The Skullcandy Hesh ANC Wireless is an improved version of the Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless. These over-ears feature active noise cancellation (ANC), and the uninterrupted battery life has increased to about 24 hours. The ANC performance is okay overall, but it can amplify low-bass sounds like bus engines and overall has trouble suppressing sounds in that range. They also have a very excited, v-shaped sound profile, but lack EQ so you can’t adjust the sound to your liking.
The main point where the Skullcandy Hesh line falls short of praise is the superior sound. Yes, the Hesh ANC features the same 40mm drivers and 20Hz to 20kHz frequency range as its older cousin, the Crusher. But size isn’t everything. The Sony WH-1000XM4 also has 40-mm drivers, but can reproduce sounds up to 40 kHz (and extensively adjust its frequency response via an extensive app).
The Hesh ANC offers a sensitivity of just 99.63 dB, compared to 105 dB for the Crusher and Sony. The Hesh Evo offers just 91.3 dB. Also, the Crusher limits total harmonic distortion to less than 1 percent, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC stretches that to 3 percent. As you increase the volume, you’ll reach distortion faster (not that you should try to get anywhere near the maximum sound pressure level).
In addition, the Crusher headphones are compatible with the customizable sound features in the Skullcandy app, including the ability to create a custom EQ mix. Spend more and you’ll get a pair of wireless headphones with rich sound and personalization options that better reproduce the original recording and/or how you want to hear it.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC are decently comfortable. Just like the Skullcandy Hesh Evo Wireless, the padding on the ear cups feels good and does not press too hard on the ear. However, the padding on the headband feels a bit thin, which could be uncomfortable during longer listening sessions.
