Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Headphones Review: Bass

Jul 06, 2023

Premium headphones that offer much more than just skull-crushing Bass.

Besides delivering skull-crushing bass, the new-gen Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 also offer some seriously insane battery life. They are comfortable to wear, feel every bit as premium as they cost, and also offer a pretty good feature set that rivals the best.

Unexpectedly, though, these aren't ideal for all sorts of bass-heavy music, and they could be skull-crushing in more ways than you'd like. I've been using the Crusher ANC 2 for two weeks now, and here's what you need to know before buying them.

The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 headphones deliver a unique and immersive audio experience with their powerful sensory bass.

First, the Crusher ANC XT 2 and Crusher ANC 2 are essentially the same product. The XT variant, found at Walmart, comes with a slightly lower price tag of $200 compared to $229 for the non-XT version sold on Skullcandy's website. However, that's the only difference; they're the same product, and both appear as Crusher ANC 2 on your Bluetooth devices.

Skullcandy has undoubtedly made an effort to make the unboxing experience worth the price. Inside the box, you'll find the headphones accompanied by a premium fabric-textured hard-shell case that exudes an air of sophistication. The case conveniently houses a USB type-A to type-C charging cable and a 3.5mm to 3.5mm AUX cable. Additionally, the box provides quick start instructions on the inside, sparing you from the hassle of deciphering lengthy user manuals.

When it comes to build quality, Skullcandy has definitely upped its game. The Crusher 2 can confidently rival premium headphones like the Bose QC series and my daily driver, Sony's WH-1000XM4. The earcups and headband feature a smooth matte finish that feels pleasant to the touch and resists fingerprint smudges. The top of the headphones boasts a grippy fabric texture, while the headband's inner side showcases a cozy grey knit mesh with plush foam padding. Kudos to Skullcandy for retaining the swiveling ear cups and folding hinges, allowing for compact storage during travel. The glossy interior of the notched plastic headband feels slightly out of place in an otherwise premium experience.

Regarding aesthetics, the Crusher 2 are currently available only in a plain Black colorway. This choice gives the headphones a mature and understated appearance, showcasing a departure from Skullcandy's typical vibrant style. The branding is tastefully subdued, with only the orange power button adding a touch of playfulness.

These headphones tip the scales at 332 grams, slightly heavier than comparable ANC headphones from Sony or Bose. But thanks to their even weight distribution and well-designed ear cups, they remain comfortable even during extended listening sessions. The generous memory foam cushioning in the earpads and the padded headband contribute to their overall comfort. However, you feel the weight a lot more if you move your head while wearing them.

A surprising omission is the lack of IP rating or sweat resistance, so using them for intense workout sessions might not be a good idea. Also missing is any on-ear detection for auto play/pause functionality, and there's no Auto power-off feature either, meaning you can leave these on by mistake, and they'll stay on until the battery runs out.

Some minor nitpicks: the included cables don't quite match the headphones' high-quality build. Also, I would have liked if Skullcandy offered at least one more colorway in these, something more "fun," perhaps?

These headphones boast a robust set of physical controls that are both intuitive and distinct. The left cup houses the pairing and power button, along with the Crusher dial (yes, it's a dial now, not a slider like before). The dial allows you to manually adjust the sensory bass levels by scrolling between 10 levels or jumping to some presets directly (20%, 50%, and 80%) by pressing it.

On the right cup, you'll find three buttons for track control and volume, along with a nifty toggle to effortlessly switch ANC modes. While touch controls have gained popularity, the tangible satisfaction these clicky, tactile physical controls provide is truly refreshing. Moreover, there are seemingly endless customization options for what every button can do, including assigning different outcomes for actions like single tap, double tap, long press, and more.

The Skullcandy Crusher ANC XT 2 pairs up with the brand-new Skull-IQ app (available on Play Store and App Store), and it's a delight to use and look at alike. This app is a treasure trove of features: voice control, voice assistants, button customization, crusher settings, hearing modes, equalizer, custom equalizer, personal sound, Spotify Tap, take a photo, multi-point pairing, and even built-in Tile integration that helps you find your headphones if you lose them. If there's such a thing as too many features, this app has it.

My favorite one is "Personal Sound," something I've only experienced on Anker's Soundcore line of products so far. The app uses a listening test to determine the optimal sound profile tailored to your ears. For instance, in my case, the app accurately identified that a slight boost to the higher frequencies would enhance my listening experience. Although I ended up turning it off during my usage as I noticed weird artifacts in some songs, being created as a side-effect of my personalized sound EQ.

An intriguing feature of the Crusher 2 is the inclusion of Skullcandy's own voice assistant. Setting them apart from their competitors, this unique addition allows users to activate the assistant by saying, "Hey Skullcandy." The assistant offers a range of basic prompts (in five different languages, no less) for hardware control, such as managing music playback, adjusting volume levels, summoning phone assistants, and handling calls. The added convenience of summoning Amazon Alexa or enjoying iHeartRadio music with a voice command further enhances the versatility of the experience.

It's important to note that the voice commands only function when these headphones are connected to the Skull IQ app on a smartphone and may not operate when solely connected to a laptop or other devices. Nevertheless, the Crusher 2 offer Bluetooth multipoint functionality that lets you connect these headphones to two devices at once, and switching between them is as easy as pausing on one and playing on the other. No lag, no hassle. Premium headphones often offer this feature, and I'm happy to report that Skullcandy has nailed it.

Here's a tip: When connected to both a phone application and a computer simultaneously, the Skull-IQ app provides control over the device currently playing audio, enabling hands-free control across platforms, including desktop operating systems, as long as the phone application remains active and within range.

And now, the reason you're here for. The defining feature of Skullcandy's Crusher line-up is their sensory "Crusher bass," which, put simply, is like a physical sub-woofer in your headphones. Imagine standing in front of a colossal club speaker, feeling the vibrations course through your body---only in this case, they are limited to your head. I experienced this sort of physical rumbling bass on the original Crusher about ten years ago and, more recently, on Panasonic RB-M700B headphones.

In my experience, such bass-heavy headphones often suffer from unwanted rattling due to the physical rumbling parts. However, the Crusher 2 pleasantly surprised me with their ability to deliver the thumping bass while maintaining a clean and refined sound.

So, do these headphones sound good? Well, that answer varies wildly depending on what music you're listening to and what you want your music to sound like. I'll tell you this: I love bass-heavy music, and having that physical rumble right out of my headphones feels like a dream come true. For example, listening to "Eiffel 65 - Blue (Flume Remix)" almost always feels like a disappointment on any headphones, but these cans fill me with joy when that phat bass drops. This added sensory bass doesn't dampen or hinder the highs or the vocals, and the instrument separation is good enough for most of your music to sound clean and lively.

If you listen to a lot of Hip-hop, Trap, or Lo-Fi music, basically anything where the bass has time to boom around and decay slowly, these headphones sound great. However, if you are listening to more upbeat music like House or Techno genres or songs that are already "bass-boosted," the thumping bass might feel like a distraction, trailing a microsecond behind the melody---an unwanted distraction akin to a subpar car subwoofer.

Surprisingly, the added bass doesn't only excel in bass-heavy genres. I found that the Crusher 2 brought an unexpected liveliness to non-bass-centric genres like nu-metal or rock, helping me revisit some Linkin Park classics. What's even surprising is how good these headphones are for non-music stuff, especially watching Action movies. E.g. this iconic scene from "Avengers: Endgame" feels surreal when the bass rumbles in synchrony with every drumbeat, even allowing you to feel the weight of Antman's colossal strides. It's almost as if you're seated in an IMAX theater, audio-wise.

Remember, this all holds true when the Crusher bass is set to a moderate range, around 30-50% of its maximum potential. Pushing it further veers into overwhelming territory, where the thump becomes overpowering, and your jaw may question its rattling endurance. The key lies in customizing the bass to suit each song's unique demands, finding a sweet spot that complements the music without overwhelming it. However, I'll admit that manually fiddling with the bass dial for almost every song or genre choice does get cumbersome after a point.

Related: Sony WH-1000XM5 Review: The Best ANC Headphones Just Got Better

If you are looking for a simple, pleasant audio experience with an emphasis on bass, something like the Sony WH1000XM5 might be worth looking at.

It's worth noting that even at the lowest bass setting on the dial, the Crusher bass doesn't disappear entirely; you'll need to turn it off using the app. Without the Crusher bass, the low frequencies sound feeble, resulting in a much less engaging musical experience. If that's how you'd use these, it's better to opt for alternatives like the Bose QC 45s or Soundcore Q45s. But it's when the Crusher bass is activated the Skullcandy Crusher 2 truly shines, offering a one-of-a-kind audio experience.

The Crusher 2 feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and it falls short of expectations. While the large earcups provide decent isolation from external noise, the actual ANC functionality leaves much to be desired. Even at maximum ANC intensity, the Crusher 2 struggle to effectively block out external noise, failing to eliminate even subtle sounds like my laptop's fans.

For context, my Sony XM4s completely eliminate the same noise and do a much better job tuning out the outside world in public places. Now they are also significantly more expensive, but the Crusher 2 definitely don't do justice to their $200 price tag, ANC-wise, at least. But for what it's worth, when you're listening to music on these, especially with Crusher bass on, external sounds are effectively drowned out anyway.

The opposite of noise cancellation, mostly referred to as transparency mode, is called "Stay Aware" here. This feature keeps you connected to your surroundings while wearing the headphones. Although the implementation may not sound entirely natural, it serves its purpose adequately. One area where the Crusher 2 excel is microphone performance, with clear voice transmission during voice and video calls, free from distracting background noise.

Battery life is where the Crusher ANC 2 headphones shine, as Skullcandy claims approximately 50 hours of usage, and real-world testing confirms this claim. In my two weeks of usage, I only had to fully recharge them once, after accumulating over 40 hours of use across ten days with ANC constantly on and the Crusher bass set to moderate levels. Charging is done via the convenient USB Type-C port, and a quick 10-minute charge provides up to 4 hours of additional playback time.

The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 (or ANC XT 2) headphones are built like a tank and offer insane battery life to boot. They fit like a dream, offer ANC (even though it's only half decent), and the button customization options can put competing products to shame. Furthermore, Skullcandy's app experience could easily give Sony and Bose a run for their money, and the included case is a winner too.

However, let's get real. These features can also be found in other good ANC headphones as well. The defining factor that makes or breaks their case is the Crusher sensory bass, which adds a distinct taste to the overall sound space (wow, that rhymed). Now I admit that Skullcandy may have gone a bit overboard with its implementation, as it's unlikely that even the most audacious bass enthusiast could handle these headphones at more than 50-60% of their full thump potential.

Yet, I couldn't help but revel in the immersive experience and the pure delight of having my music and movies pulsate with a physical rumble. Granted, these headphones may not universally enhance every song in your collection, but they provide an intriguing option for those seeking a unique audio experience. The inclusion of this sensory bass feature offers both delight and potential dissatisfaction, but I definitely appreciate having the option.

Related: The Best Headphones of 2023

Before making a decision, it's essential to consider a few factors. Firstly, these headphones come with a noticeable weight, which may concern some users. Additionally, it's worth noting that they lack any specific environmental protection features. If you fall into the category of daily or active headphone users or prioritize natural sound reproduction and top-tier ANC performance, it would be wise to consider the options offered by Sony or Bose.

If you want a good, reliable pair of cans for your music without spending a fortune, you can check out some of the best budget headphones. However, if you're like me, someone who primarily uses headphones for leisure and getting hit in your face with the bass makes you smile, there should be no hesitation in picking up the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2.

The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 headphones deliver a unique and immersive audio experience with their powerful sensory bass.

Rushil is a gadget nerd who realized he's really good at doling out information about smartphones and consumer technology without anyone asking. So now, he does that for a living. He started his tech journalism career with MySmartPrice, India's leading tech publication. Running their YouTube channel for 3+ years, garnering over 850K subscribers, he still considers himself lucky to have used over 200 smartphones in the process, along with an equally impressive assortment of smart TVs, TWS earbuds, wearables, and more.With a background in engineering and an MBA from India's premier B-school, Rushil switched to covering consumer technology in 2018 and hasn't looked back since. He has been contributing to prestigious publications like How-To Geek, Android Police, and Guiding Tech. When he's not geeking out over the latest and greatest in consumer tech, you can find him hooked on to the latest FIFA, planning his next music festival visit, or working on his dream of playing a DJ gig someday (he's already got the headphones and everything).