Our Verdict
The Skullcandy Hesh 2 are average-at-best mixed usage headphones. They're wireless and have a decent sound, but they're not meant for critical listening. Their isolation performance doesn't make them versatile enough for loud environments. Also, their design feels a bit cheap. On the upside, they're fairly easy-to-use, lightweight and they are a bit more breathable than other closed back over-ears.
- Lightweight over-ear headphones.
- Wireless design.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Sub-par sound quality.
- Bulky and plasticky build.
Average for neutral listening. They sound a bit too boomy and boxy and have small, closed on-ear cups cannot create a good soundstage. Their sound is not balanced or neutral enough for neutral listening. Also, they're wireless which is not ideal for lossless audio.
Mediocre for commuting. The noise isolation is not strong or efficient enough for the level of ambient noise involved in busy city commute. On the upside, they're easy to use and fairly lightweight.
Average-at-best for sports. The Skullcandy Hesh 2 are wireless and have an easy to use control scheme. However, they're a bit bulky, and too unstable for sports and to use while running or working out.
Mediocre for office use. They won't leak too much unless you less to your music at high volumes but they won't isolate you from the chatter of a busy office.
Sub-par for gaming. The Skullcandy Hesh 2 have a bit too much latency, an average-at-best mic, and no customization options. They're also not the most comfortable headphones which will not be ideal for long gaming sessions. On the upside, they're a bit more breathable than typical closed back over-ears.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
Check Price
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Hesh 2 are average-at-best wireless over-ears with a lightweight design and a somewhat decent sound. They're easy to use and have a long battery life but they're also a bit plasticky and feel a bit cheap. They do not have the most comfortable design and lack a lot of features compared to more recent wireless headphones in their price range. See our recommendations for the best Bluetooth over-ear headphones and the best headphones under $100.
The newer Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless are better headphones than the Skullcandy Hesh 2 Wireless. The cups are noticeably larger and feel more comfortable than the Hesh 2. The Hesh 3 also have better sound quality and there is a bass slider as well. Their wireless range is also noticeably better, but they have more latency than the previous model. On the other hand, the Hesh 2 have noticeably better battery life and also an in-line microphone, which the Hesh 3 lacks.
The Parrot Zik 2.0/Zik 2.0 Wireless are much better wireless headphones than the Skullcandy Hesh 2. The Zik have a lot more customizable features than the Hesh 2. They're also better built and a bit more comfortable than the Hesh 2. Since they're noise cancelling headphones, they do much better in noisy conditions. On the other hand, the Skullcandys are much lighter and have an easier-to-use control scheme. They also have a longer battery life than the Parrot, and since they're cheaper, they might be a better value for some.
The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016 are a much better headset than the Skullcandy Hesh 2 Wireless. The Crusher Wireless are better built and look more premium. They also have a longer battery life, a better wireless range, and a better default sound that you can further enhance with the bass slider. They're also a bit more comfortable despite being a little tight on some heads. The Hesh 2, on the other hand, have a unique design that comes in many color schemes to match your taste and preferences. They're also considerably cheaper, but overall the Crusher Wireless are the superior headset in almost every category.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
