Ruffian Skull Earphones (photos)

The Ruffian Skull Earphones offer an intense design for the hardcore set. And they don't sound half-bad, either.

CNET Reviews staff

Dec. 16, 2009 2:23 p.m. PT

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Josh Miller/CNET

Where to begin? Obviously, the Ruffian Skull Earphones are only for the truly hardcore. They don't just have skulls on them, these are intense-looking human head bones. We're not talking Skullcandy icons here.

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Josh Miller/CNET

The box--which, naturally, is shaped like a coffin--includes three sizes of silicone sleeves as well as a soft carrying pouch.

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Josh Miller/CNET

These earphones are constructed out of solid metal, which gives them a nice, high-quality feel. It also makes them quite heavy for earbuds, though their long apertures and smallest silicone eartips provided me with a secure fit. However, they did put some uncomfortable pressure on my ears after less than an hour of wear.

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Josh Miller/CNET

The eartips of the Ruffian earphones are a little unusual in that each size comes in two different colors: black and gray. I presume this is to help the wearer determine which is the right and which is the left. It's an interesting method that I'm surprised I haven't seen employed before.

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Subjekt

Subjekt promotes the Skull earphones in four color varieties: copper, gold, chrome, and black nickle. However, only the dark silver version is currently available for sale.

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Josh Miller/CNET

The earphones come in two models: a standard model with a regular cable; and the Tech N9ne, which has the black and red braided cable. It's tangle-prone but extremely flexible and seems like it would hold up well over time.

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Josh Miller/CNET

Perhaps surprisingly for a model that appears to be a bit of a gimmick, the Ruffian Skull Earphones offer good audio quality. Its mids are nice and rich, and its low-end is pronounced without being overpowering. High-end clarity isn't spectacular but neither does music sound muffled. Overall, an impressive sound space for the money.