Skullcandy Riffchat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

Comfort and sound quality consistently impress for the price. Multiple users describe the Riff as extremely comfortable, especially for glasses wearers, with soft earpads that wrap around the ear. Sound is frequently called surprisingly good, with hard-hitting bass that some compare favorably to Beats headphones. Several reviewers say they use them daily, at the gym, or fall asleep in them, calling them among the best budget headphones they've owned despite costing as little as $15-$24.

Build quality and durability are the most common complaints. Many commenters report the plastic headband or slide-adjuster cracking or snapping, sometimes within a month, though others report years of use without issue. The material is repeatedly described as delicate or fragile, with some resorting to DIY fixes like glue. A few compare the flimsiness unfavorably to other budget alternatives, though the failures seem inconsistent across users.

Sound leakage and lack of padding limit the listening experience. Multiple users note that sound leaks noticeably even at low-to-moderate volumes, letting nearby people hear the music from several feet away, and there's no noise cancelling or strong isolation. Several also mention the lack of padding atop the headband causes discomfort or soreness after 20 minutes to an hour of wear, though one user fixed this by transplanting padding from another Skullcandy model.