A few years ago, Skullcandy launched the Skullcandy Crusher headphones, which were wired headphones that made use of AA batteries to deliver a super pumped-up bass response. Now, the company is back with another attempt — this time doing away with the AA batteries and the wire in favor of a rechargeable and wireless pair of headphones — called the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless.
The headphones don’t come all that cheap though — sitting in with a $199 price tag. Are they worth the money? We put them to the test to find out.
Design
The first thing you’ll notice about the headphones is their design, and they look great. We were very pleasantly surprised, not only with how good they look, but also at how well-built they seem to be. The headphones we’re reviewing are a sleek matte black, though the headphones also come in a gray/tan combo, which also looks quite good.
As far as build materials go, there’s some metal and quite a lot of plastic — though the plastic is very high-quality and seems strong. We didn’t come across any times in which we thought the headphones might break — though of course you’ll always want to be careful when packing them in a bag.
On the right ear cup you’ll find the volume up and volume down buttons, as well as a central multi-use button. On the left ear cup is where you’ll find the bass boost slider, as well as a microUSB port and a 3.5mm port. The buttons are really quite easy to use, even while the headphones are sitting on your head. That’s because the main buttons are somewhat large, and it’s easy to feel which button is for what, considering the fact that they’re each shaped differently.
In the box, you’ll find a slew of accessories, including a carry bag, microUSB charging cable, and a 3.5mm aux cable. It’s a good selection of accessories, and while we always like seeing a hard case over a soft bag, it’s not a deal breaker by any means to not get one.
Comfort
The headphones look pretty good, and thankfully they’re pretty comfortable too — though they’re not perfect. As you’ll notice in the photos, the headphones feature quite a lot of padding, both in the ear cups and in the headband. That padding is needed though — the headphones have quite a hard clamp. In fact, we would have liked a slightly less intense clamp, which would have made the headphones quite a bit more comfortable than they are.
Still, that doesn’t mean they’re uncomfortable — they’re not. We were able to wear the headphones for a few hours at a time, and while it did get a little tiring considering the clamp, it wasn’t too bad. Not only that, but the clamp will likely weaken a little over time and as the headphones get used more.
Sound
Audiophiles and those looking for a relatively accurate sound will want to keep looking, but those into boosted bass may appreciate what these headphones have to offer. That’s because these headphones can seriously pump out the bass — to unsafe levels if you so choose.
With the bass boost switch turned all the way down, the bass is actually relatively well-tuned. It’s strong and powerful, to be sure, but it won’t blow your brains out. Turn that bass boost switch up, and all that changes — to the point that the headphones actually vibrate with the bass and it feels like a subwoofer has been implanted into your brain. Ridiculous? Absolutely, but the good thing here is that the listener has control. The headphones also seem to be built to resonate at a certain frequency, which further helps make that bass sound even stronger than it is. That makes these headphones perfect for the mega-bass fans out there, and even they might need to keep the bass boost at relatively low levels.
The mid-range is decently well-tuned, with a warm and present low-mids, and a high-mids that seems to dip slightly. The high-end is also slightly dipped — but that’s not all that unexpected from a pair of headphones aimed at being so bass-heavy. That’s not to say that the high frequencies aren’t there either — they are. It’s just that they could be boosted a little.
The headphones offer decent stereo separation, and don’t seem to technically distort very easily — which is a good thing.
Performance
The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless headphones connect to your listening device through Bluetooth, and as such they’ll offer a standard range of 10 meters, or around 33 feet. We didn’t experience too many issues with the connectivity, except through a lot of obstacles and unreasonable distances — though that is to be expected.
The battery life on the headphones sits in at a massive 40 hours, which is excellent. That’s a lot more than you should expect on most pairs of headphones, and while your results will vary depending on use, and you may not actually get 40 hours, even 30 hours is a lot of listening time.
Conclusions
The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless headphones look great, are decently comfortable, and, at least for bass fans, will sound great. We didn’t find the bass switch all that helpful — considering the fact that you’ll go from 0 to 100 real quick — but some might like it, especially with a small and subtle boost.
The headphones go up against some competition, but if you’re looking for a great pair of headphones with a ton of battery life and super high bass, then we don’t think you can go wrong. So much so, that we’ve awarded the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless headphones the Headphone Review Bronze Medal.
| Store | Price |
|---|---|
 |
$150 |
 |
$199 |
| Skullcandy | $199 |
| Frequency response | Unknown | Active noise cancellation |
Unknown |
| Driver size | Unknown | Noise attenuation | Unknown |
| Driver type |
Dynamic | On-ear controls | Yes |
| Design |
Closed | Microphone | Yes |
| Sensitivity | Unknown | Earpad material | Foam |
| Rated impedance |
Unknown | Magnet material | Unknown |
| Total harmonic distortion |
Unknown | Water resistance | No |
| Rated input power |
Unknown | Battery life | 40 hours |
| Maximum input power |
Unknown | Wireless distance | 10m (33ft) |
| Wireless connection |
Bluetooth | Cable length | 1.2m (4ft) |
| Wired connection |
3.5mm | Case type | Carry bag |
| Detachable cable |
Yes | In-the-box |
|
| Weight | Unknown | Colors | Black, Gray/Tan |