How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want proven speech-clarity technology and active noise cancellation in a wired headset, choose Able Planet Headset; if you need a lightweight, tangle-free wired headphone with a built-in mic for calls and everyday listening, choose Skullcandy Riff.
• Able Planet Headset — biggest strength: Patented LINX AUDIO with premium stereo speakers, plus active noise cancellation and an on-wire volume control aimed at safe listening levels.
• Able Planet Headset — biggest trade-off: On-ear plastic build at 3.36 ounces with a round earcup shape and a fixed 3.5 mm cable — no flat tangle-resistant cord, no remote, and no in-line mic beyond the LINX microphone compatibility.
• Skullcandy Riff — biggest strength: Lightweight on-ear design (0.27 kg listed weight) with an ultra-light headband, soft ear cushions, a flat tangle-free cable, a built-in microphone, and an in-line remote for volume, play/pause, and calls.
• Skullcandy Riff — biggest trade-off: No active noise cancellation and no LINX-style speech-clarity processing — it's a straightforward wired headphone, not a noise-managing headset.
• Who Able Planet Headset is for: Buyers who want noise cancellation and clearer speech on wired calls or voice work.
• Who Skullcandy Riff is for: Buyers who want a light, comfortable, tangle-free wired headphone for music, podcasts, and hands-free calls.
The Able Planet Headset (model SH190-BM, ASIN B00TADC6CS) is built around one idea: getting speech across clearly. Its premium stereo speakers use patented LINX AUDIO, and the company's own product description ties that technology to both sound quality and speech clarity. If a lot of your wired listening is voice — calls, video meetings, dictation, language learning, or just a podcast you actually need to follow — that design intent matters more than raw bass.
The second standout spec is the InWire volume control, which Able Planet frames as a way to adjust to safe listening levels. Combine that with active noise cancellation and a 3.5 mm plug, and you get a headset that's trying to do two jobs at once: cut down what's around you and let you keep the volume lower. The frequency response is listed at 20Hz–20kHz with 100dB sensitivity at 1kHz, which is the standard full-range band you'd expect from a dynamic driver.
Who should skip it? Anyone who wants an in-line remote with play/pause and track control, a flat cable that resists tangling, or a genuinely featherweight headband. The Able Planet is a 3.36-ounce plastic on-ear with a round earcup shape and a round cable — a more traditional headset layout. If your priority is portability and cable management rather than noise cancellation and speech clarity, this isn't the natural pick.
Skullcandy Riff: Who It's For
The features that separate it from the Able Planet are practical ones. There's a built-in microphone for hands-free calls, and an in-line remote so you can change volume, play/pause, or take a call without touching your phone. The cable is flat and designed to resist tangling, which sounds minor until you've pulled a knotted cord out of a bag for the tenth time. It also lists a manufacturer warranty and is marked for all ages, so it's positioned as a general-purpose headphone rather than a specialist tool.
Who should skip it? Anyone who specifically needs active noise cancellation. The Riff's noise control field is listed as "None," so it won't actively reduce engine drone, office hum, or airplane noise the way the Able Planet claims to. It's also not a speech-clarity-first product — there's no LINX-style processing here, just a standard dynamic driver and a working mic. If your wired use is mostly voice-critical work in noisy places, that's the gap.
• Best for active noise cancellation → Able Planet Headset. It's the only one of the two with an active noise cancellation noise-control field.
• Best for speech clarity on calls → Able Planet Headset. LINX AUDIO is explicitly tied to speech clarity in its product description.
• Best for hands-free calling controls → Skullcandy Riff. Built-in mic plus an in-line remote for volume, play/pause, and calls.
• Best for lightweight comfort → Skullcandy Riff. Ultra-light headband, soft ear cushions, and a 0.27 kg listed weight.
• Best for cable management and travel → Skullcandy Riff. The flat, tangle-resistant cable is a real advantage in a bag or pocket.
• Best for safe-listening volume adjustment → Able Planet Headset. The InWire volume control is designed specifically around adjusting to safe listening levels.
• Best for a general-purpose wired headphone for all ages → Skullcandy Riff. It's positioned as an everyday, all-ages product with a manufacturer warranty.
• Best for voice-focused work in noisy rooms → Able Planet Headset. Noise cancellation plus speech-clarity processing is a combination the Riff doesn't offer.
In my opinion, the Skullcandy Riff is the better buy for most people, because most wired-headphone use is everyday: commuting, studying, taking a call, listening to music on a laptop. The lightweight build, the tangle-free flat cable, the built-in mic, and the in-line remote solve the small daily annoyances that decide whether you actually keep using a pair of wired headphones. I'd choose the Able Planet Headset instead if noise cancellation and clearer speech are the whole point of the purchase — a noisy open office, a long flight, or a lot of voice work where hearing and being heard clearly beats convenience. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit, since that's the one variable that can flip this decision.
what are the most durable wired headphones
Durability in wired headphones comes down to the cable, the headband, and the materials. Between these two, the Skullcandy Riff is explicitly described as lightweight and durable with a tangle-resistant flat cable, which reduces the most common failure point — a cord that kinks and eventually breaks. The Able Planet Headset uses a standard round cable and a plastic on-ear enclosure, so it's a more traditional build without a tangle-resistance claim.
are wired headphones better
Wired headphones have real advantages: no battery to charge, no pairing, and a direct 3.5 mm connection that works with anything from a phone to a laptop to a plane's seat-back jack. Both the Able Planet Headset and the Skullcandy Riff are wired with a 3.5 mm plug, so neither needs charging or Bluetooth. Whether wired is "better" depends on whether you value that reliability over the freedom of a wireless pair.
are apple wired headphones durable
I can't speak to Apple's wired headphones because they aren't part of this comparison. What I can tell you is what the data shows for these two: the Skullcandy Riff leans on a flat, tangle-free cable and a lightweight durable design, while the Able Planet Headset relies on a conventional round cable and plastic on-ear construction. If cable longevity is your main worry, the flat-cable design is the more deliberate choice of the two.
what are the most durable over ear headphones
For over-ear or on-ear wired headphones, look at the cable type, the headband, and the ear cushion materials. The Skullcandy Riff is the on-ear option here with an ultra-light headband, soft ear cushions, and a tangle-resistant flat cable — the combination that usually survives daily bag life best. The Able Planet Headset is on-ear as well, with a plastic enclosure, but its emphasis is on noise cancellation and LINX AUDIO speech clarity rather than cable durability.
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