Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless  Headphones Review

Reviewed Jan 19, 2022 at 10:27am
Writing modified Mar 20, 2023 at 10:11am
Tested using Methodology v1.5 
Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless

Track

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 Push Active True Wireless are the sports-oriented variant of the Skullcandy Push Truly Wireless. They have a very stable in-ear fit thanks to their stability hooks, a comfortable and well-built design, and are certified IP55 for dust and water resistance. They also have customization features like a graphic EQ and presets to help tweak their bass-rich sound profile to your liking, as well as Skull-iQ, a smart feature that allows you to use voice controls. On the downside, they struggle to block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines, and their mic has a hard time separating your voice from moderate ambient noise around you.

Our Verdict

0.0
Neutral Sound 

The Skullcandy Push Active are good for neutral sound. Using the 'Music' EQ preset, their flattest EQ, they have a bass-rich sound profile that adds extra thump, rumble, and boom to their sound. That said, if you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets so that you can customize their sound to suit your tastes. Unfortunately, due to their in-ear fit, their passive soundstage seems closed-off, small, and as if coming from inside your head.

Pros
  • Graphic EQ and presets available.
  • Very consistent audio delivery.
Cons
  • Bad passive soundstage performance.
0.0
Commute/Travel 

The Skullcandy Push Active are decent for commute and travel. They have a comfortable, stable, and well-built design. Thanks to their over nine hours of continuous battery life, they should last through long days on the go, and their small design makes it easy to put them in your pocket or bag. That said, they struggle to block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built.
  • 9.5-hour continuous battery life.
Cons
  • Struggles to block out bass-range noise.
  • Bad passive soundstage performance.
0.0
Sports/Fitness 

The Skullcandy Push Active are great for sports and fitness. They have a comfortable, well-built design rated IP55 for dust and water resistance. They also have ear hooks, which help keep them stable during your run or workout. In addition to physical controls, you can access the Skull-iQ feature in their companion app if you want to use voice commands.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built.
  • Very stable fit.
  • 9.5-hour continuous battery life.
Cons
  • Bad passive soundstage performance.
0.0
Office 

The Skullcandy Push Active are satisfactory for office use. They have a comfortable fit, and their 9.5-hour continuous battery life should last through your 9-5 workday without too much of an issue. They don't leak much audio at high volumes either and can block out ambient chatter around you. On the downside, they don't support multi-device pairing, so you can't stay connected to your PC and smartphone at the same time.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built.
  • 9.5-hour continuous battery life.
  • Cuts down ambient chatter.
Cons
  • Sub-par noise handling.
  • Bad passive soundstage performance.
  • No multi-device pairing.
0.0
Wireless Gaming 

The Skullcandy Push Active aren't compatible with PlayStation or Xbox consoles. You can use them with Bluetooth-compatible PCs, but their latency is likely too high to be suitable for wireless gaming.

0.0
Wired Gaming 

The Skullcandy Push Active are truly wireless Bluetooth headphones, and you can't use them wired.

0.0
Phone Calls 

The Skullcandy Push Active are okay for phone calls. Their integrated microphone does a mediocre job of recording your voice, and speech sounds understandable but thin and lacking detail. The mic struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise, so if you're taking an important call, it's best to do so from a quiet environment. The headphones also have trouble blocking out ambient noise like the low rumble of bus engines around you.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built.
Cons
  • Sub-par noise handling.
  • 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 Mar 20, 2023: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the JBL Endurance Peak 3 True Wireless in Comfort.
    2.  Updated Feb 08, 2023: We have added information regarding the 'Pit Viper XTREME' color variant to Differences Between Sizes And Variants and Style.
    3.  Updated Jan 19, 2022: Review published.
    4.  Updated Jan 12, 2022: Early access published.

    Check Price

    Dark Blue/Green
    Amazon.com
    Light Grey/Blue
    SEE PRICE
    Skullcandy
    Pit Viper XTREME
    Amazon.com
    True Black/Orange
    SEE PRICE
    B&H

    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The Skullcandy Push Active come in three color variations: 'Black/Orange', 'Dark Blue/Green', and 'Light Grey/Blue'. We tested the 'Dark Blue/Green' variant, and you can see our model's label here. In addition to these variants, there's also a limited edition colorway that's made in collaboration with Pit Viper, a company that primarily makes sports-oriented sunglasses and goggles. This model is called the 'Pit Viper XTREME' and is mainly purple with pink and blue accents.

    If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.

    Popular Headphones Comparisons

    The Skullcandy Push Active are the sports-oriented variant of the Skullcandy Push Truly Wireless. Like the Skullcandy Push Ultra Truly Wireless and Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless, they have ear hooks to help give you a very stable in-ear fit. They have a very robust companion app that offers a graphic EQ and presets as well as Skull-iQ, a smart feature that allows you to use built-in voice commands. However, they struggle to block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines.

    Check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds for running, the best headphones for running, and the best wireless Bluetooth headphones.

    JBL Endurance Peak 3 True Wireless

    Track

    The Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless and the JBL Endurance Peak 3 True Wireless have different strengths and, depending on your usage, you may prefer either one. While both headphones have a stable ear-hook design, the Skullcandy are more comfortable, have a more neutral sound profile out of the box, which some people may prefer, and have smart commands via the companion app. However, the JBL are better built and have a better overall battery performance.

    Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless

    Track

    The Beats Powerbeats Pro Truly Wireless and the Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer either one. While both headphones are comfortable, well-built, and have a very stable fit, the Beats have a significantly better battery performance, and they have an H1 chip for seamless pairing with your Apple devices. Their integrated mic also offers better overall performance. That said, the Skullcandy offer a more customizable sound performance as their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound, button mapping, and Skull-iQ, which are smart features like voice control.

    Beats Solo Pro

    Track

    The Beats Solo Pro and the Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer either one. The Beats are on-ear headphones with a better build quality and a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have a very good noise isolation performance thanks to their ANC system, a longer continuous battery life, and an H1 chip for seamless pairing with your Apple devices. However, the Skullcandy are in-ears that are more comfortable and have a stable ear-hook design, making them a solid choice for sports. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound and smart commands.

    Skullcandy Push Ultra Truly Wireless

    Track

    The Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless are the sports-oriented variant of the Skullcandy Push Ultra Truly Wireless and are better overall headphones. The Push Active are in-ears with a more comfortable and stable in-ear fit, and their sound profile is much more neutral, which some users may prefer. They have significantly better battery performance and more customization features, thanks to their companion app. However, some users may prefer the Push Ultra's in-ear fit, which doesn't fit as deeply into your ear.

    Show more 
    How We Test Headphones: Over 800 And Counting!
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    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    TypeLockedIn-ear
    EnclosureLockedClosed-Back
    WirelessLockedTruly Wireless
    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
    Portability
    LLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    WLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    HLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    VolumeLockedLock in³ (Lock cm³)
    Transmitter RequiredLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Case
    TypeLockedLocked
    LLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    WLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    HLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    VolumeLockedLock in³ (Lock cm³)

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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

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    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

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    0.0
    Imaging
    Weighted Group Delay
    LockedLock
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    LockedLock

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    0.0
    Passive Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    LockedN/A
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    LockedN/A
    PRTF Distance
    LockedN/A
    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

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    Test Settings
    Firmware
    LockedLocked
    Power
    LockedLocked
    Connection
    LockedLocked
    Codec
    LockedLocked
    EQ
    LockedLocked
    ANC
    LockedLocked
    Tip/Pad
    LockedLocked
    Microphone
    LockedLocked

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    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
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    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
    SpNR
    LockedLock dB
    Noise Gate
    LockedLocked
    Speech + Pink Noise Handling
    Locked
    0.0
    Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
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    Speech + Subway Noise Handling
    Locked
    0.0
    Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample
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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 (Lock m)
    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
    LengthLockedN/A
    Connection
    LockedLocked
    Analog/USB Audio Latency
    LockedN/A

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    PC Compatibility
    Analog
    LockedLocked
    Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked

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    PlayStation Compatibility
    PS4 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PS4 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S 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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