The Skullcandy Hesh ANC Wireless are an upgraded variant of the Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless. These mid-range over-ears come with an active noise cancelling (ANC) feature and the manufacturer advertises 22 hours of continuous battery life with the ANC on. However, like the Hesh 3 Wireless, they lack sound customization options and companion app compatibility.
Our Verdict
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC are reasonable for neutral sound. They have a very excited sound profile that adds intense thump and rumble to your mixes while vocals and lead instruments are bright. However, while some users will enjoy this sound profile, it isn't very neutral. There's no graphic EQ or presets to help customize their sound profile either. They're also prone to slight inconsistencies in treble delivery.
- Comfortable and stable fit.
- No sound enhancement features.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC are decent for commute and travel. Even with their ANC on, they struggle to cut down bass-range noise like bus or plane engines. They're also bulky, which can make them a bit more difficult to easily take with you on-the-go. However, they have a decently comfortable fit and have around 24 hours of continuous battery life to last through long flights or trips.
- Comfortable and stable fit.
- ANC struggles to reduce bass-range noise.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC are satisfactory for sports and fitness. They have a stable and decently comfortable fit, while their wireless design makes it harder for something to snag them off your head. However, they're prone to moving around or falling off your head during more intense physical activity. They're also bulky, which doesn't make them very portable, and they don't have an IP rating for water resistance, which is to be expected with over-ear headphones.
- Comfortable and stable fit.
- No advertised IP rating.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC are okay for office use. They're decently comfortable and have around 24 hours of continuous battery life, so they'll get you through even the longest workdays without needing to charge. While it struggles with engine rumble and other low-frequency sounds, the ANC system does an okay job of blocking out mid-range noise, which can help reduce office chatter around you. However, they leak a lot of audio, so your colleagues will be able to hear it if you like to listen to music at a high volume.
- ANC can cut down ambient chatter.
- Comfortable and stable fit.
- No sound enhancement features.
- Can leak audio at high volumes.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC can only connect wirelessly via Bluetooth and, therefore, aren't compatible with PlayStation or Xbox family consoles. While you can connect them to a Bluetooth-enabled PC, their latency is likely too high for gaming.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC are okay for wired gaming. When used with their 1/8" TRRS cable, they're compatible with PC, PS4/PS5, and Xbox One/Xbox Series X consoles. They're decently comfortable and have a very excited v-shaped sound profile that some gamers will enjoy, as they can deliver deep thump and rumble. Their integrated mic also does a decent job of recording your voice. However, they don't have a companion app or any sound enhancement features.
- Comfortable and stable fit.
- No sound enhancement features.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC are fair for phone calls. The integrated mic does a decent job of capturing your voice, although it sounds a bit thin and dark. It also struggles to separate speech from moderately loud environments, so it's better suited for taking calls in a quiet space like a room. That said, they have an active noise cancelling feature that can help reduce some ambient noise around you so you can focus on your call.
- Comfortable and stable fit.
- Mic struggles to separate voice from moderate background noise.
Changelog
- Updated Dec 22, 2023: We've updated this review to ensure it remains consistent and added relevant comparisons.
- Updated Jan 20, 2022: We've tested the frequency response with ANC on, ANC off, and wired using the same seating.
- Updated Nov 03, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Jan 28, 2021: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC come in three color variants: 'True Black', 'Chill Grey', and 'Mod White'. We tested the 'True Black' variant, and you can see its label here.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC are over-ear headphones and are the updated variant of the Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless. This variant builds upon its predecessor by adding an active noise cancelling feature, as well as an increased continuous battery life. However, they don't isolate as much noise as other mid-range over-ears like the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless.
If you're looking for more headphones with an ANC feature, check out our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones under $200 and the best noise cancelling headphones. If you want to check out more wireless headphones, consider our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth 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-CH720N Wireless are better headphones overall than the Skullcandy Hesh ANC Wireless. While they both have ANC systems that can help block out external noise, the Sony are more comfortable, are better built, and have a slightly more balanced sound profile (though both lean towards bass-heavy). They also support multi-device pairing, so you can connect up to two different devices, and their continuous battery life is longer. However, the Skullcandy have a more immersive passive soundstage and consistent audio delivery.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC Wireless are better headphones than the Skullcandy Hesh Evo Wireless. Although both headphones are similarly comfortable, the Hesh ANC have a noise cancelling feature, which helps reduce some ambient noise around you. However, the Hesh Evo have a longer continuous battery life.
The Skullcandy Venue Wireless are somewhat better headphones for most uses than the Skullcandy Hesh ANC Wireless. The Venue are better built, and their ANC can reduce the ambient noise around you. They can also be paired with up to two devices at the same time, and you can listen to audio while they're charging, which is nice. However, the Hesh have a more neutral sound profile, and their integrated mic offers better overall performance.
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