The Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC combines Skullcandy’s most advanced patented Crusher bass to date with premium Sound by Bose technologies. The Crusher 1080 ANC headphones have an RRP of £249.99. We are so thankful to Skullcandy for sending us out a unit in the Primer colour to review.
These headphones really set themselves apart from other headphones on the market. They feature a new driver design that enhances clarity, detail, and separation in the sound, resulting in a sharper and more impactful bass response than ever before. Paired with Sound by Bose technologies, these headphones create what feels like the ultimate expression of the Crusher range, combining premium sound with the ability to physically feel every single beat.
The packaging for the Crusher 1080 ANC immediately gives you an idea of what you are getting, with a picture of the headphones displayed on the box and specifications written around it. Inside the box, you get a nicely presented quick start guide, a 3.5 mm audio cable for wired listening, and a USB Type-C to Type-C charging cable.
You also get a roll-top travel bag, which I really liked. The carrying case has that iconic Skullcandy logo on it, and the inside is made from a really soft material, which helps prevent the headphones from getting scratched. The case also matches the colour of the headphones you receive, which is a nice little touch.
The case comes with a small belt/locking strap which you can attach to whatever you want. We hung ours off the side of a satchel bag, and it fit really nicely. Honestly, this is a perfect way to keep your headphones safe and free from scratches, especially since you do not need to put them directly inside your bag anymore. The bag also makes transporting the headphones much easier.
The PR box the headphones came in was also a very nice touch. It was such a nice package from Skullcandy, and we really appreciated them sending it out to us.
The Crusher 1080 ANC headphones are available in four different colours: Candy, True Black, Primer, and Cement. These include a light pink, black, almost peach-orange, and light grey colour. I really love the range of colour options Skullcandy has gone with. Usually, we tend to prefer black headphones, but having been sent the Primer pair, we found that they stand out really nicely and honestly look beautiful.
The overall design of these headphones is very slick. I especially love how all the buttons and the Crusher Bass dial feel and look. The Crusher Bass dial is situated on the bottom of one of the earcups and can easily be slid and adjusted to minimise or maximise the bass effect. The first time I started turning the dial, I was honestly shocked at how much of a difference it made. You can really hear the bass change as you move it.
You also have a custom button which you can press to switch between the ANC and Stay Aware modes. These can also be customised depending on what you prefer. There is such a satisfying click to the button as well, which I really liked.
On the other side of the headphones, you have the on/off and connectivity button, as well as another button that almost feels like a small analogue stick. You can move it up, down, left and right and click it to set and change different settings such as the volume and other customisations.
The buttons are really convenient to use, especially the button on the right side, which allows you to control the volume, change tracks, and more. Even though there are quite a few controls on the headphones, everything feels easy to access once you get used to where each button is.
The folding and swivel mechanism of the headphones is also really smooth. They do not feel like they would easily break when folding them up and feel like they will hold up well over time. The cushion on the headphones is extremely soft and provides great comfort, while both the headband and earcups have a soft and lightweight feel.
One thing I did notice is that the headphones can feel a little heavy on the head. As someone who normally uses earphones more often, this was something I had to get used to. However, for someone who uses a gaming headset fairly often, the weight did not feel heavy at all. The headphones fit perfectly and wrap around your ears nicely.
I also really love the minimalist design Skullcandy uses across their products. You have the Skullcandy logo on the side without it being plastered directly across the earcups or made to stand out too much. It keeps the headphones looking clean while still giving them that recognisable Skullcandy design.
You also have the 3.5 mm audio input and USB Type-C input on the right side of the headphones, making it easy to connect them for both wired listening and charging.
The Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC comes with Skullcandy’s patented Crusher Bass Technology, which combines full-range audio drivers with dedicated bass drivers to create an adjustable sensory bass experience. This allows you to physically feel the low frequencies in addition to hearing them.
The headphones also feature Bose QuietControl ANC, which uses multiple microphones and adaptive processing to reduce external noise smoothly and comfortably. You have three listening modes available: Quiet, which uses ANC; Aware, which provides transparency; and Off.
Bose WaveForm is also included, which is the audio engine designed to keep the sound full, balanced, and smooth at different volume levels. This helps keep the bass powerful while keeping the highs clean and preventing distortion.
Another feature is Bose TrueSpatial, which provides 3D audio to create a more open and immersive sound experience. With head tracking, the audio stays naturally anchored as you move around. The headphones also feature Bose SpeechClarity, which reduces background noise so your voice can come through more clearly during calls, even when you are indoors, outdoors, or on the move. The Crusher 1080 ANC also has a flat-folding and collapsible design, making the headphones easier to store and transport.
One of the biggest features of the Crusher 1080 ANC is the battery life. These headphones provide up to 60 hours of battery life with ANC turned off and up to 50 hours with ANC turned on. They also have rapid charging, where just 10 minutes of charging provides up to 4 hours of playtime. The battery life itself was really good; we have been using the headphones for about a week and did not need to charge them up at all. Of course, this varies with how much the user uses the headphones and whether they keep ANC off/on throughout.
What is also really handy is that you can use the headphones with a wired connection. The sound quality does not seem to be affected at all when using the 3.5 mm audio cable. What is even better is that you can use the headphones with the power completely turned off while the audio cable is connected.
Of course, when using them wired with the headphones switched off, you will not get the Crusher Bass or some of the other settings available when using the headphones wirelessly. However, if you ever need to use them wired, you can still listen to whatever you need without an issue.
This is a really useful option to have, especially if you ever run out of battery or simply want to use the headphones with a device that does not support Bluetooth.
When I first started using these headphones, the sound quality was immediately crisp and clear. You can hear the music nicely without a great amount of sound leakage, which is really important for a good pair of headphones. You also do not need to have the volume extremely high to get a good listening experience. What amazed me even more was when I started messing around with the Crusher Bass dial and the Bose QuietControl settings.
OMG. When listening to tracks that are bass-heavy and you have the bass turned up high, it is almost as if you can feel the bass jumping out of the headphones. It feels so good without being overwhelming. The bass is not just something you are listening to, but something you can actually feel in your ears, which is honestly outstanding.
The Crusher Bass dial is probably one of my favourite features on these headphones. You can adjust it depending on what you are listening to, and the difference is noticeable immediately. You can really feel the bass increase as you turn the dial up, but what impressed me most was that the bass does not completely overpower everything else. The Bose QuietControl settings are also really good. The ANC and Stay Aware modes are great depending on whatever situation you are in. The ANC is extremely solid and cancels out a lot of the external noise, keeping you focused on listening to what you actually want to hear. This is especially useful when you are commuting or in an environment where there is a lot of background noise.
I was also really surprised by the Stay Aware mode. It felt extremely clean and natural. Stay Aware allows you to listen to your music while still being able to hear everything happening around you. It gives you a nice balance between listening to your music and remaining aware of your surroundings. The transparency is good enough that you can keep the headphones on without needing to take them off when someone talks to you. As someone who commutes daily, the Stay Aware mode is so useful. Being able to switch between ANC and Stay Aware is really handy. You feel safer using Stay Aware when walking around public areas because you do not feel completely isolated from your surroundings. Then, when you are on the bus, you can switch to ANC and silence out everything around you, which is much needed on public transport.
The Bose WaveForm audio quality was another thing that really impressed me. You know, sometimes when you switch the bass all the way up, it can muffle other instruments or vocals. That does not really happen here. Everything still feels balanced even when the bass is heavily amplified. These headphones are also perfect for daily use. Honestly, I could see these becoming my new gaming headset because the sound is so clear and works perfectly for both action-packed and stealth games. You can hear all the small details while still getting that powerful bass when it is needed.
The headphones also come with Auto Connect and Wear Detection. Auto Connect automatically connects to previously paired devices, while Wear Detection can automatically pause and resume audio when you remove or put the headphones back on.
Multipoint Pairing was another really handy feature, especially when having the headphones connected to both my laptop and phone. For example, I could be watching a YouTube video while doing work on my laptop and then take a break and start scrolling through TikTok on my phone. The audio switches between the devices effectively, which makes moving between devices much easier.
The Low Latency Audio feature is also really good. It reduces the audio delay for gaming, streaming video, and watching content on compatible devices. I found this to work really well, as there was no noticeable delay when talking to my friends during gaming or watching a streamed show where there was no lip-sync delay. I did not actually use this setting that much because even without it turned on, the headphones already felt solid and had no noticeable delay.
Google Fast Pair was also extremely handy. You do not even need to go into the Bluetooth settings on your Android phone, as you get a quick prompt asking you to connect to the headphones. This makes connecting them for the first time much easier.
The microphone quality on these headphones was another pleasant surprise. We have tried a few headphones and even earphones that are well past the €100 mark, and they never seem to have microphone quality that picks up your voice clearly. With these headphones, however, the microphone is clear, and the person on the other end of the call can hear you nicely, even when you are outside with a lot of background noise.
Wind noise was also not something the person on the other end really needed to worry about, which was great. The Bose SpeechClarity technology really seems to help keep your voice clear in real-world environments. Sidetone is another feature where you can hear yourself while you are on a call or during gaming. This was not really a feature I personally used much, but it is cool that it is there and works well depending on the level you choose. There is also a Low Latency mode for gaming, which is another nice addition for anyone using these headphones primarily for gaming.
The Skullcandy app is compatible with the Crusher 1080 ANC and allows you to customise your listening experience with controls for Crusher Bass, Sound by Bose audio features, EQ modes, button settings, firmware updates, and more.
The EQ options include Music, Movie, and Podcast modes, along with a customisable 5-band EQ. You can even create your own EQ if you want to make the sound more suited to your preferences. There is also a sound test which allows you to create a more personalised sound profile. Honestly, it is so much fun messing around with all the options, but it is not just fun to play around with. The smallest change can make a noticeable difference to the sound.
The vibration from the Crusher Bass is insane, and it will suit so many different people’s preferences depending on how they want their music to sound. Though I will say that users should be wary of keeping the bass at maximum at all times, because after about an hour of having the bass at max in mid-range volume, my ears felt like they were ringing after I took them off.
The app itself is very easy to use. Once you connect your headphones, you are prompted with the different features available for your specific product and shown how you can adjust them accordingly. What I really like about the app is how detailed everything is. Even users who are not familiar with how Crusher Bass technology or ANC works can become familiar with the different features. It explains what everything does and makes it much easier to understand how to get the most out of the headphones.
It is also really cool that when you have the app open, you can actually see the bass dial turn on the screen as you turn the physical dial on the headphones. The app is also great for keeping an eye on firmware updates, which can enhance the sound performance, and updating the headphones is very quick to do.
Wear Detection is another feature I absolutely love. The headphones detect when you have taken them off and automatically pause your audio. I was actually surprised by this the first time I noticed it. I was trying to talk to someone and took the headphones off momentarily, and I was confused when my music suddenly stopped. I then realised it was the Wear Detection feature, and the music started again once I put the headphones back on.
There are also voice prompts which let you know when you have switched between different settings, which is another small but useful feature. I loved the little see-ya sign-off when you turn off your headphones, which adds personality.
The Bose TrueSpatial feature was something I had a lot of fun messing around with, and it actually caught me by surprise. You have three options: Off, Still, and Motion. Still mode is great if you are sitting down, while Motion is better when you are moving around. The audio feels much more spread out and, if that makes sense, it feels as if the music is wrapping around you from close to far distances. I am not an avid audiophile, but I could even notice the difference when switching between the different settings.
The button settings can also be mapped in several different ways. Even though there are only a few buttons on the headset itself, you have a lot of options when it comes to customising what each button does, which I really liked. Overall, the app is clean, smooth, and really good. It gives you a lot of control over the headphones without making everything feel complicated.
Honestly, there is not much I would change about these headphones. If anything, I would have liked them to be a little lighter, especially as someone who normally uses earphones. However, once you get used to the weight, the comfort is really good and the headphones feel secure on your head.
Other than that, I think Skullcandy has done a really good job with the overall design, features, and functionality of these headphones.
Skullcandy knows exactly what they are doing with this headset, and it works amazingly. The Crusher 1080 ANC has an incredible sound experience, with the Crusher Bass being one of the most impressive features I have used on a pair of headphones. Being able to physically feel the bass while still keeping the vocals and instruments clear is something that really makes these headphones stand out.
The ANC and Stay Aware modes are great for everyday use, especially for commuting, while features such as multipoint pairing, Wear Detection, low latency, Google Fast Pair, Bose TrueSpatial, and the customisable Skullcandy app make these headphones feel like much more than just a pair of headphones.
The microphone quality is also surprisingly good; the battery life is more than enough for daily use, and the ability to use them wired even when the headphones are switched off is another great feature.
These headphones will last; they feel secure, the sound quality makes you want to just bump your head left and right, and there are so many settings that you can customise to make the headphones fit exactly what you want. We are not just saying this for the sake of the review, but these headphones truly are perfect!
Overall: 10/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
