Skullcandy Crusher ANC XT 2 are noise cancellation…

Skullcandy Crusher ANC XT 2 are noise cancellation cans with Sensory Bass tech

I test headphones for a living and this is what I think of the latest over-ear headphones from Skullcandy which are called Crusher ANC XT 2.

These eagerly-anticipated headphones take Skullcandy's patented Adjustable Sensory Bass tech to the next level with the addition of active noise cancellation (ANC), hands-free voice control, multi-device connectivity and 50-hour battery life all for an unbeatable price of €229.

Crusher ANC XT 2 design, build and use

Crusher ANC XT 2 headphones are lightweight and durable, with large matte black earcups covered in soft-touch rubber/plastic that are comfortable to have on for hours on end thanks to their faux leather padding.

Unlike some much more expensive ANC over-ear cans, the new cans are flat-folding and collapsible.

They come bundled with a neat durable hard shell travel case that makes them super handy for bringing everywhere.

The distinctive orange Skullcandy power button is on the left ear cup and there are easy-to-find physical control buttons on the side of each ear cup.

On the right earcup are buttons for play/pause, volume up and down, and a slider that toggles between three noise cancelling modes: ANC on, talk-through, ANC off.

The recessed play button is easy to distinguish by touch alone.

The left ear cup holds the USB-C and 3.5mm ports, power button and the Crusher bass wheel which can be pressed in to toggle the various strength levels.

You can opt to use Skullcandy's voice controls too. And there's a super Skull iQ smartphone app with heaps of extra features such as EQ presets, Tile's Find tracking tech and the personalised hearing test.

You get a USB-C power cable and 3.5mm audio lead in the box.

Crusher ANC XT 2 audio and noise cancellation

Crusher ANC XT 2 do a decent job of silencing the outside world wherever you are.

The noise cancellation is not on a par with the market leading AirPods Max or Sony WH1000xM5 but those headphones cost up to €400 more so what you get is a fair trade-off in my opinion.

Audio quality is pleasing, with crisp tops and mids underpinned by powerful bottom end bass power.

You get a lively soundstage that delivers decent results across a variety of music genres — working best with techno jams and contemporary pop.

The cans also come up trumps when streaming talk radio, video clips and podcasts.

And if you are a low-end thump fanatic, you can summons the firm's powerful brain-rattling Sensory Bass tech whenever the mood grabs you.

Crusher ANC XT 2 battery experience

Battery life is excellent, with the estimated 50 hours of listening with ANC turned on what I encountered in my extensive tests in recent days.

With noise cancelling off you will get better audio quality — as is the case with all ANC headphones and earbuds — along with an additional ten hours of battery stamina.

Crusher ANC XT 2 review verdict

The Crusher ANC XT 2's Sensory Bass may be a selling point, but without it switched on you'll find the Crusher ANC 2 are a solid all-round set of feature-packed noise cancellation cans at an impressive price.

Crusher ANC XT 2 pricing and availability

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Sensory Bass Headphones with ANC cost €229 from Skullcandy.

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