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Skullcandy SLYR Gaming Headset Review
March 25, 2013
Let’s face it, with all the gaming headsets out there it’s hard to find a decent one for a decent price. There are times when we go out and buy a headset only to find ourselves $300 poorer and filled with regret knowing that we wasted our money on something that’l never fulfil our dreams. Skullcandy has released SLYR, a multiplatform gaming headset that’s – shock, horror – also affordable. Does SLYR slay the competition or is it just another thing you’re going to regret buying?
Read More...I want to start off by saying that the SLYR is a very nice looking headset. Not only does it have the looks but it’s also very light – which is always a good thing for a headset. SLYR also isn’t a surround sound headset, but that doesn’t mean that you should look past it as its sound quality is rather impressive. I’ve had it turned all the way down and, almost, all the way up – and it always stayed crystal clear.
The SLYR has three different custom sound settings for movies, games, and music. All of these work well and you can hear the difference between each one. With most headsets I use, I find myself having to take one side off of one of my ears for a short amount of time due to how uncomfortable they become. Luckily that doesn’t happen with these. Due to the SLYR being so light, and the foam around the ear pieces being so soft, these issues just don’t crop up. This is probably one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve worn in a long time.
The mic easily folds in and out of a groove located on the left ear, making it aesthetically rather wonderful. When you don’t feel like using it to chat with your friends and you just want to watch a movie or play a game, you can flip it up out of the way and it stays hidden. This is really nice because when I wear them in public, playing my Vita on a train etc, it’s hard for anyone tell that they’re gaming headsets.
Pleasingly, it’s also incredibly easy to hook up to whatever device you like. For the PS3 and 360, they give you step by step instructions that walk you through everything. PC users just need to connect the headset via USB and they’re good to go. For listening to MP3 players, PS Vita, 3DS, or any other portable device you’ve got, all you need to do is plug it in like you would with any pair of earphones. It’s super easy and pretty amazing that you can use this headset for pretty much anything.
There were two minor issues, though. When I first started using the SLYRs I had a loud, very irritating buzzing that was very hard to just ignore. This disappeared after some time playing around with the wires. Clearly, this was entirely my own fault as now every time I hook them up the sound crystal clear. The second issue was down to the extremely long cable length. It’s clear that they wanted you to have enough wire to be able to play it from you couch or chair – or whatever you use. But this feels like I could leave the room, go into the kitchen and potter about, all without running out of cable. Ok they aren’t that long, but I am trying to make a point damn it! This could be an issue because it gets tangled up easily and looks messy when you store it away.
All in all, this is a solid headset. For a decent price – and everything you can do with it – I just can’t see why anyone wouldn’t pick this up. The SLYR nearly has everything going for it and I can’t wait to see what Skullcandy comes out with next.
Audio/Visual: 4/5- The headset looks slick and the sound quality is very crisp.
Innovation: 5/5- Skullcandys headset is pretty much compatible with almost everything including MP3′s,PS3,Xbox, tablets, etc.
Value: 5/5- Even though its not surround sound it still has great volume capability and is also really cheap. It is also works with pretty much anything.
Final Score: 4.5/5
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With Skullcandy, Look Stylish While Playing Video Games
January 11, 2013
Skullcandy is known for adding youthful flair to audio gear. So when the company acquired Astro Gaming, a maker of premium gaming accessories, it made sense that it would introduce a line of stylish, less-expensive gaming headsets with the Skullcandy brand.
Read More...The new line, introduced over several months, includes three options, Slyr, Plyr1 and Plyr2, which offer different levels of performance. All three are compatible with the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles and PCs.
The wired Slyr headset (pronounced “slayer”), which runs about $80, features a foldable boom mic and an inline mixer that offers volume control, voice balance and muting. It also has an equalization button that toggles among three modes to enhance your experience. For instance, you get more boom playing games like Transformers: Fall of Cybertron in the bass mode, but the precision mode offers more clarity. The sound quality is pretty good for a relatively inexpensive headset.
But the headset has a couple of audio cables that snake their way to the game controller and the TV, which can leave your living room looking cluttered. The benefit about being wired, however, is that the Slyr can also plug into most tablets and smartphones.
For a cleaner gaming area, consider shelling out $130 for Skullcandy’s Plyr2 gaming headset, which offers better sound without the wires. The controls are on the right cup, making the gaming experience more seamless. The Plyr1, which will be available in March for $180, has the same audio, but is enhanced with Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound.
But the best reason to get Skullcandy headsets are their streamlined design and eye-catching colors, offering more style than their bulkier rivals. There are higher-quality options on the market, but with Skullcandy gear, at least you look good wearing it.
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2012 Head-Fi Holiday Gift Guide
December 6, 2012
GAMING HEADSETS
While my avid gaming days have long since passed, I still enjoy giving my laptop's video card something to overheat about from time to time. Favoring first-person shooters, imaging is important; but as rusty as I am with games nowadays, it's mostly so that I know precisely from which direction death is raining down on me. (I also use the headsets for telephony and software speech recognition dictation.)Read More...A few gaming headsets I've used that I feel comfortable recommending include:
Skullcandy SLYR
Closed, on-the-ear headset (around $80)
www.skullcandy.com
I almost considered putting the Skullcandy SLYR in the over-ear headphones section. For 80 bucks, it's a good closed headphone, period, and with the added functionality of a built-in stow-away microphone.
As has been covered before on Head-Fi, Skullcandy is getting very serious about sound. They've hired a lot of talent, and built their own labs, and have moved away from OEM to designing and engineering their own stuff. The SLYR is a product of those efforts, and a very good result.
The SLYR comes with a USB gaming sound mixer. To put it in non-gamer speak, this mixer is like a USB DAC (plus USB mic in) that also allows you to adjust audio settings, especially for mixing game audio and voice. It also comes with three different EQ settings. Because the mixer's cables are so long--and because I think the SLYR sounds better with music without the mixer (though the EQ is fun to experiment with while gaming)--I just plug the SLYR directly into my computer, or into one of my good USB DAC/amps, most of the time.
With or without the included mixer, the SLYR is very good for gaming. Its sound signature favors clarity over boom, though it still does a fine job of conveying sounds, impact, and effects of the death and destruction I usually find myself suffering from when I enter the gaming fray.
The thing is, when I'm done gaming--when I've plugged it directly into my computer or one of my good DAC/amps--I regularly forget to change the SLYR out for another headphone when I return to music. I'll say it again: this is actually a good $80 closed headphone. The SLYR's overall clarity is good. Its bass is well balanced, mids could use a bit more refinement and richness, and there's occasionally some mid-treble glare. Still, though, it's musical enough that I'll use it for an all-'round headphone on days I know I'll be Skyping a lot (its built-in stow-away boom microphone comes in handy). 80 bucks--a very good deal. -
Gaming: Skullcandy SLYR Headset Review
November 28, 2012
Skullcandy has been creating audio gear for a long time now- nearly a decade, as a matter of fact. In 2012 they acquired high-end audio headset manufacturer Astro Gaming. They’ve decided to keep the Astro name exclusive to their $200+ headset family, and are now re-entering the gaming headset market with the Skullcandy brand. Their new line-up consists of the PLYR1 and PLYR2 wireless headsets, as well as the SLYR wired headset. 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?
Read More...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.
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Gaming: Skullcandy's SLYR Headset Delivers Sweet Sounds at a Sweet Price
October 15, 2012
The Skullcandy Slyr might be short a few vowels, but it doesn’t skimp on performance or comfort. Audiophiles can likely do better for music and movies, but this headset is tuned for gaming, and delivers a strong value proposition —whether you’re on a console, handheld device, Mac or Windows PC.
Read More...As far as appearances go the Slyr is relatively tame for Skullcandy gear. I reviewed the black variant, which sports yellow accents on translucent side panels and inside the ear cups (it’s also available in blue and white, if you’re feeling a bit more ostentatious). The Slyr's plastic body is sturdy, but I’ll admit it doesn’t really inspire confidence. The ear cups wobble a bit too freely, rattling against the frame whenever I moved the headset around. The wide range of motion is doubtlessly intentional and ensures a comfortable fit but I’d still prefer a more rigid chassis, particularly when yanking the headset on or off my head. The headset’s band offers a fair deal of flex, sliding comfortably around my skull and latching on firmly without pinching. The Slyr is one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve ever worn: it’s very light, with thick foam padding that didn’t feel sweaty or bothersome after lengthy gaming sessions.
The audio quality is great; the headset lacks support for 7.1 surround, but that's not surprising for a headset in this price range, and given the virtual surround sound implementation offered in most games you probably won't even notice. Music and games both sound excellent through the Slyr, which capably pumps out bass and hits high notes without distortion. The headset can get very, very loud, and when cranked up too far there’s a slight but perceptible hiss in the background. I was told by bystanders that the audio didn’t bleed out of the foam cups very much, but I never cranked the volume up too loud.
The headset is simple and largely devoid of bells and whistles, which is actually rather refreshing. The left side of the headset hosts the audio input jack and the fold-out microphone, but the headset controls are relegated to the GMX In-Mixer dongle attached to the cables, a hands-breadth from the headset jack. The GMX offers a square four-way nub that controls the headset volume, adjusts the audio and voice volume levels, and mutes the microphone. A switch running along the side of the dongle serves as a simple equalizer, and offers three modes: Bass, Supreme, and Precision. I generally left it in the default “Supreme” position, which offers a nice flat audio profile. Precision mode is a bit punchier, drawing out positional cues like footsteps in games. Bass mode does what it says on the tin, but I found its heavier sound often distorted music and movies.
The microphone folds out of the left cup, lining up with my mouth and picking up my voice clearly. I’ve owned many headsets, and most had detachable microphones — that’s generally fine, but when there’s a sudden call-to-arms while playing an MMO or I just wanted to shout a quick “Hello!” or “Watch out!” to a friend, not having to futz around on my messy desk for a dongle to plug in was a nice change of pace. The microphone’s short stick also remained well out of the way, but it doesn’t mute itself when you tuck it into the earcup so you’ll want to make sure you’re muted before making disparaging comments about your teammates.
The Slyr is a wired headset, with cables that are ludicrously long. I hate wires, but they weren’t too troublesome here; the length was a boon when I needed to reach across my living room to plug the headset into my Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, and left enough wriggle room for comfortable movement. The headset draws power from its USB connector, so you’ll need to plug that in too. On a PC the Slyr only needs that USB connection, and the extra length isn't an issue; I simply pushed the cable into the rat’s nest behind my desk and promptly forgot about it. A 3.5mm cable connects the headset to the GMX dongle, and you can connect that cable to other devices like a phone or tablet when you’re on the go; the Slyr's compatibility with all devices is a strong benefit, and certainly worth the cost of entry.
Should you buy this headset? I’d say yes — wires will always give me pause, but the relatively cheap price you pay for the excellent audio quality of the Slyr outweighs the convenience of being able to walk around with it on your head. Compatibility with a broad variety of devices is a definite plus, and the demure design means I wouldn’t really feel silly wearing these in front of witnesses. Great audio, a palatable price tag, and universal compatibility make for a great value, and you won’t be disappointed with Skullcandy’s latest headset.
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Gaming: Skullcandy SLYR Gaming Headset
October 9, 2012
"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."
Read More...A good gaming headset can go a long way in adding to the enjoyment of any game you’re playing, not to mention prevent forcing others around you to listen to you playing the game (aside from you yelling obscenities into the microphone). 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 designCONS:
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 -
Skullcandy Introduces the SLYR Gaming Headset
September 20, 2012
These Skullcandy-branded headsets essentially bring the ethos of those models to more wallet-friendly prices point of $80 to $180 -- not to mention in closer competition with the likes of Turtle Beach and Tritton." "If anything, we'd say they largely take cues from Astro's portability-inclined A30, albeit with a design that's streamlined with more curves -- and dare we say it, sexier.
Read More...On each, you'll find a rotating boom mic on the left earcup, while the right cup houses a power button, EQ switch, mini-USB port and a volume / mix-balance control. Wireless connectivity is handled by puck which connects to your console much like the A50.
Giving you the option to Edit your own Aviator headphones isn't the only news the fashionable folks at Skullcandy had up their sleeve for the end of 2012; with a bit of help from Astro Gaming (a recently acquired asset), it's also taking another stab at gaming headsets. The company's touting three new models: SLYR, PLYR 1 and PLYR 2, all of which were quietly detailed on its site within the last week. While Astro caters its full-on gaming audio systems (A30, A40 and A50) above the $200 mark, these Skullcandy-branded headsets essentially bring the ethos of those models to more wallet-friendly prices point of $80 to $180 -- not to mention in closer competition with the likes of Turtle Beach and Tritton. Most notably, Astro was quick to highlight to us that Skullcandy's new batch of gaming-focused earblasters have been created from the ground-up, unlike its past models which were just tweaks to its existing -- and less than well-received -- headsets. Curious for the initial details on these latest gaming audio aids? Lucky for you, we've got it all listed just past the break.
Getting down to specifics, the currently available $80 SLYR serves as its entry-level set, netting you a wired stereo setup. The headset features a foldable boom mic, along with an inline remote for controlling the volume, balance of game audio voice chat and selecting from a trio of EQ. Lucky for games, music and movies (taking cues from the A50 and Mixamps). If you're willing to part ways with $130 or -- a slightly spendier -- $180, you'll be able to respectively pickup the PLYR 2 or 1 in the coming months. Both headsets are identical (save for color options), but that $50 premium on SLYR 2 notably snags you Dolby Headphone surround sound virtualization.
Skullcandy takes another shot at gaming headsets, quietly reveals SLYR, PLYR 2 and PLYR 1
By Joe Pollicino posted Sep 20th 2012 1:50PM
ExclusiveSkullCandy takes another shot at gaming headsets, quietly reveals SLYR, PLYR 2 and PLYR 1
Giving you the option to Edit your own Aviator headphones isn't the only news the fashionable folks at Skullcandy had up their sleeve for the end of 2012; with a bit of help from Astro Gaming (a recently acquired asset), it's also taking another stab at gaming headsets. The company's touting three new models: SLYR, PLYR 1 and PLYR 2, all of which were quietly detailed on its site within the last week. While Astro caters its full-on gaming audio systems (A30, A40 and A50) above the $200 mark, these Skullcandy-branded headsets essentially bring the ethos of those models to more wallet-friendly prices point of $80 to $180 -- not to mention in closer competition with the likes of Turtle Beach and Tritton. Most notably, Astro was quick to highlight to us that Skullcandy's new batch of gaming-focused earblasters have been created from the ground-up, unlike its past models which were just tweaks to its existing -- and less than well-received -- headsets. Curious for the initial details on these latest gaming audio aids? Lucky for you, we've got it all listed just past the break.
Getting down to specifics, the currently available $80 SLYR serves as its entry-level set, netting you a wired stereo setup. The headset features a foldable boom mic, along with an inline remote for controlling the volume, balance of game audio voice chat and selecting from a trio of EQ. Lucky for games, music and movies (taking cues from the A50 and Mixamps). If you're willing to part ways with $130 or -- a slightly spendier -- $180, you'll be able to respectively pickup the PLYR 2 or 1 in the coming months. Both headsets are identical (save for color options), but that $50 premium on SLYR 2 notably snags you Dolby Headphone surround sound virtualization.
Skullcandy PLYR 1 and PLYR 2 press shots
Skullcandy SLYR press shotsIf anything, we'd say they largely take cues from Astro's portability-inclined A30, albeit with a design that's streamlined with more curves -- and dare we say it, sexier. On each, you'll find a rotating boom mic on the left earcup, while the right cup houses a power button, EQ switch, mini-USB port and a volume / mix-balance control. Wireless connectivity is handled by puck which connects to your console much like the A50, but there's no mention of Kleer audio processing this time. Lastly, all three models are naturally compatible with Xbox, PS3 and PCs, just like Astro's offerings. You'll find renders of the all headsets available for your perusal in the galleries above, and more details from Skullcandy itself at the source links below -- and you can be sure we'll put 'em through a n00b-pwing run with Call of Duty here at Engadget EQ HQ as soon as we can.
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