There’s nothing more annoying than having to untangle your headphone wire every time you get them out of your bag.
Then, while you’re listening, you’re forced to carry your phone in your hand or slip it into your pocket, which is less than convenient.
Basically, wires are like shackles, and we’re better off without them. They get tangled, break easily, and are generally just annoying.
Luckily, wireless headphones now dominate the market, and whereas at first a good quality pair of wireless headphones would set you back, now you can get some for under a hundred bucks.
We’re referring specifically to Skullcandy’s Crusher headphones, which I’ll be reviewing today. These headphones are affordable and wireless - but are they any good? Keep reading to find out…
Product overview
Skullcandy is known for its youthful, street-cool branding, and above all, their affordability - they aim to make music accessible to all.
The Crusher headphones offer ‘immersive bass’ and use Bluetooth to wirelessly connect to your device.
At a glance, these headphones have a sleek black design - though they’re also available in other colors - large, plush ear cups and an adjustable headband.
They boast a range of great features, from a bass slider to a robust 40-hour battery life.
Tech Specs
- Weight: 275g
- Connection Type: Bluetooth® or Wired
- Impedance: 33 Ohms±15%(acoustic), 13 Ohms(crusher) ohm
- Driver Diameter: 40 (acoustic), 35 (crusher) mm
- THD: ≦3.0% @ 1KHz 1mW
- Sound Pressure Level: 90.39±5dB (1mW/1KHz)
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20KHz
- Headphone Type: Over-Ear
Sound Quality
The crushers are bass-focused, so if you’re a bass-head, these will be great for you. Even without the bass slider turned all the way up they still have plenty of low-end emphasis, but you can enhance this even further with the slider.
The bass is so powerful on the Crushers that the mids tend to suffer a little in some songs. Basslines can sometimes be overpowering and bury mids and, to some extent, highs too. However, the good thing is that the bass slider allows you to at least have some control over this.
The power of the Crushers largely comes down to the fact that the headphones utilize two full-range 40mm audio drivers and additional dual bass drivers, which is what provides them with the ability to transform your audio into an immersive experience. Basically, if you like bass, you’ll love these headphones.
The overall sound quality doesn’t compete with some of the higher-end options, but then again, for the price, we wouldn’t really expect them to.
The main issue with the Crushers is that while other consumer headphones tend to boost frequencies in the highs to compete with emphasis elsewhere, these don’t quite do that, so the sound emphasis is quite uneven.
That’s not to say that these aren’t a good pair of headphones for the overall price though.
Battery Life
The battery life on the Crushers is pretty amazing, to say the least.
They have an advertised battery life of 40 hours of constant playback, however, they’ve even been known to surpass this if you keep the bass slider all the way down. Obviously, if the bass slider is kept up, it’s likely to drain the battery a little quicker than usual.
However, the good news is that they offer rapid charging. 10 minutes can give you up to 2 hours of listening, so even if you’re in a rush, you’ll never have an empty battery.
They’re charged using an older micro USB cable instead of the newer USB-C, which is slightly annoying considering USB-Cs are becoming way more prevalent.
Design
As expected with Skullcandy, they’re not crafted from the finest of materials. But like we say, this is expected as they’re prioritizing affordability over everything else.
The Crushers are made of cheaper plastic and the matte black coating is prone to fingerprint smears. However, overall they’re not too bad for the price, and they sit comfortably on the head thanks to the faux leather on the headband and the ear cups.
There’s also a small cut-out on the headband that provides greater comfort during those long listening sessions. Plus they provide a noise-isolating fit, so you can focus on the only thing that matters: the music.
The buttons are made out of plastic but they’re pretty responsive despite this, plus they’re positioned well so they’re easily accessible, as is the bass slider, which could be slightly smoother so that it slides more easily.
The headphones are collapsable which is always a great feature, as it means you can save more space when storing them in your bag - making them ideal for commuting.
While Skullcandy is known for its bold color combinations and youthful skull branding, these headphones are thoughtfully understated, with a discreet logo just above each ear cup.
You can get them in other colors, such as a deep red or cool khaki green, but the all-black version is perfect for anyone who doesn’t like drawing attention to themselves, plus they’re ideal for wearing around your neck while commuting or working. This makes them suitable for pretty much anyone.
Connectivity
The Bluetooth connectivity works well within the 30-foot range, though you’ll start noticing the connection breaking up if you approach the limit.
However, it’s quite handy that the headphones have a 3.5mm input on the bottom of the left earcup, which allows you to add a wired connection if you prefer.
You’ve also got microphone, call, track, and volume control via the buttons, and these allow you to tailor your music to your listening preferences, answer phone calls, and pause your music all at the click of a button.
How to Connect Skullcandy Crusher Headphones
These headphones are super easy to connect.
- When pairing to a device for the first time, turn the headphones on by pressing the circular multifunction button which will cause them to enter pairing mode.
- The tiny LED light will begin flashing between blue and red which indicates that it’s searching for your device, and at this point go to the Bluetooth settings on your source device and select the Skullcandy headphones.
That’s pretty much it, you should be connected and ready to go.
However, if this doesn’t work for you, you’ll need to reset your headphones.
To do this, follow these steps:
- On your source device, go into the Bluetooth settings and click to ‘forget’ the headphones.
- Next, turn the headphones off by holding down the middle button.
- Then turn them back on by holding down the same middle button for a few more seconds until the headphones enter pairing mode.
- Finally, hold down the + and – sign buttons at the same time until you hear two beeps. These beeps signal that you should now be able to source the headphones in the settings of your phone or iPod, and then simply pair the devices as we explained previously.
Benefits of the Skullcandy Crusher Headphones
They’re Affordable
It’s hard to find a pair of headphones that are as good as these - and are wireless - but are also an affordable price.
This makes them great for anyone who wants a pair of headphones for commuting or casual listening but doesn’t want to break the bank.
They Have a Great Battery Life
The battery life lasts 40 hours or even more with the bass-slider turned down.
You can go weeks without charging, and when you do need to top up their juice, they charge up in no time at all.
Immersive Bass
The bass on these headphones is powerful - and it’s immersive to the point that it can even cancel out mids.
The great thing about them is the bass slider which gives you some ability to customize the bass.
Handsfree Calling
The other great thing about wireless headphones is you can answer your calls with the click of a button.
The Crusher headphones are easy to control and the buttons are responsive and accessible.
They Look Good
These headphones are surprisingly understated for Skullcandy, and this makes them suitable for pretty much anybody.
They’re simple and sleek, making them ideal for commuting and wearing out and about without drawing too much attention to yourself.
They’re Comfortable
The faux leather ear cups and cut-out in the headband make these headphones comfortable despite the cheap plastic.
Drawbacks of the Skullcandy Crusher Headphones
The Bass is Almost Too Strong
This can change the sound of some songs slightly as the mids can sometimes be overpowered by the bass.
On the other hand, some songs sound enhanced and better than ever.
The Plastic is Cheap
The build isn’t the most durable and quality feeling, but as we said previously, we’d kind of expect that from Skullcandy, as their focus is on accessibility and affordability.
Final Verdict
Overall, the Crusher headphones are great.
They’re immersive, powerful, and customizable thanks to the bass slider. While the design is cheap, we can’t fault the overall quality considering the price, and the battery life and rate at which they charge is truly impressive.
