The Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless are lower mid-range over-ear headphones designed for bass heads. They're part of the Crusher line of headphones, alongside the pricier, noise cancelling Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Wireless which are meant to challenge how much bass you truly want to hear. Although they look fairly nondescript, the Crusher Evo's unique haptic bass slider takes songs from a moderate dose of thump, punch, and boom up to intensely powerful rumble with a simple slide of the controls. Their companion app also offers EQ presets and a Personal Sound feature that optimizes sound based on your unique hearing.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo are good for neutral sound. Although they're designed to deliver bass, setting the haptic bass to its lowest setting ensures that the rest of the mix isn't completely drowned out by extra thump, rumble, and boom. Still, they're pretty bassy at any setting. Their balanced mid-range also ensures that vocal-centric content stays clear and present in mixes. If you prefer a different sound, they have three additional EQ presets in the Skullcandy app and a haptic bass slider to help you adjust their bass.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo are just okay for commute and travel. They're decently comfortable, and their over 34-hour continuous battery life is suitable for multiple long days on the go. However, they can't isolate noise from bus and plane engines or chatter from fellow passengers, which can be annoying. Also, their bulky design isn't the easiest to bring along with you.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo are satisfactory for sports and fitness, though over-ears aren't the best choice for this usage. These well-built headphones are decently comfortable, but they aren't intended for wearing during your workouts. They're stable enough for casual listening sessions but may fall off your ears during low-intensity exercises. Also, their bulky design isn't easy to bring on the go.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo are okay for office use. They're decently comfortable, and their over 34-hour continuous battery life is enough to get you through your workday. However, they struggle to block out background noises in an office, like chatter from nearby coworkers. They also leak a bit of sound, which can distract coworkers if you're in a quiet office setting. Plus, they lack multi-device pairing to make switching between your phone and computer less convenient.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo aren't compatible with Xbox or PlayStation consoles over a wireless connection. They're compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is likely too high to be suitable for wireless gaming. While their latency is a bit lower on mobile devices, it's still quite high for gaming.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo are satisfactory for wired gaming. With their included TRRS cable, you can plug these headphones into your PC headphone jack or Xbox and PlayStation controllers for full audio and microphone compatibility, and they have negligible latency. Their bass-heavy sound profile also helps you feel the deep thumps and rumbles from action-packed scenes in your favorite games. However, while they're decently comfortable, their ear cups can feel warm after long listening sessions.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo are mediocre for phone calls. Their integrated microphone has a decent recording quality, so your voice is understandable but also a bit muffled. The mic is best suited for making calls from a quiet environment, as it struggles to separate your voice from background noises in loud and busy settings. They also don't block out much background noise, which can distract you from your call, and their call controls are pretty limited.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo come in the following color variants (although some colors may not be available anymore): 'Chill Grey,' 'Budweiser Red,' 'Light Grey/Blue,' 'Rainbow Pride,' 'Collina Strada,' 'Dark Blue/Green,' 'Burton,' 'Midnight Plum,' and 'True Black.' We tested the 'Chill Grey' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect the other color variants to perform similarly. If you come across another variant, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo are straightforward wireless over-ears. They're well-built, and they have an excited sound profile. Like the discontinued Skullcandy Crusher 360 Wireless and the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016, they have a haptic bass slider to help you add more boom and punch to your audio. However, they don't come with a full graphic equalizer, and they have poor noise isolation. If you want active noise cancelling (ANC), you'll need to check out the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Wireless—although we've not tested those, you can reasonably expect they filter out more noise than the passive isolation of the Crusher Evo. If you're looking for a different bass-heavy brand, check out the 'XB' offerings from Sony, such as the Sony WH-XB910N Wireless, which cost more but have the added benefit of ANC.
Check out our recommendations for the best over-ear headphones, the best headphones under $200, and the best wireless headphones.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless are better headphones than the Skullcandy Hesh ANC Wireless. Despite having a haptic bass feature that adds a sensory intensity to bass frequencies, they have a more accurate bass than the Hesh ANC, and their sound profile is more neutral overall. They're also better built and have a longer continuous battery life. However, the Hesh ANC have an ANC system that's capable of blocking out more noise, and they offer a more stable fit that keeps them in place during moderate workouts.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are, by most measures, better headphones than the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless. However, if you want the haptic bass slider, only the Skullcandy cans have them. Otherwise, both are well-made headphones, but the Sony have noise cancelling and fully customizable EQs. Of course, they're more costly and don't get quite as thumpy as the Skullcandy.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless are better headphones for most uses than the Skullcandy Hesh Evo Wireless. The Crusher Evo feel significantly better built and have a more neutral sound profile right out of the box. They also have a haptic bass slider and are compatible with the Skullcandy app, which offers EQ presets. However, the Hesh Evo have a more stable fit and a longer continuous battery life.
The JBL Live 660NC Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the JBL have a more neutral sound profile out of the box and a decent ANC, which can help block out some ambient noise around you. Their companion app also has a parametric EQ and presets so that you can adjust their sound. However, some users may prefer the Skullcandy's haptic bass slider.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless are better than the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016. Both headphones have a bass-heavy sound profile and a haptic bass slider to add extra boom to audio. The Evo are more comfortable and have a companion app with EQ presets. However, the 2016 edition have a more stable fit.
If you like very bass-heavy headphones, the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless are better than the Beats Solo3 2019 Wireless. The Skullcandy cans have a unique haptic bass slider and fit over-ears. Their mic is a bit better sounding. The companion app has slightly more customized sound options but higher latency. The Beats are more stable and fit on-ears. Thanks to their W1 chip they have lower latency with Apple devices. They use the older micro USB charging port but have a slightly longer battery life. However, you can't change their default sound profile which is somewhat muddy.
The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless are better headphones than the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless, if you need noise isolation. Of the two, only the Anker headphones have active noise cancelling to significantly reduce how much external noise reaches your ears. They also have a more comprehensive app with a custom EQ. In contrast, the Skullcandy's highlight feature is the haptic bass slider, which offers a range of heavy bass. While they're comfortable and pretty well built, their Bluetooth connectivity is more limited, and they don't block out low-pitched rumbles or people's voices.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless are better than the Skullcandy Crusher 360 Wireless. Both headphones have a haptic bass slider, but the Evo have a bass-heavy sound profile compared to the 360's more V-shaped sound profile. The Evo have a more consistent audio delivery, leak less sound, and have a companion app with preset EQ modes. However, the 360 have a hard case and are more stable.
The Sony WH-XB910N Wireless are better headphones than the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and have a longer continuous battery life. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking, and they support multi-device pairing. The Skullcandy have a haptic bass slider that some users may prefer.
The Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless are better headphones than the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless. The Sony are better built, more comfortable, and more stable. Thanks to the graphic EQ available on their companion app, they have a better noise isolation performance and are more customizable. However, the Skullcandy have a longer continuous battery life.
The Skullcandy Venue Wireless and the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless are very similarly performing headphones, so you may prefer one over the other. The Crusher Evo come with a haptic bass slider, and they're better built. They have a longer battery life and a companion app with EQ presets. Also, their bass-heavy sound profile is a bit more neutral than the Venue's V-shaped sound profile. However, the Venue have a better case, are more stable, and isolate against more sounds.
If you're choosing between the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless and the Sony ULT WEAR Wireless, it's likely because you love bass and want headphones that bring the low end. There's no doubt that the Sony are better all-rounders: they're more comfortable and stable, and their ANC system far out-performs the Skullcandy. They even have a longer continuous battery life and support LDAC. That said, it's hard to beat the Skullcandy headphones' haptic bass slider when it comes to outputting bonkers amounts of bass. Although the Sony headphones have two levels of bass accessible via the 'ULT' button, nothing quite beats the pulverizing bass of the Skullcandy when their slider is maxed out. You can also find them for a fair bit cheaper.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2020 are better than the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless. The Razer are more comfortable, better built, and more stable. They have a hard case and better noise isolation and leakage performance. Their sound profile is more neutral than the Skullcandy's bass-heavy sound. However, the Skullcandy have a haptic bass slider, which may be preferred if you like a bass-heavy sound.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo are straightforward wireless over-ear headphones with a similar design to the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016. They're made of matte plastic with the manufacturer's logo located on the headband's hinge. For the most part, they're a single color with tonal accents and fabric along the top of the headband, which is slightly reminiscent of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless' use of fabric. You can choose between bright colors like 'Budweiser Red' or more subdued office-appropriate shades like our unit's 'Chill Grey' colorway. The buttons and ports are found along the bottom of the ear cups, which successfully hides visual clutter.
These over-ears are decently comfortable. They're lightweight and don't clamp too tight on your head. Also, the headband and ear cups' padding feel dense and plush against the skin. They feel similar to the Skullcandy Crusher 360 Wireless. However, the ear cups can get warm after a long period of use.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo have adequate physical controls, which are easy to use, and they lightly click when you actuate them. Each button has a different feel, and they're fairly large, making distinguishing one from the other easy. There are voice prompts for turning the headphones on and off and when pairing and connecting the headphones.
On the left ear cup:
On the right ear cup:
Like most over-ears, the Skullcandy Crusher Evo aren't very portable. However, they fold into a more compact format to reduce their otherwise bulky design. Still, you can fit them into your backpack, but they probably won't fit in a purse.
The pouch is okay. It has a soft cloth fabric inside and a small interior pocket to store the cables securely. It uses a side-release buckle that ensures the headphones are securely stored away, and when each side of the buckle is snapped into place, it becomes a handle. While the pouch can protect against scratches and scuffs, it won't protect the headphones from the impact of hard drops.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo have a good build quality. They're mostly made of matte plastic, with faux leather-covered padding on the ear cups and soft silicone and fabric padding on the headband. They feel very solid and durable. However, the hinges pose a potential weak link and are prone to wear and tear over time.
Using the 'Music' EQ, which is the default setting, and the haptic bass slider set to its lowest setting, the Skullcandy Crusher Evo have an excited sound well-suited for genres like rock and pop. They deliver extra thump, rumble, and boom with a cluttered low-mid-range, not too different from the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless' tuning in those bass and mids. However, Skullcandy adds some extra treble for bright sibilants. Vocals and instruments come across as fairly forward in the mix, but higher vocal and guitar parts lack a bit of presence compared to the exaggerated low-end. Their companion app offers a few EQ presets if you want to change their sound, but there isn't a dedicated custom equalizer. You can also use the haptic bass feature to add a bonkers amount of bass to test your limits.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo have satisfactory frequency response consistency. Their bass and treble delivery can vary across listeners depending on their fit, seal, and positioning on your head, so it's important to take the time to adjust their fit each time you use them to get a more consistent sound. Having thick hair or wearing glasses can also break the ear cup's seal on your head and result in a drop in bass volume.
The bass accuracy of these headphones is good. The entire range is even but overemphasized, which adds extra boom, thump, and punch to the mix. However, it can sound bloated on some tracks. Songs like Satisfaction by Benny Benassi benefit from the extra bass, but if you want to feel your bones rattle, you can turn up the haptic bass slider.
These headphones have excellent mid accuracy. The entire range is mostly neutral and balanced, so vocals and lead instruments are clear. The slightly elevated low-mids can cause busy tracks to sound somewhat cluttered. A small dip in the high-mid slightly weakens the presence of vocals and instruments.
The treble accuracy is good. Most of the low-treble is underemphasized, veiling details in vocals and instruments. In contrast, the mid-treble is overemphasized, making sibilants like cymbals piercing.
These over-ears have decent peaks and dips performance. The peak in the high-bass affects the left driver slightly more than the right and adds extra boom to the mix, while the dip in the low-mid thins out vocals and lead instruments. The dip in the high-mid and low-treble also affects the left driver more prominently than the right and veils vocals and lead instruments. The peak in the mid-treble affects both drivers equally, making sibilants piercing or painful.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo have satisfactory imaging. A good portion of headphones we've tested from this manufacturer have good quality control and imaging. However, there have been a couple of products with imaging issues, like the Skullcandy Jib Wireless. With that said, imaging varies across units.
Our unit's left and right drivers are well-matched in group delay, resulting in tight bass and transparent imaging. The drivers are also well-matched in amplitude and frequency response, which ensures a stable and balanced stereo image. However, there's mismatch in phase response. A peak in the phase response's center of the mids into the high-mids is noticeable in vocal-centric content and skews audio to the right.
Their passive soundstage performance is sub-par, which is expected of closed-back headphones. The resulting playback isn't immersive or spacious sounding. Their soundstage is natural-sounding, but your music seems to be coming from inside your head rather than from speakers around you.
These headphones have a satisfactory weighted harmonic distortion performance. A peak in the high-bass and low-mid at moderate and high volumes affects the purity of audio. However, it's somewhat minor and difficult to hear with real-life content.
These are the settings we used to test these headphones. We also tested these headphones with the haptic bass slider set to its lowest setting to get a response as close to neutral as possible. Our results are only valid when using these settings.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo have poor noise isolation. They lack noise cancelling and don't block out low-pitched noises like bus engines or low mid-range sounds like ambient din in plane cabins. Voices are slightly muffled, though intelligible, and high-pitched sounds like subway brake squeals receive the greatest reduction, as expected from passive-only isolation. Overall, you'll hear your neighbors if you're in an office or commuting.
These headphones have adequate leakage performance. The audio that escapes sounds thin but complete with lead parts and rhythm. Only bass parts don't leak much at all. Leakage depends on how loud you set the volume, but the trebly parts of songs, like cymbals, are likely to be heard in most moderately quiet spaces.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo's integrated microphone has satisfactory recording quality. Your voice will sound a bit muffled and lacking a bit of clarity in articulation, though you'll still sound mostly like yourself. If you speak really loudly, it's possible you'll 'blow out' the microphone, which will impact intelligibility.
The microphone's noise-handling performance is middling. It struggles to separate your voice from background noise in the environment. However, with quieter, constant noise, you'll be understandable even if it's annoying to the person on the other end of the call. The mic can also become overwhelmed by sudden and loud environmental noises and obscure most of your speech.
These headphones have great battery performance. The manufacturer advertises them to last 40 hours continuously, but we measured just over 34 hours. However, battery life can vary depending on use. They also have a quick charge that, according to the manufacturer, supplies four hours of playback after a 10-minute charge via their USB-C port. If you can't readily top up their battery life, you can use them passively with their included 1/8" TRRS audio cable. Unfortunately, they don't have any power-saving features to help conserve battery life when not in use.
The Skullcandy app is decent. Like most Skullcandy headphones with the brand's app support, these use Tile, which is handy if you misplace your cans. This feature helps you find them. You can use the app for pretty basic functions like checking the battery level or choosing from one of the three EQ presets: 'Music,' 'Podcast,' or 'Movie.' You can also use the Personal Sound feature to take a test for the headphones to create a sound profile optimized to your hearing capabilities. However, the app lacks a truly customizable equalizer, so you're relying on what the manufacturer prescribes.
The Skullcandy Crusher Evo have satisfactory Bluetooth connectivity. They don't support multi-device pairing, which is disappointing. While latency depends on your device, connection strength, apps, and other variables, these exhibit enough of a lag that you'll notice lipsync mismatch with videos. It's not enough to make videos unwatchable, but if you watch a lot of movies and TV, you might prefer headphones with lower latency or adaptive codecs. If you primarily just listen to audio, this won't pose an issue.
These Skullcandy Crusher Evo can connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs with full audio and mic compatibility. You can also use their analog cable with full audio and mic compatibility. Turn off the haptic bass function if you use the mic, as there are issues of inconsistent mic quality when using the mic over a wired connection with the bass slider activated.
If you want to use these over-ears on your PlayStation console, you can only connect their analog cable to your controller's AUX port. You'll have full audio and mic compatibility, though. Make sure the haptic bass is disabled because it can cause issues with the mic when they're plugged in.
You can plug these headphones into your Xbox console's controller for full audio and microphone compatibility. Ensure that the haptic bass slider is off if you're using the mic because it can cause issues with the mic.