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Headphone manufacturers comparable to Beats Audio and Bang & Olufsen is likely to be common at this time on the subject of styling, however nothing fairly catches your eye like a pair of Skullcandy headphones. It is not simply their flashy colors and distinct seems; Skullcandy can be identified for its unabashed love for extreme bass. Heavy bass is not essentially for everybody, however you may discover a sizeable quantity of people that need precisely that in a pair of headphones.
Enter the Skullcandy Crusher ANC. A stepped-up model of the Skullcandy Crusher headphones, this pair of headphones options the acquainted bass slider that allows you to set precisely how a lot thump you need, in addition to one large addition – lively noise cancellation. Priced at Rs. 27,999, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC goes up towards the 2 large weapons of this section, the Sony WH-1000XM3 and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. Does the Crusher ANC have what it takes to problem the present champions? Discover out in our overview.
The headset has bodily buttons and a USB Kind-C port
Skullcandy Crusher ANC design and specs
Skullcandy has a typical aesthetic that tends to deal with colors and its distinct cranium face emblem, slightly than on edgy design or construct high quality. The Crusher ANC sticks to this, and appears fairly just like the Crusher wi-fi headphones. There are some key variations that set the 2 aside, such because the slight bulge within the ear cups and noise cancellation microphones on the brand new mannequin.
Whereas there’s nothing improper with how this pair of headphones seems, it is not precisely what you’d anticipate of a premium headset. In our opinion, it seems a bit low cost and bizarre when in comparison with choices such because the Sony WH-1000XM3 and Jabra Elite 85h. We additionally did not just like the maroon color of our overview unit very a lot, however there are different color choices – black, and black/tan – which look a bit extra refined in our opinion.
The headset is large and cozy. It fully coated our ears once we put it on, providing first rate passive noise isolation and minimal sound leakage even at excessive volumes. We had no hassle carrying the headphones for hours at a time, because of the thick padding across the earcups and on the underside of the headscarf. The headphones fold inwards for simple storage, and include a cosy carry case, a cable for wired listening, and a USB Kind-C cable.
The proper earcup of the Skullcandy Crusher ANC headphones has the quantity and playback controls within the type of bodily buttons, in addition to the USB Kind-C port for charging, and the three.5mm socket to attach the audio cable for wired listening. Double-pressing the playback button triggers the voice assistant on a paired smartphone.
On the left earcup are the facility button (which additionally controls noise cancellation with a double-press) and the sensory bass slider. This allows you to regulate how punchy the bass sounds, and solely works when the headphones are powered on, no matter whether or not you are utilizing Bluetooth or the audio cable to connect with a supply gadget. Lastly, the outer a part of the left earcup has a contact sensor that controls the ambient mode. This turns off noise cancellation and lets sound from outdoors filter into the headphones.
Whereas the ambient mode function did enable some outdoors sound in, we did not like how straightforward it was to unintentionally set off it. Usually, whereas utilizing the bass slider or adjusting noise cancellation, our fingers unintentionally rested on the left ear cup and triggered ambient mode, which meant that we would have liked to be notably cautious once we used the controls.
The bass slider helps you to regulate the sensory bass stage
The Skullcandy Crusher ANC headset makes use of Bluetooth 5 for connectivity. It has a 40mm dynamic driver on either side, and a frequency response vary of 20-20,000Hz. There’s an extra pair of drivers that are accountable for the highly effective bass. Whereas these aren’t precisely subwoofers, they do operate in practically the identical means with important driver tour and adaptability.
The headset helps the Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth codec. Sound high quality was naturally finest when utilizing this, and nonetheless first rate when utilizing AAC as an alternative. With the fundamental SBC codec, there was a little bit of shrillness and a few lack of element throughout the frequency vary.
Skullcandy has an app (accessible for iOS and Android) that exhibits the precise battery stage of the headphones and allows you to create a number of personalised sound profiles for various customers. Sound is adjusted primarily based on what the app deems appropriate for you primarily based on a brief take a look at, and this had a optimistic influence for us. The Crusher ANC felt considerably extra detailed for us after establishing a sound profile.
The Skullcandy Crusher ANC guarantees battery lifetime of as much as 24 hours, however in real-world situations we discovered it to be a lot decrease. With noise cancellation switched on and the bass slider set to an inexpensive stage, we had been capable of get round 17 hours of listening, which is not dangerous, however is not excellent both contemplating the Rs. 27,999 price ticket. Skullcandy additionally claims that 10 minutes of charging provides you with three hours of listening. A full cost took us round three hours when plugged right into a laptop computer.
Skullcandy Crusher ANC efficiency
Relating to sound high quality and efficiency, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC is exclusive and in contrast to every thing else on this value bracket, because of its {hardware} in addition to its software program. The extra aspect of ‘sensory’ bass provides the headphones a totally totally different sound which may come throughout as blasphemous to purists and audiophiles, however makes informal listening an entire lot extra enjoyable.
We used a OnePlus 7T Pro (Review) with the Skullcandy Crusher ANC for a lot of this overview, counting on the Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth codec. Whereas the extremely highly effective bass was very entertaining, it did result in a little bit of listener fatigue, and we often wanted to show down the bass slider to present ourselves a break.
You get a carry case with the Skullcandy Crusher ANC
Sensory bass is undeniably the most important get together trick we have seen on a pair of Bluetooth headphones of late, and it is a very efficient one. Altering musical tastes and consumer desire in the direction of robust low-end response in headphones makes the promise of highly effective bass an attractive one, and the Skullcandy Crusher ANC delivers on this promise.
With the slider at simply 25 %, the Crusher ANC delivers what is well the punchiest and most intense bass we have heard from a pair of headphones. Turning this up slowly made for more and more aggressive, but tight and detailed low-end response, to the purpose that we may fairly actually really feel the headphones shaking on our head. The bass drivers within the headset are mounted with a good quantity of flexibility, which permits for a similar type of tour you’d anticipate from a good subwoofer.
Listening to a high-resolution model of 9000 Miles by Pendulum with the bass slider at round 50 % was an expertise like no different. The mixture of aptX HD with the FLAC file format made for aggressive bass that retained element and tonal accuracy, and turned this already highly effective drum-and-bass observe into what you’d anticipate to listen to if you happen to had been watching Pendulum dwell in live performance.
When the bass is about too excessive, it does overpower the remainder of the frequency vary, regardless of the dual-driver arrange. Fortuitously, you could have the choice to show it down, and we discovered the 20 % stage to be best. This allowed for the first drivers’ responses to be heard clearly, whereas including only a little bit of low-end reverb and punch. Listening to Gotye’s State Of The Artwork at this stage made for clear, detailed, and interesting sound.
Transferring on to David Guetta’s Soiled Attractive Cash, with the bass slider set to zero, we had been capable of hear a good quantity of element and sparkle within the sound. The low-end is a bit ‘turbocharged’ even at this stage, however the highs maintain their very own alongside. The mid-range is audibly suppressed owing to the V-shaped sonic signature and drive of the sensory bass, but it surely is not too dangerous, and did not have an effect on our capacity to listen to vocals clearly. Whereas the sensory bass does largely characterise the sound, the headphones do maintain their very own even with this function turned all the best way down.
Priced at Rs. 27,999, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC goes up towards the among the finest headphones within the house, together with the Sony WH-1000XM3 and Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, each of that are properly regarded for his or her noise cancellation capabilities. The Crusher ANC does not fairly dwell as much as these expectations on the subject of noise cancellation – it merely does not lower out as a lot noise because it ought to.
Whereas it does cut back among the noise it is imagined to, such because the hum of an air conditioner and the engine roar of a cruising airliner, it does not fairly lower these out as cleanly as its rivals can. We often heard some sibilance with noise cancellation on, which wasn’t fully masked by the music. Primarily, the lively noise cancellation made solely a small distinction to listenability, with out providing any of the quiet it was imagined to.
We additionally examined these headphones on voice and video calls, and whereas sound was first rate on each ends, we discovered callers’ voices to be a bit too smooth.
The headset is on the market in maroon, black, and black/tan color choices
Verdict
The Skullcandy Crusher ANC is a formidable providing so far as headphones go. Though we weren’t notably impressed with its styling, among the controls, and the lively noise cancellation, the Crusher ANC greater than made up for all of that with its fully distinctive method to sound. This pair of headphones takes the concept of robust bass to an entire new stage, providing clear sound mixed with refined, but highly effective aggression.
What makes this so distinctive is that every thing is in your management – you get to resolve if you would like an excessive amount of bass, simply sufficient, or none in any respect. Nonetheless, whether or not all of that is value Rs 27,999 is the large query right here, and for probably the most half, we now have to say it is not.
Choices such because the Jabra Elite 85h, Sony WH-1000XM3, and Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are significantly better worth for cash, providing higher styling and superior noise cancelation. These are all higher decisions within the premium section, in our opinion, and would supply a greater total expertise.
Then again, if you’re in search of the type of earth-shaking bass that Skullcandy has on supply, it is likely to be value making an attempt out on the Skullcandy Crush Wi-fi. Priced at simply around Rs. 9,000, these headphones supply related sound high quality and specs, however haven’t got lively noise cancellation.
In conclusion, whereas we did completely get pleasure from our time with the Skullcandy Crusher ANC, we merely cannot advocate it at this value, particularly contemplating that among the finest choices in the identical class can be found now for lower than Rs. 28,000.
Value: Rs. 27,999
Professionals
- Snug, good passive noise isolation
- Earth-shattering adjustable bass
- aptX HD codec assist
- Clear, detailed sound
Cons
- Strange seems
- Ambient mode is straightforward to activate unintentionally
- Underwhelming lively noise cancellation
Scores (out of 5)
- Design/ consolation: 3.5
- Audio high quality: 4
- Battery life: 3.5
- Worth for cash: 2.5
- Total: 3.5
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