Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 headphones bring the bass

Skullcandy’s reputation for head-thumping bass is well deserved, even if more recent offerings have been a little more restrained when it comes to low-end impact. The American audio brand’s latest effort, though? The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 promises to be a return to form, bringing adjustable bass as well as modern must-haves like active noise cancellation.

The over-ear cans can be tweaked on the fly using a built-in scroll wheel, just like previous versions, only now it recognises voice commands too. Demand “more Crusher” and it’ll boost the bass, from a basic mellow tune to a sonic gut-punch if you so desire. It works in tandem with personal sound EQ tuning, set through a smartphone companion app, so you can get a properly personal listening experience.

ANC is the big new addition, using a four-mic array to strip out environmental sound and let you concentrate on the music. With it enabled you should expect up to 50 hours of battery life, or as much as 60 if you turn noise cancelling off. A ten minute blast on mains power should add an extra four hours of playtime.

Other upgrades include over-the-air updates via the Skull-iQ App, should Skullcandy have any clever new features to add later down the line, hands-free voice control for answering calls, changing tracks, adjusting volume and activating specific sound modes, and built-in Tile tech to locate your cans should you misplace them. Multipoint Bluetooth also supports multiple device pairing at once.

Skullcandy has made the ear cups larger than the previous model, with asymmetric yokes for a more comfortable fit. They fold flat for storage and come with a travel case for taking on the move.

The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 will be rattling heads in the US first for $230.

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