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Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Mar 08, 2022 at 10:24 am
Latest change: Writing modified Feb 02, 2023 at 02:22 pm
Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless Picture
7.5
Neutral Sound
7.5
Commute/Travel
8.0
Sports/Fitness
6.9
Office
5.4
Wireless Gaming
5.3
Wired Gaming
6.5
Phone Calls

The Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless are the next generation of the budget-friendly Skullcandy Dime True Wireless. They now support Tile, which is a secondary app and tracker that lets you find your buds if you misplace them. They also have a standby mode that helps conserve battery life when you're not using them. That said, their performance is otherwise the same as the previous generation. They have a slightly bass-rich sound profile that's suitable for most kinds of audio content, and they have a good build quality that's certified IPX4 for resistance against splashes of water. However, their under 3.3-hour continuous battery life won't get you through long days on the go, even though their case holds roughly 2.4 additional charges.

Our Verdict

7.5 Neutral Sound

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are good for neutral sound. They have a slightly bass-rich sound profile that adds a touch of extra thump, rumble, and boom to mixes. Vocals and lead instruments are clear but a little cluttered. That said, they lack any customization features to help you adjust their sound to suit your tastes. Their passive soundstage seems closed-off and as if sound is coming from inside your head rather than from speakers placed in the room around you.

Pros
  • Well-built and decently comfortable.
  • Very consistent audio delivery.
Cons
  • No sound customization features.
7.5 Commute/Travel

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are good for commute and travel. They have a small, lightweight, and portable design that can easily fit into most pockets or bags without an issue. They're also well-built and have a decently comfortable fit. That said, they don't have noise cancelling, and they struggle to block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines. Their under 3.5-hour continuous battery life also may not last through long trips.

Pros
  • Well-built and decently comfortable.
  • Decent noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • 3.3-hour continuous playback time.
8.0 Sports/Fitness

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are great for sports and fitness. Although they don't have stability fins, they don't move around in your ear. They're also certified IPX4 for resistance against splashes of water. That said, even though they have a decently comfortable fit, registering commands can push the buds deeper into your ear.

Pros
  • Well-built and decently comfortable.
  • Stable in-ear fit.
Cons
  • 3.3-hour continuous playback time.
6.9 Office

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are okay for office use. They have a decently comfortable fit and are well-built. They can also block out ambient chatter well so that you can focus on your work, and they don't leak very much audio at high volumes. However, they have a 3.3-hour continuous battery life, which won't last through your workday unless you recharge them up again. Their carrying case also only holds 2.4 additional charges.

Pros
  • Well-built and decently comfortable.
  • Decent noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • 3.3-hour continuous playback time.
  • No sound customization features.
5.4 Wireless Gaming

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are Βluetooth headphones that can't connect to PlayStation or Xbox consoles. You can use them with Βluetooth-compatible PCs, but their latency is too high for them to be suitable for gaming. Their latency with Android and iOS devices is pretty low, though, which is good if you're interested in mobile gaming.

5.3 Wired Gaming

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are Bluetooth-only headphones, and you can't use them wired.

6.5 Phone Calls

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are just okay for phone calls. Their integrated mic has a decent recording quality, so your voice sounds clear to whoever you're talking to. However, the mic struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise around you, so if you're taking a call from a noisy environment, your voice can be drowned out. That said, the buds have a satisfactory noise isolation performance and can help cut down some background noise around you.

Pros
  • Decent recording quality.
Cons
  • Sub-par noise handling.
  • 7.5 Neutral Sound
  • 7.5 Commute/Travel
  • 8.0 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.9 Office
  • 5.4 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.3 Wired Gaming
  • 6.5 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Feb 02, 2023: We've included mentions of two new colourways, 'Dark Blue/Green' and 'Doritos Red', in the "Differences Between Variants" section as well as in "Style".
  2. Updated Mar 08, 2022: Review published.
  3. Updated Mar 02, 2022: Early access published.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Skullcandy Dime 2 come in four color variants: 'Black', 'Light Grey/Blue', 'Dark Blue/Green', and a limited edition 'Doritos Red' colorway released in collaboration with the chip brand of the same name. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are the next generation of the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless. They now support Tile technology, which is handy if you misplace your buds, and they have a standby mode to help conserve battery life when you're not using them. However, their continuous battery life of under 3.5 hours is short, and unlike the JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless, they lack any EQ features to help adjust their sound to your liking.

Check out our picks for the best cheap earbuds, the best wireless earbuds under $50, and the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds.

Skullcandy Dime True Wireless

The Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless are the next generation of the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless. They now support Tile, which is a secondary app that allows you to track your buds if you misplace them, and they have a standby mode to help conserve battery life when you're not using them. However, both models otherwise perform similarly.

Skullcandy Sesh Evo True Wireless

The Skullcandy Sesh Evo True Wireless and the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless are similarly performing in-ears. While both headphones are well-built, the Sesh Evo are more comfortable, can block more background noise, and have longer continuous battery life. However, the Dime 2 have a standby mode to conserve battery life when you're not using them. They also support Tile, which is a secondary app that allows you to track your earbuds if you lose them.

Skullcandy Jib True Wireless

The Skullcandy Jib True Wireless and the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless offer similar performances. While both headphones are well-built, the Jib are more comfortable, can block out more ambient sound, and have longer continuous battery life. The Dime 2 have a more neutral sound profile, and they support Tile, which is a secondary app that lets you track your headphones if you lose them.

Skullcandy Indy Evo True Wireless

The Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless are slightly more versatile in-ears than the Skullcandy Indy Evo True Wireless. The Dime 2 have a more neutral sound profile and better overall battery performance. However, the Indy Evo are more comfortable, and they have three EQ presets built-in.

JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless

The JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless are better in-ears than the Skullcandy Dime 2 True Wireless. While both headphones are well-built, the JLab are more comfortable, have three EQ presets built-in, and their integrated mic has a better overall performance. Their battery performance is better. However, the Skullcandy have a more neutral sound profile.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic

The Skullcandy Dime 2 look identical to the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless with a simple, non-descript style. There's a brand logo on each stem. Unlike the previous generation, they only come in four color variants: 'Black', 'Light Grey/Blue', 'Dark Blue/Green', and a limited edition 'Doritos Red'.

6.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are fairly comfortable. They don't put much pressure inside your ear, and they come with three differently-sized pairs of ear tips to help you get the best fit. That said, they have a deep in-ear fit, and their design is a bit bulky, which can put pressure on your ear. You need to hold the bud in place when using the controls to avoid putting additional pressure on your ear.

6.6
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have okay controls. like the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless, most controls can be done on either bud. There's audio feedback when you're pairing, connecting, and disconnecting the buds. There are also chimes to let you know when you're reached min and max volume, although it's the same sound used for both extremes. However, the buttons aren't very clicky, and using the controls can put pressure on your ear. You also have to press the controls a few times to adjust the volume.

On the left earbud:

  • Double press: Lowers the volume.
  • Press and hold for one second: Restarts the track. Also returns to the previous track.

On the right earbud:

  • Double press: Raises the volume.
  • Press and hold for one second: Skips the track forward.

On either earbud:

  • Single press: Plays and pauses audio. Also answers and ends call.
  • Triple press: Activates your phone's voice assistant.

9.5
Design
Portability
L 1.5" (3.8 cm)
W 1.0" (2.5 cm)
H 0.9" (2.3 cm)
Volume 1.40 in³ (23.00 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have a very portable design. They're small, lightweight, and can easily fit into most pockets without an issue. They also come with a small carrying case that can fit into most pockets and bags without issue.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 2.5" (6.4 cm)
W 1.5" (3.8 cm)
H 0.8" (2.0 cm)
Volume 2.99 in³ (49.00 cm³)

These headphones have a good case that's small and lightweight. There are two openings on the lid that allow you to see the buds. However, you can't see the battery light on the buds when the lid's closed. There's also a small LED light on the case near the charging port, which lets you know when the case is charging.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have a similarly good build quality as the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless. Like their predecessor, they're mostly plastic, which feels solid and durable. They're also certified IPX4 for resistance against splashes of water. However, the ear tips seem like they're prone to ripping with continuous use.

7.5
Design
Stability

These headphones have good stability. Even though they stick out of your ears a bit and lack stability fins, they stay in place. They shouldn't fall out of your ears during a run in the park or if you're listening to audio at your desk.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Skullcandy Dime 2 earbuds
  • Charging case
  • Micro-USB to USB-A charging cable
  • 3x tip size options
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
0.47 dB
Treble Amount
-1.14 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have a slightly bass-rich sound profile that adds a bit of extra boom and warmth to mixes. That said, it shouldn't overwhelm vocals and lead instruments, so they're suitable for a variety of audio content. However, they lack customization features, and you can't adjust their sound to suit your tastes.

8.5
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.3 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have excellent frequency response consistency. Once you get a proper fit using the provided ear tips, you should achieve consistent audio delivery each time you use them.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
8.8
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.66 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
0.08 dB
Mid-Bass
1.26 dB
High-Bass
2.73 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2's bass accuracy is excellent. The response is slightly overemphasized across the range, which adds a touch of extra thump, rumble, and warmth to your mixes. However, it can sound a little boomy.

8.7
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.69 dB
Low-Mid
2.05 dB
Mid-Mid
-1.32 dB
High-Mid
-0.09 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have excellent mid accuracy. The response is fairly flat, so instruments like the Vienna horn and trumpets in the theme from Jurassic Park sound clear and intense. However, there's some overemphasis coming from the bass range into the low-mid, which muddies the mix a bit. Vocals in the first bridge of Norweigan Wood (This Bird Has Flown) by The Beatles sound a little cluttered alongside the sitar and acoustic guitar. A dip in the mid-mid also slightly nudges vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix.

8.6
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.2 dB
Low-Treble
-1.45 dB
Mid-Treble
0.75 dB
High-Treble
-2.78 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have excellent treble accuracy. The low-treble is slightly recessed, so vocals and lead instruments are slightly veiled. However, sibilants like cymbals are bright but not piercing.

8.3
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.17 dB
Dips
0.84 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2's peaks and dips performance is great. There's a peak in the high-bass to low-mid that affects the right driver a little more prominently, adding boom and a bit of muddiness to mixes. A dip in the mid-mid also affects the right driver more than the left, nudging vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix. A few small dips in the low-treble slightly veil vocals and lead instruments while the dip and peak in the mid-treble make sibilants like S and T sounds alternatingly dull and piercing.

9.1
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.11
Weighted Phase Mismatch
2.17
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.56
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.33

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have an outstanding imaging performance. The weighted group delay falls below the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and transparent treble. Also, the L/R drivers of our unit are well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase response, which is important for the accurate placement of objects, like instruments and voices, in the stereo image. Although there's a small peak in the phase response's mid-mid, which skews a little to the right, it's not very audible with real-life content. Imaging can vary between units and can indicate a manufacturer's quality control and ergonomics.

0.8
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
3.0
Acoustic Space Excitation
0.5

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have a terrible passive soundstage performance, which is on par for in-ear headphones. One of the key components in creating a large and speaker-like passive soundstage is that the outer ear activates with sound. However, their design bypasses your outer ear. As a result, sound seems like it's coming from inside your head rather than from speakers placed in the room around you.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No
7.9
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.249
WHD @ 100
0.106

The weighted harmonic distortion performance of these headphones is very good. There are a couple of peaks in the treble range at normal listening volumes, but they're very minor and shouldn't be noticeable with real-life content. All frequencies fall within good limits, resulting in clear and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
1.1.3.24
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 5.0
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 44.1kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
Integrated
Isolation
7.0
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-20.16 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-7.43 dB
Mid
-23.17 dB
Treble
-31.57 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2's noise isolation performance is satisfactory. They have some trouble blocking out the low rumble of bus and plane engines, which can be a bit annoying if you travel or commute to work. That said, they do a better job of cutting down ambient chatter as well as the high-pitched hum of an AC unit.

9.6
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
23.27 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have an outstanding leakage performance. They don't leak much audio at high volumes. If you're listening to your favorite songs at a high volume, others around you won't hear it unless you're in a quiet environment.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
7.1
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
310.89 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
4.49 dB
HFE
6,450.8 Hz
Weighted THD
0.32
Gain
11.83 dB

The Skullcandy Dime 2's recording quality is decent. Your voice sounds clear and understandable but lacks body and seems a little unnatural.

5.6
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
7.01 dB
Noise Gate
No
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
6.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
5.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The mic has a sub-par noise handling performance. It struggles to separate your voice from background noise. If you're taking a call from a noisy environment like a busy street, your voice can be drowned out.

Active Features
6.2
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
3.3 hrs
Additional Charges
2.4
Total Battery Life
11.3 hrs
Charge Time
0.5 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Standby mode
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port micro-USB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 have a mediocre battery performance. They're advertised to last 3.5 hours continuously, and we measured a similar amount. While this won't be enough to last you through long days on the go, their carrying case holds roughly 2.4 additional charges if you need it. You can also use one bud while the other charges. Unlike the Skullcandy Dime True Wireless, they have a standby mode that helps conserve battery life when you're not using them. However, Skullcandy doesn't advertise this feature anywhere.

4.0
Active Features
App Support
App Name Skullcandy
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

The Skullcandy app is poor. It doesn't offer many features, and there isn't an EQ or presets to help you customize their sound. That said, you can see the battery and volume levels as well as the firmware version. You can also check out the FAQ section and register your buds. You can find your buds via Tile if you lose them, but you need to download this app separately.

Connectivity
6.7
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
158.46 ft (48.30 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
242 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
132 ms
Android Latency
104 ms

The Skullcandy Dime 2's Bluetooth performance is okay. While they don't support multi-device or NFC pairing, they have low latency on iOS and Android devices, which is good if you like to stream video. However, their latency on PCs is much higher, and your audio and visuals may be out of sync. Some apps and devices compensate for latency, though.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection
No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

You can only use these headphones wirelessly. They come with a micro-USB to USB-C cable to charge their carrying case.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

The Skullcandy Dime 2 are only compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs. You can't connect them in any other way.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
2.2
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Charging Case
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Power Supply
USB

The Skullcandy Dime 2 come with a carrying case that supplies roughly 2.4 extra charges. There's a micro-USB input so that you can recharge the case, but there aren't any other inputs.

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