For the past eight months, I’ve been the proud owner of a pair of Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds headphones. And I loved them, they fit my ears perfectly, blocked out external sound, were compact and lightweight, and most important of all, sounded really fantastic with my Microsoft Zune . And priced around $25 or so, they were a real bargain compared to higher priced phones, too.

Sadly, though, all good things must come to an end, and the other day my Smokin’ Buds went to a well-earned eternal rest in that great audio store in the sky. To be sure, their 8-month lifespan is no negative reflection upon them. I use my headphones almost daily while out jogging and walking, and they were regularly subjected to tugs, tangles, jerks, and stretches. All in all, they held out pretty well.

Indeed, I was so impressed with my Smokin’ Buds that I decided to buy another pair. But as I went to grab them off the store shelves, I noticed another model right next to them: Skullcandy Ink’d. Interestingly enough, these were priced a bit lower (just $14.95 at Target). But they boasted a greater frequency range (20-20k KHZ vs. 100-18,000 KHZ for the Smokin’ Buds). Intrigued, I decided to give them a shot; after all, I could always return them if they didn’t sound as good as they should.

Fortunately, I had my Zune in my pocket (I rarely leave home without it), so I was able to try them out in the parking lot. Who wants to make a return trip in these days of high gas prices anyway? Opening the minimalist packaging was easy enough, and I was ready to try them out when I noticed my first (and really only) gripe with the Ink’d headphones: neither of the tiny phones is labeled left or right. That won’t stop you from appreciating stereo separation, to be sure, but it will prevent you from picking up the left and right channels from the proper direction.

Slightly annoyed, I popped the buds into my ears and fired up my Zune: and knew instantly that these were going to be keepers. The volume output was very impressive, and I actually had to turn the volume down to about 11 out of 20. Although the Ink’d set does not have an in-line volume control like the Smokin’ Buds do, it seems to have better overall volume output.

More important than sheer volume, of course, is sound quality, and the Ink’d headphones certainly have that covered. They faithfully reproduce both highs and lows, with deep, natural bass and crystal clear, soaring highs. The dynamic range is good here, too, and even at a volume level around 9 to 11 on my Zune you can easily hear the quieter passages without being deafened by the louder ones.

The next day, I gave the Ink’d headphones their first real workout when I went for mine. Over the course of two hours, I listened to a number of tracks, from classical to rock to pop to movie soundtracks. And gradually, I came to the conclusion that they sounded even better than the Smokin’ Buds they replaced.

Important, too, was the way they fit in my ears. The Ink’d come with three sets of rubber covers for the buds that form a seal inside your ear to hold them in place and block out external sound. They perform both functions rather well, and even as I passed the eternally noisy Interstate 285 here in Atlanta I was oblivious to anything but my music. Then too, despite sweating profusely in the balmy July Georgia sun, the buds never once fell out of my ears, and retained their tight seal continuously.

The wires are a bit thin but seem quite flexible and strong enough to last for a while. The buds themselves don’t have handles (as the Smokin’ Buds did) to remove them with, and it’s tempting to pull them out by the wires. But it’s probably a better bet to pull them out by the cylindrical buds themselves to avoid damaging the wires.

Overall, I’m extremely satisfied with the Ink’d headphones. They’re perfect for my active use, and I don’t have to sacrifice sound quality for a very affordable pair that I can subject to the sort of punishment that I do. These headphones would be a bargain at twice the price, though don’t tell the folks at Skullcandy that.

Definitely a best buy value.

Other Headphones I’ve Used:

Sennheiser MX75

JVC’s Gummy Phones

Philips HE-592s

SHE-9500s

Recommended: Yes