Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016  Headphones Review

Reviewed Aug 24, 2018 at 10:44am
Test bench update Feb 20, 2020 at 11:34am
Tested using Methodology v1.4 
Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016

Track

0.0
Mixed Usage 
0.0
Neutral Sound 
0.0
Commute/Travel 
0.0
Sports/Fitness 
0.0
Office 
0.0
Wireless Gaming 
0.0
Wired Gaming 
0.0
Phone Calls 

Track

 0
The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless are decent over-ears for most use cases, with a unique bass slider to enhance their already bass-heavy sound. They have the best build and design out of all the Skullcandy headphones we've tested so far. They're also easy-to-use, have an excellent battery life, and sound fairly decent when you don't use the slider. Unfortunately, the bass is a bit too much for most, especially if you engage the slider. They also do not block a lot of noise and are a bit too tight on the head, which is a little uncomfortable at times.

Our Verdict

0.0
Mixed Usage 

Average mixed-usage headphones. The Crusher Wireless have a great battery life and a decent but overly bass-heavy sound. They also have a better build quality than all the other Skullcandy headphones we've tested so far, and they're fairly easy to use. Unfortunately, they're quite tight on larger heads and do not block enough noise for very noisy environments like those involved in commute and travel. They also have a bit too much latency, like most Bluetooth headsets, to be suitable for watching a lot of video content and gaming.

Pros
  • Great battery life.
  • Good build quality.
  • Easy-to-use and good controls.
Cons
  • Overly bass-heavy sound with or without the slider.
  • Tight on the head.
  • Poor noise isolation.
0.0
Neutral Sound 

Decent for neutral listening. The Crushers Wireless have a bass-heavy sound profile that may sound exciting for some but slightly drowns the instruments and vocals in the mid and treble range. However, unlike Hesh 3, they also come with a bass slider that lets you adjust the level of low-end thump and rumble. At the max setting, it gives them a ridiculous amount of bass that rattles and shakes the headphones and makes them practically unusable even for fans of really bass-heavy music. They won't be the ideal choice for more neutral listeners, and they do not have the soundstage of open back over-ears, but if you're a fan of bass, then you might want to check the Crushers out just to know your limit.

0.0
Commute/Travel 

Average for commuting. They're easy-to-use and decently portable. They also have a long battery life for road trips and flights, but unfortunately, they do not block a lot of noise so they won't be ideal if you have a very noisy commute.

0.0
Sports/Fitness 

Decent for sports. They're relatively lightweight and tight enough to stay on your head when jogging. Their good wireless range also makes them suitable for most activities. However, they get fairly warm due to their poor breathability, and they're still somewhat cumbersome over-ears so they won't be the ideal choice for more intense workout routines.

0.0
Office 

Average for office use. The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless do not block a lot of noise so you will hear what's going on around you and they leak quite a bit at high volumes so you may distract your colleagues in quieter conditions. On the upside, they're easy-to-use and have an all-day battery life.

0.0
Wireless Gaming 

Sub-par for gaming. The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless have a bit too much latency, an average-at-best mic, and no customization options. They're also a bit tight on the head which might not be ideal for longer gaming sessions.

0.0
Wired Gaming 
0.0
Phone Calls 
  • 0.0
    Mixed Usage
  • 0.0
    Neutral Sound
  • 0.0
    Commute/Travel
  • 0.0
    Sports/Fitness
  • 0.0
    Office
  • 0.0
    Wireless Gaming
  • 0.0
    Wired Gaming
  • 0.0
    Phone Calls
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Feb 20, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
    2.  Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
    3.  Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
    4.  Updated Apr 04, 2019: We've updated the battery section of the review as we couldn't confirm that these headphones have a standby mode.

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    Popular Headphones Comparisons

    Comparison picture

    The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless a are decent mixed usage over-ear headset with a unique bass slider feature that was introduced by the original, wired Skullcandy Crusher. They have a good build quality, easy to use controls and an excellent battery life. They also deliver a decent but overly bass-heavy audio reproduction that you can further enhance with the bass slider. This makes the entire headphone vibrate with each low-end thump and rumble, which is not recommended for more critical listeners but may be appreciated by some dedicated fans of really heavy bass (they're one of the best bass headphones that we've tested so far). The Crushers Wireless are a decent option for most use cases but their lack of a good app and an actual EQ means they won't be as customizable as some of the headphones compared below. See our recommendations for the best wireless headphones and the best noise cancelling headphones.

    Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless

    Track

    The Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless have similar performance to the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016 in most aspects. The Hesh 3 have a greater wireless range, a slightly better-balanced sound, and a lighter and more comfortable design. They also tend to block a bit more noise passively, although not by much. On the other hand, the Crusher Wireless have a much better build quality than the Hesh 3. They also have longer battery life and an adjustable bass slider that makes them slightly more customizable.

    Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless

    Track

    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.

    Skullcandy Crusher 2014

    Track

    The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016 are better headphones than the Skullcandy Crusher 2014 thanks to their wireless design you can also use wired. The wired Crusher 2014 have a more lightweight design and a better-balanced bass when not using the bass slider. They're also a bit more comfortable than the wireless variant since they're not as tight on the head. On the other hand, the Crusher Wireless have a better range, a more durable build quality, and easier to use controls, and they can be used wired and wireless which makes them a lot more versatile. They also have a better default sound.

    Skullcandy Crusher 360 Wireless

    Track

    The Skullcandy Crusher 360 Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016. Both models have a similar build, but the padding of the Crusher 360 is more comfortable. Their sound is also more accurate, and their haptic bass feedback isn’t as ridiculously intense as the Crusher Wireless. The 360 model also support the aptX codec for overall better performance and have a more unique style. The Crusher Wireless perform better across different users and have power-saving features, but this won't compensate for the better overall performance of the Crusher 360.

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    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    TypeLockedOver-ear
    EnclosureLockedClosed-Back
    WirelessLockedYes
    TransducerLockedDynamic

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    0.0
    Comfort
    WeightLockedLock lbs
    Clamping Force
    LockedLock lbs

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    0.0
    Controls
    OS Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Ease Of UseLockedLocked
    FeedbackLockedLocked
    Call/Music ControlLockedLocked
    Volume ControlLockedLocked
    Microphone ControlLockedLocked
    Channel Mixing
    LockedLocked
    Noise Cancelling ControlLockedLocked
    Talk-Through
    LockedLocked
    Additional ControlsLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Breathability
    Avg.Temp.DifferenceLockedLock °C

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    0.0
    Portability
    LLockedLock"
    WLockedLock"
    HLockedLock"
    VolumeLockedLock in³
    Transmitter RequiredLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Case
    TypeLockedLocked
    LLockedN/A
    WLockedN/A
    HLockedN/A
    VolumeLockedN/A

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    0.0
    Build Quality

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    0.0
    Stability

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    Headshots 1
    Headshots 2
    Top
    In The Box

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    Sound
    Sound Profile
    Bass Amount
    LockedLock dB
    Treble Amount
    LockedLock dB
    0.0
    Frequency Response Consistency
    Avg. Std. Deviation
    LockedLock dB

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    Raw Frequency Response
    0.0
    Bass Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Frequency Extension
    LockedLock Hz
    Low-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    High-Bass
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Mid Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    High-Mid
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Treble Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    High-Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Peaks/Dips
    Peaks
    LockedLock dB
    Dips
    LockedLock dB
    0.0
    Imaging
    Weighted Group Delay
    LockedLock
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    LockedLock

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    0.0
    Passive Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    LockedLock dB
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    LockedLock dB
    PRTF Distance
    LockedLock dB
    Openness
    Locked
    0.0
    Acoustic Space Excitation
    Locked
    0.0

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    0.0
    Virtual Soundstage
    Head Modeling
    LockedLocked
    Speaker Modeling
    LockedLocked
    Room Ambience
    LockedLocked
    Head Tracking
    LockedLocked
    Virtual Surround
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    WHD @ 90
    LockedLock
    WHD @ 100
    LockedLock
    Test Settings
    Firmware
    LockedLocked
    Power
    LockedLocked
    Connection
    LockedLocked
    Codec
    LockedLocked
    EQ
    LockedLocked
    ANC
    LockedLocked
    Tip/Pad
    LockedLocked
    Microphone
    LockedLocked
    Isolation
    0.0
    Noise Isolation
    Isolation Audio
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    Overall Attenuation
    LockedLock dB
    Noise CancellingLockedNo
    Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Leakage
    Leakage Audio
    JOIN NOWto hear audio samples
    Overall Leakage @ 1ft
    LockedLock dB

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    Microphone
    Microphone Style
    Integrated
    LockedLocked
    In-Line
    LockedLocked
    Boom
    LockedLocked
    Detachable Boom
    LockedLocked
    MicLockedYes
    0.0
    Recording Quality
    Recorded Speech
    JOIN NOWto hear audio samples
    LFE
    LockedLock Hz
    FR Std. Dev.
    LockedLock dB
    HFE
    LockedLock Hz
    Weighted THD
    LockedLock
    Gain
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Noise Handling
    Speech + Pink Noise
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    Speech + Subway Noise
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    SpNR
    LockedLock dB

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    Active Features
    0.0
    Battery
    Battery Type
    LockedLocked
    Continuous Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Additional Charges
    LockedLock
    Total Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Charge Time
    LockedLock hrs
    Power-Saving Feature
    LockedLocked
    Audio While Charging
    LockedLocked
    Passive Playback
    LockedLocked
    Charging PortLockedLocked

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    0.0
    App Support
    App NameLockedLocked
    iOSLockedLocked
    AndroidLockedLocked
    macOSLockedLocked
    WindowsLockedLocked
    Equalizer
    LockedLocked
    ANC Control
    LockedLocked
    Mic ControlLockedLocked
    Room Effects
    LockedLocked
    Playback Control
    LockedLocked
    Button MappingLockedLocked
    Surround Support
    LockedLocked

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    Connectivity
    0.0
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth Version
    LockedLocked
    Multi-Device Pairing
    LockedLocked
    NFC Pairing
    LockedLocked
    Line Of Sight Range
    LockedLock ft
    PC Latency (SBC)
    LockedLock ms
    PC Latency (aptX)
    LockedN/A
    PC Latency (aptX HD)
    LockedN/A
    PC Latency (aptX-LL)
    LockedN/A
    iOS Latency
    LockedLock ms
    Android Latency
    LockedLock ms

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    0.0
    Non-Bluetooth Wireless
    Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
    LockedN/A
    Non-BT Latency
    LockedN/A
    0.0
    Wired
    Analog Audio
    LockedLocked
    USB Audio
    LockedLocked
    DetachableLockedLocked
    LengthLockedLock ft
    ConnectionLockedLocked
    Analog/USB Audio Latency
    LockedLock ms

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    PC / PS4 Compatibility
    PC/PS4 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PC/PS4 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PC/PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Base/Dock
    Type
    LockedLocked
    USB Input
    LockedLocked
    Line In
    LockedLocked
    Line Out
    LockedLocked
    Optical Input
    LockedLocked
    RCA Input
    LockedLocked
    Dock Charging
    LockedLocked
    Power Supply
    LockedLocked

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