The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless are budget-level in-ears that come with a portable charging case to help you power them up while you're on-the-go. They have an excited, v-shaped sound profile that adds an extra thump and punch to your mix while making vocals and lead instruments bright and sparkly. While they come with a few EQ presets, you can only access them through the touch-sensitive controls, and there's no way to know which preset you're listening to. Also, using the controls can push them further into your ears, which doesn't feel very comfortable.
Our Verdict
The Skullcandy Spoke are acceptable for neutral sound. While their v-shaped sound profile may be a bit overwhelming or bright for fans of neutral sound, their balanced mid-range can reproduce clear and accurate vocals and lead instruments. There are a few EQ presets to help you customize their sound, which is nice. However, there isn't audible feedback to let you know which preset you're using.
- Some EQ presets.
- No full graphic EQ.
The Skullcandy Spoke are satisfactory for commute and travel. They have decent noise isolation, and while they can block out higher-frequency background noises like voices, they struggle to block out bass-heavy sounds like bus and plane engines. While they're very portable, their in-ear fit isn't comfortable for all listeners. Also, their 5.9-hour continuous battery life may not last through long international flights.
- Portable, well-built design.
- Don't leak a lot of noise.
- Struggles to block out bass-heavy background noises.
- Mediocre comfort.
The Skullcandy Spoke are great for sports. These truly wireless in-ears have a portable, well-built design, and they're stable enough to stay in your ears during workouts. They're incredibly breathable, too, so you don't sweat more than usual while wearing them. However, they have a deep fit, and using their controls can put extra pressure on your ears, which may not be very comfortable.
- Portable, well-built design.
- IPX4 rating for water resistance.
- Stable enough for workouts.
- Mediocre comfort.
The Skullcandy Spoke are okay for office use. They don't leak a lot of noise, so you can listen to music at loud volumes without bothering those around you. Also, they do a decent job of passively isolating against background noises like coworkers chatting nearby. However, their in-ear fit may not be comfortable enough for long listening sessions, and their 5.9-hour continuous battery life may not last through your workday. That said, their portable charging case offers around 2.5 extra charges, which is handy.
- Don't leak a lot of noise.
- Mediocre comfort.
The Skullcandy Spoke aren't compatible with Xbox or PS consoles. While you can use them with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, their latency is likely too high to be suitable for gaming.
The Skullcandy Spoke are wireless-only headphones that aren't suitable for wired gaming.
The Skullcandy Spoke are passable for phone calls. Their integrated microphone has a decent recording quality, so your voice is clear but also a bit thin to whoever's on the other end of the line. However, they're best-suited to making calls in a quiet environment, as the mic can struggle to separate your voice from background noises. They have decent noise isolation, but you may be distracted from your call by bass-heavy background noises like bus and plane engines.
- Decent microphone recording quality.
- Struggles to block out bass-heavy background noises.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 19, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Apr 23, 2021: We have re-evaluated the results of the Controls' Ease Of Use test. As a result, the scoring of this box has changed.
- Updated Mar 01, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Feb 23, 2021: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds are available in Black, and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version, let us know in the discussion section below so we can update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds are budget-friendly in-ears with a v-shaped sound profile that adds boom, punch, and excitement to your mixes. Unlike some of the other budget-level Skullcandy headphones like the Skullcandy Sesh Truly Wireless, they come with a few EQ presets, too. However, their touch-sensitive controls can push them further into your ears, which doesn't feel very comfortable. See also our recommendations for the best cheap earbuds, the best wireless earbuds under $50, and the best wireless earbuds overall.
The Skullcandy Sesh Evo True Wireless are a bit better headphones for mixed usage than the Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless. The Sesh Evo are more comfortable and have better noise isolation. They also come with some EQ presets built-in. However, the Spoke's microphone has a better recording quality, and they have a longer continuous battery life.
The Skullcandy Jib True Wireless are better headphones than the Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless. The Jib True are more comfortable and offer better noise isolation. However, the Spoke have a more stable in-ear fit and come with a few EQ presets.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the SoundPeats TrueFree 2 Wireless or the Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless. The SoundPeats are more comfortable and stable, and they have a more balanced sound profile. However, the Skullcandy offer better noise isolation and a longer continuous battery life, and their integrated mic has a better recording quality. They also come with some EQ presets, unlike the SoundPeats.
The Skullcandy Sesh Truly Wireless are a bit better headphones than the Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless. The Sesh are more comfortable, and they come with a bass-heavy sound profile. However, some listeners may prefer the Spoke's V-shaped sound, longer battery life, and better microphone recording quality. The Spoke also have a few EQ presets.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds are straightforward-looking truly wireless in-ears with a sleek all-black design. They're a bit bulky, and they protrude a bit from your ear.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have mediocre comfort. They come with several different sizes of earbud tips so you can find the best possible fit for you. However, they're a bit bulky and they sit deep in your ears. When you use the controls, it can put extra pressure on your ears, so you have to hold the bud in place when making a command to avoid discomfort. As a result, they're less comfortable than other budget-level headphones like the Skullcandy Sesh Truly Wireless and the Skullcandy Jib True Wireless.
Update 04/23/2021: We have re-evaluated the Ease Of Use score. After comparing them to similar headphones, we decided to lower its score from 'Good' to 'Decent' since the controls aren't really intuitive out-of-the-box. As a result, the scoring of this box has been lowered from 6.6 to 6.5.
The controls are okay. You can press either bud once to play/pause your audio or answer/end a call. Pressing three times activates the voice assistant, and pressing four times lets you change the EQ mode. You can also press the left bud twice to turn the volume down, or the right bud twice to turn the volume up. You can hold the left bud to skip to the previous track, or hold the right bud to skip to the next track. The buttons are clicky, and there's some audible feedback for Bluetooth pairing, changing the EQ mode, and reaching max and min volume. Unfortunately, using the controls can put extra pressure on your ear, and there isn't any way to know which EQ mode you're using.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have an incredible breathability performance. Thanks to their truly wireless design, they don't trap heat around your ears, and you shouldn't feel a noticeable temperature difference while wearing them.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds are remarkably portable. Like most truly wireless in-ears, they have a small, lightweight design that can easily fit into your pocket. They also come with a small carrying case that can fit into your bag easily.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds come with a good case. You can use it to charge the headphones, and it has three LED lights to indicate the battery life, which is handy.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have a good build quality. They're mostly made of plastic, which feels solid and durable. They also have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. However, the earbud tips are a potential weak point, as they may rip over time.
These headphones have good stability. Though they stick out of your ears a bit, they should stay in place during casual listening sessions and more intense physical activity.
- Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds
- Charging case
- Micro-USB to USB-A charging cable
- 3x tip size options
- Manuals
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have an excited, v-shaped sound profile that makes vocals and lead instruments bright and sparkling. They pack extra thump and punch in the bass range that can please fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM but may be overwhelming for fans of a more neutral sound. There are also a few EQ presets to help you customize their sound. However, because they don't have a companion app, there's no way to know which EQ preset they're set to.
These headphones have incredible frequency response consistency. Once you get a proper seal with the included tips, you should get a consistent audio delivery each time you use them.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have disappointing bass accuracy. The entire range is overemphasized, so you really feel the deep thump and punch in your mixes. However, some listeners may find this a bit boomy and overwhelming.
These headphones have great mid accuracy. While there's a slight overemphasis in the low-mids that can add a muddy quality to the mix, the rest of the range is quite balanced and neutral. As a result, vocals and lead instruments are clear and present.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have mediocre treble accuracy. The range is overemphasized, so vocals and lead instruments are bright and sparkling. However, sibilants like S and T sounds can also be piercing.
These headphones have decent peaks and dips performance. The peak in the high-bass adds extra warmth, while the dip in the mid-mids nudges vocals and lead instruments towards the back of the mix. The dip in the high-mids and low-treble can hurt the comprehensibility of vocals and lead instruments, too. The peak in the low-treble can make those same instruments sound harsh, and the uneven mid-treble can make sibilants like cymbals alternately weak and piercing.
The Skullcandy Spoke have incredible imaging. The weighted group delay falls below the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and transparent treble. Also, the L/R drivers of our test unit are well-matched in phase, amplitude, and frequency response, so objects like voice and footsteps in the stereo image are accurately placed and localized. However, these results are only valid for our test unit, so your experience may vary.
Like most truly wireless in-ears, the Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have a terrible passive soundstage performance. By design, they don't interact with the outer ear, which is one of the key components in creating a large and speaker-like soundstage. As a result, audio seems like it's coming from inside your head, rather than from speakers placed all around you.
These headphones have an amazing weighted harmonic distortion performance. Whether you're listening at normal volume levels or higher volume levels, all frequencies fall within good limits, resulting in a clear and pure audio reproduction.
These are the settings we used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when using these settings.
Note: We tested these headphones with the default EQ preset. As they don't give audible feedback when you switch a preset, there's no way to know which preset you're listening to.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have decent noise isolation. They struggle to block out bass-heavy background noises like bus and plane engines. However, they perform better with higher-frequency background noise, so you don't really hear the sounds of people chatting around you or the hum of AC units.
These headphones have a fantastic leakage performance. They don't leak a lot of noise, and escaping audio sounds very thin. It shouldn't really bother those around you unless you're in a very quiet environment like a library.
The integrated microphone has a satisfactory recording quality. Your voice sounds natural and clear to whoever's on the other end of the line, but it can also sound a bit thin.
The microphone has a disappointing noise handling performance. It can struggle to separate your voice from background noises, so your voice may be drowned out, even if you're calling from a moderately noisy environment.
The Skullcandy Spoke have mediocre battery performance. They have just under six hours of continuous battery life, which may not be enough to last through long days on-the-go. Fortunately, their portable charging case offers some additional charges, and they don't take very long to charge up again. However, battery life can vary depending on usage, so your real-world experience may vary.
Update 12/09/2021: These headphones were updated to Test Bench 1.5 and their latency values have changed. Our previous Test Bench 1.4 measurements reported 'PC Latency' at 263 ms, 'iOS Latency' at 149 ms, and 'Android Latency' at 199 ms. However, our new test bench uses an average of three measurements instead of one, resulting in 266 ms of latency on PC, 143 ms on iOS, and 155 ms on Android. As a result, we have updated our text to better reflect test bench 1.5 measurements.
The Skullcandy Spoke True Wireless Earbuds have an okay Bluetooth performance. They're compatible with Bluetooth, but unfortunately, slight audio lag on Android and iOS devices may be noticeable. Their latency on PCs is likely too high to be suitable for watching videos, though. However, some apps compensate for latency, so your real-world experience may vary.
The Skullcandy Spoke Earbuds are wireless-only. They come with a micro-USB to USB-A cable for charging their case.
These Bluetooth-only headphones aren't compatible with Xbox One or Xbox Series X consoles.
The charging case offers around 2.5 extra charges to help you power up when you're on-the-go. You can charge the case using the included micro-USB cable, but it doesn't have any additional inputs.