How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a foldable, travel-friendly wireless on-ear headphone with long battery life and a wired backup option, choose Skullcandy Cassette; if you need a secure ear-clip fit for running and workouts with a wider frequency range, choose Koss KSC35.
• Skullcandy Cassette biggest strength: Up to 22 hours of battery life with Rapid Charge (10 minutes gives you 3 hours), plus a collapsible design and an included 3.5mm AUX cable for wired listening.
• Skullcandy Cassette biggest trade-off: It's an on-ear design with plastic build and Sound Isolation only — no active noise cancellation, and the fit relies on pivoting cushions rather than a locking clip.
• Koss KSC35 biggest strength: A unique ear-clip design that secures tightly around your ear, making it the better pick for running, working out, or traveling, with a wider 15–25,000 Hz frequency range.
• Koss KSC35 biggest trade-off: Battery life is listed at 6 hours average with a 6-hour charge time, and there's no wired jack — it's wireless only.
• Who Skullcandy Cassette is for: Commuters, students, and casual listeners who want long battery, a foldable frame, and the option to plug in when the battery runs out.
• Who Koss KSC35 is for: Active listeners — runners, gym-goers, and travelers — who prioritize a secure fit and portability over maximum battery life.
The Skullcandy Cassette is built around convenience. Its headline feature is up to 22 hours of battery life, and with Rapid Charge you get 3 hours of listening from just 10 minutes of charging. That combination makes it a natural fit for someone who listens through a full workday, a long commute, or a weekend of errands and doesn't want to think about the charger. A full charge takes about 1.5 hours, which is reasonable for the runtime you get back.
The design leans practical too. It's an on-ear headphone with plush cushions that pivot in every direction, mounted on an ultra-durable, lightweight headband. The earcups collapse, so it packs down smaller than a fixed-frame headphone — handy if you're tossing it in a bag. And because Skullcandy includes a 3.5mm AUX cable, you can plug in for a direct wired connection whenever you want. That's a genuinely useful fallback that wireless-only headphones can't offer.
Koss KSC35: Who It's For
The Koss KSC35 takes the opposite approach: it's all about the fit. Instead of resting on your ears, it uses a unique ear-clip design that secures tightly around your ear. That's the defining trait here, and it's aimed squarely at active listeners — people who run, work out, or travel and need headphones that stay put when they move. The theme listed is Sports, and the design backs that up.
Audio is where Koss makes its case. The KSC35 covers a 15 Hz–25 kHz frequency range with a dynamic driver and 60 ohm impedance, and the brand emphasizes deep bass and crisp highs from a lightweight ear-clip design. Compared to the Cassette's 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range, the Koss extends both lower and higher on paper. It also supports Bluetooth with a 10-meter range, and includes an integrated microphone and audio remote so you can take calls, adjust volume, control music, and trigger your device's voice assistant.
Where the KSC35 gives ground is battery and charging. The spec sheet lists 18+ hours of battery life from a single USB-C charge in the marketing copy, but the product information lists a 6-hour average battery life and a 6-hour charge time. That's a meaningful gap a buyer should weigh carefully — treat the longer figure as the brand's claim and the 6-hour figure as the listed spec. There's also no headphone jack, so this is wireless-only. Foam cushions, a protective carrying case, and cable management clips round out the package. In my opinion, the KSC35 is the better choice if a locked-in fit matters more to you than marathon battery life.
• Best for battery life → Skullcandy Cassette. Up to 22 hours versus the KSC35's listed 6-hour average, plus Rapid Charge for quick top-ups.
• Best for running and workouts → Koss KSC35. The ear-clip design is purpose-built to stay secure around your ear during movement.
• Best for travel portability → Skullcandy Cassette. The collapsible frame folds down, and the included 3.5mm AUX cable covers you on flights with no Bluetooth.
• Best for widest frequency range → Koss KSC35. 15 Hz–25 kHz versus the Cassette's 20 Hz–20,000 Hz.
• Best for wired backup → Skullcandy Cassette. It's the only one of the two with a 3.5mm jack; the KSC35 is wireless-only.
• Best for charging speed → Skullcandy Cassette. About 1.5 hours to full versus roughly 6 hours on the KSC35.
• Best for active listening with a mic and voice assistant → Koss KSC35. Integrated microphone, audio remote, and voice assistant activation in a sport-focused design.
• Best for casual all-day listening → Skullcandy Cassette. Long runtime, pivoting on-ear cushions, and simple push-button controls.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Skullcandy Cassette for everyday use. The 22-hour battery, Rapid Charge, foldable frame, and included AUX cable make it the more versatile headphone for commuting, studying, and travel — and the wired fallback is a real advantage when you're away from a charger. I'd only steer toward the Koss KSC35 if you're an active listener who needs that ear-clip security for running or workouts, and you can live with the shorter listed battery life and no wired option. Both are solid for their intended buyer; the deciding factor is whether you value runtime and flexibility or a locked-in athletic fit. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing a spec sheet can't tell you.
how to fit on ear headphones
On-ear headphones like the Skullcandy Cassette rest against the outside of your ear rather than around it. Adjust the headband so the plush cushions sit flat against your ears without pressing hard, and let the pivoting cushions settle into a comfortable angle. A snug-but-not-tight fit gives you the best Sound Isolation.
how to clean on ear headphones
For the Cassette, wipe the plastic enclosure and cushions with a soft, slightly damp cloth, and avoid soaking the cushions or getting moisture near the buttons. The Koss KSC35 uses foam cushions, which are the part most likely to need attention — check the manufacturer's guidance for replacing or cleaning foam pads. Never submerge either headphone in water.
how to ear headphones
If you mean how to wear them, the two designs differ. The Skullcandy Cassette sits on your ears on a headband, while the Koss KSC35 clips around each ear. For the KSC35, hook the clip over your ear and adjust until it feels secure — that tight hold is exactly what makes it suited to running and workouts.
how to open ear headphones
Neither of these is an open-ear design in the bone-conduction or air-conduction sense. The Cassette is an on-ear headphone with Sound Isolation, and the KSC35 is an ear-clip model. If you're picturing open-ear audio that leaves your ear canal fully unobstructed, neither product on this page matches that category.
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