Skullcandy Crusher Evo Review: heavy bass cans that actually feel it in your skull

I’ve been using the Skullcandy Crusher Evo (this Bone color bundle with the extra USB‑C cable) for a few weeks now, mostly for commuting, working at my desk, and some gym sessions. If you’ve never tried the Crusher line before, the whole point is the bass slider on the left earcup that literally makes the cups vibrate. It’s not subtle background bass, it’s proper rumble. So if you’re into hip‑hop, EDM, or anything with heavy low end, this is clearly what Skullcandy is pushing here.

Out of the box, they feel like typical Skullcandy: a bit chunky, plasticky, but not toy‑like. Setup was simple: hold the power button, they pop up on Bluetooth, and you’re done. I paired them with an iPhone and a Windows laptop and switching between the two isn’t painful, just the usual manual disconnect/reconnect dance. The Skullcandy app asks you to do a short hearing test to personalize the sound. I actually did it, and it does change the profile a bit, especially the clarity in vocals.

First impression when I turned the bass slider up: it really does shake your head. At max bass, it’s honestly too much for me for more than a song or two, but at about 20–30% it gives tracks a nice punch without drowning everything. If you like a neutral, studio kind of sound, these are not for you. They’re built for people who want bass front and center and don’t mind a bit of fun over accuracy.

Overall, my intro take: they’re not perfect, but they are pretty solid for the price if you care about bass and battery more than fancy features like active noise cancelling and multipoint. If you expect something like Sony WH‑1000XM series refinement, you’ll be disappointed. If you want headphones that hit hard, are easy to live with, and can take a beating in a backpack, they get the job done.

Value really depends on what you care about. I paid around the typical sale price (just under $100), and at that price, I think they’re good value if bass and battery life are priorities. You’re getting: strong low end with that adjustable slider, solid 40‑hour battery, a wired option with the 3.5 mm jack, a carrying case, and generally sturdy build. For someone who uses headphones daily for music, commuting, and some gaming, that’s a decent package.

Where the value drops a bit is if you start comparing them to headphones with active noise cancelling in the same or slightly higher price range. These only have passive noise isolation. They block some noise just by clamping over your ears, but they don’t cancel engine hum or office chatter like ANC models from Sony, JBL, or Anker. If you travel a lot by plane or work in a noisy open office, that missing ANC might bother you more than the extra bass helps.

On the other hand, compared to Beats or AirPods Max type products, these are much cheaper and, in my opinion, more fun if you specifically want heavy bass. One Amazon reviewer said they prefer these over Beats, and I get that: you’re paying less and still getting strong sound, long battery, and decent comfort. Just don’t expect the same brand polish or ecosystem integration.

So in practice, I’d rate the value as pretty solid for bass‑heads, gym users, and people who want long battery and don’t care about ANC or fancy features. If you’re more into balanced sound, light weight, and serious noise cancelling, your money is probably better spent on a different model. For what they are trying to be, the Crushers make sense at their usual discounted price; at full MSRP, I’d think twice and see what ANC options are around first.

Design‑wise, the Crusher Evo is very much in line with other Skullcandy stuff: lots of plastic, simple lines, and a bit of a rugged vibe. The Bone color looks better in person than in photos. It’s a kind of off‑white/cream that hides fingerprints and dust better than glossy black. If you throw them in a bag or touch them with sweaty hands at the gym, they don’t immediately look filthy, which I appreciate.

The headband clicks into place with clear steps, so adjusting the size is easy and it stays where you set it. I’ve got a medium‑large head and usually need near the top of the range on some brands; with these I still had a couple of steps left. The earcups swivel flat, which makes them more comfortable around your neck and easier to pack. The hinges don’t feel premium, but they also don’t feel like they’ll snap if you’re not overly gentle.

Control layout is simple and, in practice, works well. On the right, you’ve got three buttons: volume up, multi‑function, and volume down. Long‑press on the volume buttons skips tracks, the middle button handles play/pause and calls. The buttons are raised enough that you can find them by feel after a day of use. On the left, the power button and the bass slider are separated so you don’t confuse them. The bass slider has a bit of resistance, which is good because you don’t accidentally bump it to max.

One thing I don’t love: they’re not exactly low‑profile on your head. They stick out a bit, and the design screams “Skullcandy” more than “discreet commuter gear.” If you don’t care how you look with big cans on the train, it’s fine. If you want something slim and sleek like some Sony or Bose models, these feel bulkier. For me, function wins here: the design is not fancy, but it’s practical and easy to use without looking at the headphones every two minutes.

Battery life on these is one of the things that impressed me the most in actual day‑to‑day use. Skullcandy claims up to 40 hours, and based on my use, that’s not far off. I used them roughly 3–4 hours a day at medium volume with some bass, and I only had to charge once every 9–10 days. I never managed to fully drain them in a single day, even on a long work session plus a gym visit. For travel, that’s very reassuring: you’re not hunting for a charger after every couple of flights.

The Rapid Charge feature also actually helps. From almost empty, 10 minutes on a regular USB‑A charger gave me a few hours of playback. I tested this twice: once before hitting the gym and once before a train ride. Both times I had more than enough juice to get through what I needed. It removes a lot of battery anxiety you get with some ANC headphones that chew through power.

Charging is via USB‑C, which is standard now, and the extra USB‑C to USB‑C cable in the bundle is handy if your laptop or charger has USB‑C ports. I mostly used my own longer cable, but it’s nice to have a spare in the case. There’s a small LED that shows charging status and low battery, nothing fancy. I do wish the app showed a more precise percentage sometimes, but the rough battery level is good enough.

In practice, you’ll probably forget when you last charged them. That’s a good thing. Compared to some ANC models that barely hit 20–30 hours with noise cancelling on, these feel very low‑maintenance. If long battery life is high on your list, they deliver. Just remember: no active noise cancelling means that part of the battery savings comes from fewer power‑hungry features.

On comfort, they land in the “pretty solid but not perfect” zone. The ear pads are soft enough and have decent depth, so my ears don’t press directly against the drivers. I can wear them for 2–3 hours at a stretch without feeling sore. The clamping force is moderate: tight enough that they stay on during light workouts or walking, but not vice‑grip tight like some cheaper over‑ears. If you wear glasses, the arms will leave a bit of a mark after a while, but it’s not unbearable compared to other over‑ears I’ve tried.

The headband has padding, but it’s not super plush. After a long work session (4–5 hours), I start to feel a bit of pressure on the top of my head. It’s the kind of thing you notice when you take them off and feel relief. If you only use them in chunks of 1–2 hours, it’s totally fine. If you’re planning to keep them on for full 8‑hour workdays, you’ll probably take short breaks just to give your head and ears a rest.

Heat build‑up is about average. After an intense gym session or a hot commute, my ears get warm, but not swampy. The pads are faux leather, so they do trap some heat. For travel and normal indoor use, I didn’t find it too annoying. They’re not as breathable as some fabric‑pad models, but that’s normal for this style of headphone.

Overall, I’d say comfort is good for the price range. They’re clearly more comfortable than on‑ear Beats that press right on your ear, and I find them okay for Netflix sessions, gaming, and commuting. Just don’t expect the “forget you’re wearing them” feeling you get with much pricier, lighter ANC models. For mixed use and a few hours at a time, they get the job done without being a pain, literally.

Build quality is better than the all‑plastic look suggests. The headband has a metal reinforcement inside, and the plastics feel thick enough to handle daily use. Over a few weeks, I tossed them in a backpack (sometimes without the case), dropped them once from desk height onto a hard floor, and twisted the headband a bit more than I should while adjusting. No cracks, no weird creaks, nothing loosening up.

The hinges are usually the weak point on foldable headphones. Here, they feel decent: not studio‑grade, but not flimsy. They fold and unfold with a consistent resistance, and I haven’t noticed any wobble developing. The ear pads haven’t shown any peeling or flattening yet, but that’s something that usually shows up after months, not weeks. Based on other user reviews I read, people have been throwing these around for a year and they still hold up, which lines up with my early impressions.

The finish on the Bone color hides scratches pretty well. Minor scuffs from sliding around in a bag don’t stand out. The only thing you might need to wipe off occasionally is sweat and skin oils from the ear pads and headband, but that’s normal. The sliders for head size adjustment still click firmly; they don’t drift while wearing, which is important if you use them at the gym.

Overall, I’d say durability is above average for this price range. They don’t feel indestructible, but they definitely feel less fragile than some more expensive, feature‑packed ANC models with lots of moving parts. If you’re rough on your gear, throw it in bags, or occasionally sit on it by accident, these seem ready for that kind of abuse, as long as you’re not actively trying to break them.

Sound performance is where these are very clear about what they’re trying to do. With the bass slider all the way down, they’re actually decent all‑rounders. You get a V‑shaped sound: boosted bass and treble, slightly recessed mids. Vocals are clear enough, highs have some sparkle without being too harsh if you keep the volume reasonable. For pop, rap, and most mainstream stuff, it works well. If you listen to a lot of acoustic, jazz, or classical, they’re okay but not particularly accurate.

Once you start moving that bass slider up, it’s a different story. At about 25–30%, you get a strong thump that makes kick drums and basslines feel physical, especially on tracks with sub‑bass. It’s fun for the gym or when you want to zone out. Past 50%, the bass starts to bleed into the mids and can drown out details. At max, it’s honestly more of a gimmick to show friends what they can do. My ears and head get tired pretty quickly with it cranked.

For movies and gaming, that extra low‑end rumble actually works nicely. Explosions and action scenes feel heavier, and because they don’t have active noise cancelling, that extra bass helps mask some background noise. Directional audio is fine; I used them for a few FPS sessions plugged into a controller with the 3.5 mm cable, and I could still tell where footsteps were coming from, but they’re not “competitive esports” tuned or anything.

Call quality is workable. People could hear me clearly in quiet rooms, but in noisy environments the mic doesn’t cut out much background sound. It’s fine for casual calls, Discord chats, or quick meetings, but if you’re on important calls all day, you might want a dedicated mic. Overall, sound performance is very much: fun, bassy, slightly messy at extremes. If that’s your vibe, you’ll like them. If you want flat, reference sound, look elsewhere.

This specific bundle is the Crusher Evo in Bone plus an extra USB‑C to USB‑C cable. In the box you get: the headphones, a semi‑rigid carrying case, a short USB‑A to USB‑C charging cable, a 3.5 mm AUX cable, some paperwork, and that extra, slightly longer USB‑C cable. Nothing fancy, but it covers the basics. The case is compact enough to throw in a backpack without taking over the whole bag, and it keeps the headphones from getting crushed or scratched.

The headphones fold flat and also collapse inward, so they’re reasonably portable for over‑ears. They’re not tiny, but they’re no bigger than Beats Studio or similar. I like that everything is still button‑based: you get three physical buttons on the right earcup for volume, track control, play/pause, and calls, plus a power/pairing button and the bass slider on the left. No weird touch gestures to misfire when you adjust them on your head.

The app side is simple. The main thing is the "Personal Sound" hearing test. You put them on, the app plays tones at different frequencies, you tap when you hear them, and it builds a profile. I tried with and without that profile on a few songs I know well. With it on, vocals and details in the mids came through a bit cleaner, which helps because the stock tuning leans bassy. It’s not night and day, but it’s worth the two minutes to set up.

In terms of overall presentation, it feels more like a practical package than a premium one. The extra USB‑C cable is honestly the least exciting part, but it’s handy if you carry a laptop or tablet and want one cable that does everything. If you’re expecting a luxury unboxing moment, this isn’t it. If you just want all the cables you might need and a decent case so you don’t break them in a month, it’s fine.