While the ear pads on the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 feel comfortable, they do not isolate you from outside sounds particularly well. Add on an almost-endless list of features, tactile control buttons and a sophisticated look, and you have yourself a perfect package.

Epic Noise Cancelling - The Crusher ANC 2 has 4 microphones listening to all outside noise to actively mute the outside world.Get ready to experience the patented, skull-thumping power of Crusher Sensory Bass - now combined with the ultimate audio customisation of Personal Sound. In our playlist, you can find all manner of bass bombs from the likes of Moderat, Missy Elliot and more, which all mutate magnificently into booming monsters thanks to the Crusher ANC. They're weighty, with thick heavy padding along the headband and ears, and buttons as well as sliders that make it easy to change the volume, pair, power up and run other features all by just touching the ears.

It is nice to see that Skullcandy offers a more discreet and visually work-friendly set of headphones without having to compromise on your inner child’s bassy taste. I heard this on the EVOs too, but it doesn't have the bass activated, for some reason, on the ANCs hit harder because it includes the Crusher system too. While others give their headphones a modern bass tuning, Skullcandy simply builds a fat subwoofer into the earcups, which makes your ears flap.The company claims you’ll get 50 hours of playback time with ANC turned on, and I’m inclined to believe it. I have yet to discover how long a full charge takes as I’ve haven't been unable to drain the battery completely.

Video games and blockbusters also benefit from enriched audio experience and bags of added character with the Crusher ANC. As for connections, the left earcup houses a USB-C port for the included USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable and a 3. In addition, the left auricle reacts to touch – if the finger(s) remain on it for a few seconds, the Crusher ANC activates its Ambient Mode to let sounds pass from the outside to the inside. Skullcandy’s stated battery life of over 50 hours is presumably with ANC disabled, but even with it on, I easily got more than a week out of them before they needed charging.Integrated microphones amplify and fade in ambient sounds so it’s possible to hear external noises like train announcements without having to take off your headphones. However, if you don’t overdo it with the haptic bass, many old groovy numbers are granted new life with a more modern angle and extra detail. Let’s be clear, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 frequency response does not follow our headphone preference curve very well, particularly in the low end.

Battery life is rated for up to 24 hours but we saw closer to 20 with Sensory Bass set to 25% and ANC on. The memory foam ear pads feel quite comfortable, and while they do warm up, it’s no more than average. Slow things down with a more vocal-orientated ballad such as Billie Eilish’s WhenThe Party’s Over and it becomes clearer that the Skullcandy pair isn’t quite an all-rounder. Crusher ANC 2 is loaded with everything you love about Crusher – Personal Sound and Crusher Bass that is so perfect, we had it patented.Plus the addition of ANC also means there’s a hit to the battery life - up to 24 hours instead of 30 of the Crusher 360. While the headphone is now made mostly of plastic, it feels well put together and doesn’t creak and groan when flexed like more affordable Skullcandy headphones. The voice commands were extremely effective, always catching my speech on the first attempt and following through on the command within two seconds. Together with Audiodo, a Swedish company that has taken on the topic of “audio personalisation”, the Skullcandy App (free for iOS and Android) now offers an option to compensate for possible hearing deficits by testing. Plus, the zip case, battery life, and optional wired listening round out the Crusher ANC 2 as a package.