couple of preset EQ settings.

Sound

The sound for the Skullcandy SLYR headset comes in virtual surround sound. This is not uncommon for a gaming headphone set in this price range. The sound for the SLYR is pretty good though. You can clearly hear the game audio and chat audio. There is also no distortion when you put the volume up to the highest setting. There is however, a small amount of hiss in the background, but this is only if you really have these babies cranked all the way up. The SLYR uses a GMX in-mixer dongle to give players three different audio presents: Bass, Supreme and Precision.

Bass is pretty self explanatory. Supreme is more of a balanced setting good for wide open worlds with a lot of background sound. Precision is a good setting for FPS players. This setting lets you really hone in on the sound of enemy footsteps and movement.
 

Final Verdict

All in all, these are a great pair of headphones at an affordable price. For $79.99 players definitely get their money’s worth, and it is especially nice that the SLYRs work on three different platforms. If you are looking into buying some gaming headphones and are not looking into the $200 dollar range. I would highly recommend these. Skullcandy has definitely taken some cues from Astro and have made a good quality affordable product.

Grade: B
Read more at http://nerdreactor.com/2013/01/05/review-skullcandy-slyr-gaming-headset/#AvSJzxCmjpGgP1Uo.99

Many, including myself, just don’t have that kind of coin kicking around.  Fortunately Skullcandy has introduced a line of headsets giving an affordable option for their gaming audio needs.  I was lucky enough to check out Skullcandy’s SLYR Gaming Headset.  At around $80.00 the SLYR offers 5.1 surround sound, has a slick looking design, and you can connect it to your Xbox 360, PS3, PC, tablet or MP3 player.  I was even able to hook it up to my iPhone 5.  After some time spent with the set this past week I must say I am impressed; but are they as good as some of the more expensive sets on the market?  Well not quite, but they are worth checking out and they are a much better set than I anticipated.  I should note that they are wired and this will turn some people off, but before you turn your nose up at this headset, you should continue reading.

For starters the SLYR headset sounds fantastic.  As I fired up Madden NFL 13 and the orchestra music, which was very NFL Films like, chimed in, I immediately noticed the heavy bass and crystal clear sound.  I actually had to turn down the volume because the default levels were very loud.  Even when loud I found that the SLYR’s really sounded great.  I quickly launched into a game between the Saints and the Niners where I could hear every bone crunching hit, the linebackers chatter on the field, and every little grunt as players collided with one another.  It made for a much more immersive experience.  Right off the hop the SLYR headset was off to a good start.

The SLYR headset comes with a mixer that has three sound presets: Bass, Supreme and Precision Mode.  The mixer also has a toggle button for game volume, microphone chat, and has microphone mute capabilities.  I found the Bass Mode knocked the other two modes out of the park.  This was evident right from the outset when I hunkered down with Madden.  After I played Madden I threw in some Black Ops 2 Multiplayer, as I really wanted to test the mic out as well.  Much like Madden, playing Black Ops 2 on the Xbox 360 was impressive.  I could hear every little footstep and bullets whizzing by can be heard with incredible clarity and depth.  Heck my girlfriend could even heard the bullets going into players bodies and as she described it, “I could even hear a wet ‘splurt’ sound on impact”.  I was equally impressed with the mic.  Not only could others hear my voice with no issues but I received no feedback, no static noise, and no echo.  The mic essentially worked as it should.  The mic also flips up and conveniently tucks out of the way which is perfect for those periods when it is not in use.

In terms of the sound quality I experienced no issues with the SLYR headset.  Considering it does not do 7.1 Surround Sound I was pleased with the sound and loved the added bass.  The headset certainly rivals my home theater setup, which really does not say much considering my theater set up is almost 10-years old.  Nevertheless, I was impressed.  Playing on Precision and Supreme mode also sounds pretty good, but I cannot envision many departing from the Bass mode.  It is just so rich and feels like you have a 10-inch subwoofer right in your ear.

Comfort wise, the SLYR feels very good.  They hug your head tightly but the cushioned ear cups and foam on the bridge of the headset provides all the necessary comfort you will need.  The cans snug right onto your ears and I never felt like they would fall off even if I whipped my head back.  They block out the outside sounds very efficiently as well.  I also never found my ears getting too hot, sweaty, or sticky.  The headset is also very light which is perfect for those extended gaming sessions and you will find that it is adjustable and ecstatically pleasing.  As you can see by the screenshots, the headset looks great and does not appear cheap at all.  The trademark Skullcandy skull is on the outside and inside of the ear cups.  Overall I found that it is sharp looking and has a futuristic sci-fi look about it.  On the downside, the headset does not come with any stand or a case to store it.  It would have been nice to have some storage options so that I did not have to look at it lying around collecting dust when I am away from the action.  Not to mention the cords are an eyesore when not in use.

In terms of the packaging and set-up, the SLYR is straightforward.  The box and packaging is professional but certainly not on par with the packaging you would get with the A50’s or Tritton Warheads.  Yet when considering the price it is what I expected.  There is a simple little plug and play guide that shows you how to hook up your headset, cords and mixer to any Xbox 360, PS3 or PC.  Set-up was super easy and I did not encounter any difficulties.  That said, the cords tangle easily with one another and they were rather unsightly dragging across my gaming room floor.  The fact the SLYR is wired is let down but I should mention the mixer cable that connects your headset to your console is incredibly long.  I found the length of the cord fantastic for my set up given my couch is a ways back from the TV.

Overall, the Skullcandy SLYR Gaming Headset is excellent value for the buck.  At around $80.00 it is amazing that it can be used with pretty much any gaming and non-gaming electronic audio device.  The SLYR delivers superior sound and comfort while the overall look of the headset is sharp.  The wires are certainly a nuisance but if you are looking for a rock solid headset for under a $100 bucks and don’t mind the wires, the Skullcandy SLYR should be on your shortlist.

Game Features:

    Available in black, white or blue
    Wired headset
    Cross-compatibility with other Consoles and Media devices
    Stashable boom mic
    GMX in-line mixer with volume and game-to-voice balancing controls
    Custom audio profiles for games, movies and music.
    MSRP: $79.99

Performance:
The SLYRs are lightweight and oozing in style and personality, although the ear cups feature a strange shape that, while cool looking, seemed like they might be non-ergonomic and, hence, uncomfortable. Fear not; they feel quite comfortable on and I don't really notice the angled shape when wearing them.

As you can see, the SLYR has an almost futuristic appearance with the angled ear cups. I found that this black and yellow color scheme kept reminding me of Haze, a PS3 FPS from a while back. If you're not a fan of the black and yellow color scheme, Skullcandy also offers the SLYR in an arctic white with black accents and a turquoise blue with orange accents. Yes, I know that turquoise and orange sounds strange, but you should take a peek at them before making any judgments. I think the turquoise SLYRs look cool and edgy.

So, how do they sound? Pretty good, actually. There's not a lot of tweaking to be done here, but there are three different EQ presets: one for a good balance, one for more powerful base and one more for crisp highs. The SLYRs don't have surround sound, but with the Precision Mode (with the crisp highs), I found that I was able to make out the directionality of gun reports and loud footfalls in Call of Duty: Black Ops II pretty decently. Also, the mic worked well for chat. The fact that Microsoft has the chat cord connecting to the controller was a bit annoying, but the wires seemed to stay out of my way; I didn't really notice them much when using the SLYR headset.

The boom mic features an interesting design. When flipped up and away from the mouth, it recesses into the headset and out of the way. And, when in this position, it turns off. To use the mic, simply pull it back down and it turns on. Simple. The mic boom is rubberized and, while not highly posable, can be bent inward a bit. This design feature makes the SLYR headset that much better for carrying around with you; there's no detachable boom mic to misplace and yet the mic can still be turned off and moved out of sight, out of mind and out of the way.

You can also use the SLYR headset as headphones for your iPhone or Android phone by simply using the included headset cord. The removable cord that attaches between the headset and the GMX inline mixer can also plug the headphones directly into your phone. With this setup, you can listen to some tunes and, should a call come in, simply take the call and flip down the boom mic to talk.

When using the SLYR headset with a console, you connect the RCA cable inline with the console's sound, then pluge the headset cord into the mixer and, optionally, the Xbox LIVE chat cable into the mixer. Combined, this puts over 21 feet of cable between you and your console. This means that you can sit back on a couch across the (average size) room from your console and play your game without having the cable dangling in the air. Wireless is great... and expensive, but if you can't go wireless, make sure you have enough wire to make yourself comfortable.

Features:

    Supreme Sound™ Technology for Powerful Bass and Precise Highs
    Foldaway Boom Mic
    GMX™ Inline Mixer
    EQ3™ Custom Sound Equalizer
    Limited Warranty
    Stylish Design
    Compatible with PC, PS3 and Xbox 360
    Built-In PC Sound Card
    16' 8" Cable (RCA Stereo Audio / USB)
    5' Stereo With Chat Headphone Cable
    5' Xbox LIVE Chat Cable

Drawbacks & Problems:
The boom mic is an interesting design, but I should point out one caveat with the design; if you bend the boom mic away from its original shape, you may find that it offers some resistance before it goes all the way straight up. If you assume that it's completely stowed away at that point, the mic will be pointing almost straight up, but it will still be turned on. You will need to push it the rest of the way (ultimately, bending the mic arm back into roughly its original shape) so that the mic is returned to its storage position in order to actually turn the mic off. It's not a big thing, necessarily, but you'd be surprised how embarrassing conversation can be when you don't realize that other gamers around the world are listening in.

If you're looking for a headset to use on your laptop, with various computers that may or may not have decent audio cards or with cell phones and portable audio devices, the SLYR headset is a good choice. You get lots of cord when using it with a PC, which means you can sit back as far as you need or get as close as you like, and when you use the SLYR with just the audio cable, you still have a reasonably comfortable five foot cord.

If your plan is to use the SLYR with a PS3 or Xbox 360 console, however, you need to first take a look at the way you have your console(s) set up. The SLYR uses pass-thru RCA audio connectors to piggyback onto the audio connections between your PS3 or Xbox 360 and your television. This is fine... if you actually use normal stereo audio connectors (RCA) to connect your console(s) sound. While it's true (as far as I am aware) that all versions of the PS3 and Xbox 360 include cables that offer stereo audio out as an option, if you utilize HDMI with audio or optical audio going to your surround sound, you'll have to also use RCA Audio out to use the SLYR headset. Depending on your setup, this might be possible by connecting the SLYR to RCA outputs on your surround sound processor or by setting your console to output audio on multiple ports, but you'll want to verify that you have that ability before purchasing the SLYR, since there really aren't other straightforward options. Mind you, if you have a PS3 or 360 running stereo audio out via the RCA cables, match the SLYR's pass-thru connectors up to the audio cables (color coded red and white), add them between the cable and whatever it's plugged into, such as your television, surround sound processor or system selector and you're good to go. I wasn't able to locate my original Xbox 360 audio/video cable, since I've been using HDMI for quite some time, but J.R.Nip was able to locate his, so I borrowed them to test the SLYRs with Call of Duty: Black Ops II on the 360.

In the grand scope of things, the SLYR headset is in the lower price range of headsets. It doesn't have an excessive amount of customization or lots of accessories to cart around and keep track of, but it does feature a really long cable. If you're not running optical audio on your consoles or if you're looking to use a comfortable headset one or more PCs that don't necessarily have decent sound cards (or, possibly, any), then the SLYR may fit the bill perfectly.

Developer: Skullcandy/Astro
Publisher: Skullcando/Astro
Platforms: PS3/ Xbox 360/ PC

Last year audio headphone maker Skullcandy purchased gaming audio darling Astro Gaming, makers of some of the highest quality audio headsets around. While Skullcandy has always had some rather delectable designs, on the actual quality and audio crispness front they’ve been a bit of a mixed bag. You’re likely to find a Skullcandy owner who’s had a pair of cans that have lasted them 2-3 years or just as likely to find someone who will trash the company for their pair lasting no more than 6 weeks. When it came to audio, they’re quality was always nice, but nothing to write home about and even more so when they decided to dip their toes into the gaming audio business a few years back.

Thankfully, today’s Skullcandy isn’t the same company and we can thank the acquisition of Astro Gaming for that. Skullcandy is once again diving into the gaming audio pool with their new series of gaming headsets, this time built from the ground up with some tech from the fine folks at Astro. The new SLYR series is aimed right at the budget conscious gamer who wants something that looks sweet, but also will perform like a champ. Let’s take a look.

Skullcandy has always been a company big on aesthetic appeal and design and they’ve stuck to their guns with the SLYR series. Coming in a stylish black and yellow box, the SLYR’s look quality just from the box. Look, I’m a sucker for presentation - and right off the bat the SLYR packaging gave off a, “This is some hot sh*t vibe”. I can dig it.

But we’re not going listen to a box, so let’s get down to the real nitty gritty.

The set itself feels incredibly solid, and while light, still has that quality heft that most electronic fiends love from their gear. Molded with smooth curves and a beautiful design, the SLYR’s feel classy but also amazingly comfy. I’ve always loved a nice solid pair of headphones but more often that not, have always has a hard time finding a pair that I could stand to wear for more than 20 minutes at a time; the SLYR’s have finally remedied that dilemma.

Skullcandy has wrapped these bad boys cups in a gentle cushioned fabric that feel heavenly.

No really, these things are without a doubt the most comfortable pair of headphones I’ve ever worn. Putting these things through their paces with an hour of Black Ops II and 2 hours of Halo 4’s War Games, my ears were dry and comfortable. Not once did I feel the urge to yank them off. They’re so light and comfortable that I literally forgot I had them on.

Gamers looking for crisp and clear sound will be pleased. Halo 4 sounded fantastic. Grenades crack and roar and small effects like the clanking of Spartan armor are all distinct with no audio blending. The headset may not be 7.1, but produce outstanding stereo with Skullcandy’s proprietary ‘Supreme Sound’ system. I have no idea what that is, but it sounds fantastic! Movies and even TV shows all produced a punchy sound and for those that want to get some multipurpose use out of their headset, these can be easily used on your iPod or mobile device.

You control the set via Skullcandy’s GMX in-line mixer that’s powered via a USB port on your PS3, Xbox 360 or simple plug-and-play on PC. Programmed with three different audio settings for music, gaming and movies - the GMX controller isn’t as fully featured as some of the pricier sets out there but it gets the job done. A nice feature is the ability to balance game and voice audio while playing online. Which brings me to one of the nicest features of the set, a clever fold out microphone that resides on the left cup.

Instead of constantly having a mic in the way when not gaming, or having to attach and detach when when not in use; the SLYR’s design has a comfortable microphone that can be stashed away hidden in the headset itself for when you just want to play a game solo of just enjoy some tunes.

Skullcandy’s latest effort in gaming audio is a smashing success for the gamer looking to step-up their gaming audio experience, without having to drop a small fortune. Comfortably under the $100 price barrier ($80), the SLYR series are a highly polished gem that just about any gamer can afford. Slick, sexy and able to spit out some superb audio - these are easy to recommend. Totally a worthy buy.

To share an anecdote, my friend Moriah says her Skullcandy earbuds have lasted her over three years of constant use, and the only thing wrong with them is that the paint's started to chip off.

Skullcandy has since branched out to cater to gamers with a new line of headphones after its acquisition of Astro Gaming, well respected for their A30 and A40 series of gaming headphones. Their new headphones include the SLYR, the PLYR 2 and the PLYR 1. We'll be covering the SLYR in this review.

The SLYR is the most inexpensive option of Skullcandy's gaming lineup, and it should be compared to other headphones in the sub-$200 price range. Priced at a mere $80, the headset comes with a pair of decent cans and a serviceable microphone. Both items share a single connection that plugs directly into a portable USB mixer.
Game Testing

For the purpose of this review, I tested the SLYR on Borderlands 2 for the PC and Halo 4 for the Xbox 360.

Borderlands 2

Both the sound and music came through the speakers loud and clear, and I could hear my teammates voices through the gunfire thanks to game's ability to lower the game volume during conversation. Despite this feature, there were moments when my teammates would've been difficult to comprehend on my surround speakers, but I had no problem discerning their speech on the SLYR.

Likewise, my teammates could understand my voice just fine, and the built-in microphone—while certainly not on the same caliber as an Apogee microphone—served its purpose a lot better than any Plantronics headset I've ever used, which typically had teammates complaining about how "tinny" I sounded. The built-in microphone is compact and stays well out of the way, and it can also be folded into the headset when not in use.

Halo 4

For the Xbox 360, I had to plug the portable mixer into the Xbox 360. The mixer comes with a whole lot of wires, and my only qualm with that I wish the headset were wireless—but for $80, that's not really a possibility and not something I have any complaints about. Thankfully, the wires are long enough that I didn't have any trouble while using the SLYR despite sitting several feet away from both the TV and the gaming console.
The Mixer

As I mentioned before, the SLYR comes with an in-line mixer that serves as a portable sound card. You'll need it to use the microphone as the headset only contains a single audio jack, and it comes with a volume function and three equalizer options. There's Bass, Precision, and Supreme. Precision makes the sound tinny, while Bass just makes it difficult to hear your teammates.  For the best audio quality, the settings are best left on Supreme. It's not a feature that lends much to the whole package as the headphones sound fine without these bells and whistles.
Make and Materials

The SLYR's made out of hard plastic that doesn't feel cheap, and is comparable to what you might find on Sennheiser's much more expensive HD598 headphones.

The cups are made of soft fabric that remain cool and comfortable on the ears after long periods of wear. They're also a lot more durable than the pleather usually found on other headsets, which tend to flake off after a couple months of heavy use.

The only potential problem with the SLYR is its cable, which isn't heavy gauge. The wires are noisy, so the SLYR isn't a good option for outdoor use. Thankfully, the wires aren't built into the headphones so you can swap them out for heavier replacements should you need to.
Verdict

Unless you're willing to pay more for a headset, the SLYR does little wrong for its price. Clear sound, a decent microphone, and problem-free functionality regardless of platform make it a good headset for any gamer on a budget.

The SLYR is Skullcandy’s first headset and is a wired stereo headset that supports the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC, Mac, and most mobile devices.

The SLYR is extremely light and rather small. It is an over the ear type headset, however those with extremely large ears may find the headset fitting rather tight. Vertically, there is plenty of room in the padding, but is rather small width wise. If you can get your ears into the cup than you will find there is extra room inside to fit well. The SLYR is extremely light, allowing for long term wear comfortably. However the padding is a little stiff. When it warms up a little, the padding does become a little softer. Thankfully the light weight makes the stiff padding tolerable. The ear cups are covered in a soft material similar to the Astro A40s that is very comfortable and wicks away sweat well. There will be no problems with extremely sweaty ears as the material breathes extremely well.

The microphone is a little stubby, but folds in neatly. When folded it, it is impossible to see any trace of the microphone making it ideal for taking the headset out on the road. The recording quality is excellent. Everyone who listened to the microphone over VoIP applications agreed the quality was clear. Due to the short size of the microphone, a pop filter is unnecessary as it is well out of the way of the mouth and nose.

The headphones sport a replaceable 4 pin short cable that is long enough to reach a mobile device comfortably. Cables tend to be chewed up easily and this is easily replaceable which makes it a boon for pet owners who like to chew on cables or those who have a tendency to be rough on cables. This short cable is plugged into control hub that is connected to a longer and extremely thick. The hub has controls to switch between the EQ settings, volume levels, game and voice balance, microphone mute, and a jack for the Xbox Live chat cable. There is a square switch that moves in four directions to control the volume and the balance between the game and chat volume, pressing down on the button mutes the headphones. A square blue LED that surrounds the switch blinks to signify which function was engaged and when the button is pressed down, the LED turns red to signal that mute is engaged. The LED is bright enough to be noticed in a lit room but soft enough to not become distracting in the dark.

The EQ is controlled by a beefy three position switch labelled 1/2/3. Each one represents one of the three EQ modes. I would have preferred to see a small label for each EQ setting instead of a number; this is a very minor complaint as it is easy enough to remember each setting. The only real issue with this cable set up is the length of the first cable that goes from the headphone into the in line remote. The length makes reaching the control hub a little unwieldy at times. This is a trade-off to allow the SLYR to be used with mobile devices comfortably, but for those using the SLYR exclusively for the console or the PC, the hub can easily fall off the lap and fall between a couch cushion which can press a button accidently. A small clip to attach the hub to an article of clothing would have been a welcomed addition.

The SLYR connects to the PC via USB cable and has no control between volume and game volume. There are no drivers to install on Windows 7, simply plug and play. For the Xbox and Playstation 3, you will need to plug in the RCA cables into the red and white RCA cables coming out of your console. The plugs are pass-through plugs allowing the SLYR to be plugged into the TV then the console cables plugged into the back. Simply mute the TV and put on the headphones for gaming without disrupting your roommates. Alternatively, plug the SLYR into the TV’s RCA outputs for greater audio control.

I personally found the sound quality on the SLRY is outstanding. The audio quality takes a page out of Astro Gaming’s reputation for high quality gaming headset audio quality with a distinctive Skullcandy twist. While Astro’s audio tends to focus on clarity and precision at the cost of bass reproduction, Skullcandy SLYRs has the classic Skullcandy thumping bass married with Astro’s precision. For the price point, the audio quality is extremely clear and the bass well balanced. Although the bass is extremely strong and crisp, it never over powers or disrupts the highs and mids. Usually gaming headphones are notoriously bad for muddy mids and highs, but the SLYR performs well.The sound stage of the SLYRs were pretty good when using the included cable. Although I could tell I was hitting the limits of stereo headset forRevi pinpointing the directionality of sound when playing Black Ops II, plugging the SLYR into my Astro Mixamp made the SLYRs shine. Overall, I was extremely impressed by the SLYRs audio quality.

The Supreme Mode is a perfect balance for all around use. The Precision mode bumps up the highs and mids for better pinpointing of footsteps and gunfire in first person shooters. The Bass Mode lives up the name and turns the already strong bass performance into almost skull rattling levels. I found the Bass Mode best left for hip hop, rap, and dance music as the level of bass overpowered everything for most applications. The Precision Mode was helpful for first person shooters, but once again it seems to be a very application specific mode. I found some modes caused an initial hiss of white noise that is noticeable when it is very quiet or silent. Switching around the modes a few times seemed to have removed the initial hiss.

At $79.99 USD, the Skullcandy SLYRs are an excellent addition to the Skullcandy/Astro Gaming line of products. It is clear Skullcandy made an extremely wise strategic move in purchasing Astro Gaming. The SLYR is an incredible sounding headset priced appropriately at the slightly higher end of stereo headsets. Although people with larger ears may want to see if they can try the headset on at the store before taking the plunge, the Skullcandy SLYRs are reasonably comfortable and extremely light. If you are not ready to take the plunge into surround sound ready headsets, the SLYR is highly recommended as your best option.

I upgraded from the standard microphone “headset” that comes with the Xbox 360 to a pair of Turtle Beach x11′s and quite enjoyed them all the way up until they just flat out broke about 2 months ago. I treat my gadgets with a lot of care, so I was quite shocked after a night of gaming when I took my headset off and one of the ear cups just plain snapped. Not wanting to go drop more cash on another headset right away, I patched them up with duck tape and continued to use them. This worked okay, but of course now they didn’t fit right and frankly I was shocked that they had just broken like they did.

Luckily, Skullcandy just released their first product from their line of gaming headsets, the “SLYR”. Now, an audiophile I am not, but I own a pair of Skullcandy Aviators that I use to listen to music, podcast etc., and the sound quality sounds great to me – so I wasn’t the least bit hesitant to jump on another product from them. Being that the only other gaming headset I have owned were the Turtle Beach x11′s, there will be some comparisons and I’ll break down why these SLYR’s are a fine product.

First off, I want to note that the SLYR’s are wired headsets, which I don’t mind. I game a lot, but not enough to drop a few hundred dollars on a decent pair of wireless headsets. The cables don’t bother me at all. That said, the Skullcandy SLYR’s plug directly into the audio out channels of your television set, into the USB port of the Xbox 360 for power, run through their GMX In-Mixer to your controller and headset. Yes, it sounds like a lot of cable, but for anyone out there who has owned a non-wireless headset before this should all be pretty standard. The SLYR’s have plenty of cable length so you don’t feel so tethered and they are arranged in such away that your cables aren’t getting tangled up all the time.

The GMX In-Mixer is easy to use, and lit up by a blue light. Toggle up and down for master volume, left and right to adjust game audio and voice balance, press to mute which will turn the light from blue to red to indicate you are muted and it’s safe to talk to your significant other in your “cutesy voice” without being ridiculed by your teammates. Located on the side of the mixer are three presets for music, movies and games. My only gripe about the mixer is the position of it. It’s a bit far “down” on the cable and I found myself more than once having to reach down to grab it for a quick mute or volume adjustment. It’s a small gripe remedied by just pulling a little slack on the cable so it will rest next to me.

The stereo sound quality is great. With great sound and a rich bass the quality is much better than my old x11′s. My game of choice for my first run with the SLYR’s was Battlefield 3 and the game just sounded fantastic – explosions were jarring, directional sound allowed for me to pinpoint where gunfire was coming from and the entire hectic feel of the battlefield translated perfectly through the audio. Chatting with my teammate for the evening, Kill-Tacular-Tron, sounded much better as well, and after a few small adjustments on the mixer I had the game audio and voice mix exactly where I like it. The audio over all is superior quality, the only downside is that with my previous headset my own voice could be heard through the headset at a lower level to prevent talking too loud into the mic. With the SLYR’s, I couldn’t hear myself and found I had to watch the volume of my voice, but this is something I grew accustomed to quickly. As far as my microphone goes, Kill-Tacular-Tron noted that I sounded much clearer to him when talking and it lacked the slightly muffled effect experienced with the x11′s.

As far as design goes, the SLYR’s were far and away more comfortable than the x11′s. The ear cups fit of my ears that felt both snug and comfortable. With my previous headset I found myself having to adjust them a few times during extended game play, but with the SLYR’s I didn’t need to adjust them a single time once they were on my head. The boom mic position is great; it sits far enough from your face not to be a distraction, but close enough to pick up your voice very well. An added bonus is that you can fold the mic up into the headset (“EZ Stash”), so if you are watching a movie or decide to unhook the line from your Xbox to take these out for use with you MP3 player of choice you don’t have a microphone hovering by your cheek. It sounds silly, but I really found this to be a great feature as I took them for a movie-watching test drive later that evening. The design is very sturdy with limited moving parts and hinges, so I feel less likely to break these or wearing out any unnecessary joints from consistent use.

I am extremely pleased with the Skullcandy SLYR’s, and for those of you looking for a quality gaming headset in the less-than-a-hundred-dollar price range I don’t hesitate in recommending these. Even after trying out a pair of Turtle Beach x12′s (the usurper to the x11′s) prior to purchasing the Skullcandy SLYR’s, I can say the SLYR’s are the superior gaming headset in this price range. With superior sound, comfort and design I would say the SLYR’s don’t just rival other gaming headsets out there, but set the standard. If you’re in the market for a new gaming headset and are looking to spend less than $100, you should definitely pick up a pair of SLYR’s.

Summary: The Skullcandy SLYR’s offer fantastic stereo sound with rich bass along with superior comfort. The GMX In-Mixer is easy to use and allows for easy game audio and voice balance adjustments and the addition of the EZ Stash mic allows for this headset to be used for more than just gaming, offering more bang for your buck making it extremely easy to recommend this product for anyone in the market for a new gaming headset.

PROS:

    Fantastic stereo sound
    Superior comfort, especially over extended game play sessions
    EZ Stash mic that allows for other uses without having a mic visible
    GMX In-Mixer is user friendly
    Sturdy design

CONS:

    The mic does not allow you to hear your own voice at a lower level through the headset, a feature found on a few other products in this price range
    The GMX In-Mixer position could stand to be moved up that cable a bit for easier access

You can pick up a pair of the SLYR’s over at skullcandy.com, as well as check out the other two gaming headsets that are coming soon, the PLYR1 and PLYR2!

But the lifestyle headphone brand caught consumers off guard after announcing its latest SLYR and PLYR gaming headsets. Stylish, comfortable, and delivering impressive audio quality—we’re all questioning the brand’s brash move into the competitive gaming market.

Why jump into the gaming headset market? Should we expect a different (or similar) product than Astro’s latest offering? And will we see Skullcandy present at any future gaming tournaments? Inquiring answers, we sat with Skullcandy’s Global Category Manager, Gernard Feril, to get some answers.