Skullcandy Crusher 1080 Review: The Bass Kings Now Have Bose Sound

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The Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC is the best version of a concept no one else has dared to build. The Bose collaboration has transformed the sound quality into something that can legitimately compete at this price, while the Crusher system remains completely addictive and unlike anything else on the market.

The Good

1. Haptic Crusher system is one-of-a-kind and genuinely fun
2. Bose-tuned audio is a massive step up from the previous generation
3. 60-hour battery with fast charging
4. All-physical controls are a joy to use
5. Strong ANC and excellent companion app

The Not So Good

1. Soft carry bag rather than a hard case
2. Transparency mode needs app adjustment to shine

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There’s a very specific type of headphone buyer who has never been well served by the mainstream. They don’t want balanced. They don’t want “reference quality”. They want to feel the music – literally, in their skull – and I completely understand why.

I’m not that person, but I do love an exciting, different pair of headphones to review once in a while. And that’s exactly what you get from Skullcandy.

Enter the Crusher 1080 ANC, which follow the Crusher ANC 2 I reviewed three years ago. They’re the latest pair of rumbling headphones from Skullcandy, but they have a new trick up their sleeve.

This time, Skullcandy has partnered with Bose. The result is a pair of headphones that don’t force you to choose between proper audio quality and the kind of bass response that makes your ears vibrate like a subwoofer at a festival.

Get the Skullcrusher 1080s Today!

Let me explain what this all means. Because I understand if you’re already confused.

The Crusher Dial

This is what these headphones are all about, and I challenge you to find something similar anywhere else (you won’t).

Each ear cup has a haptic motor inside it. The Crusher Dial – a physical, satisfying rotary dial on the outside of the ear cup – controls the intensity of those motors. Turn it up, and the bass you’re hearing becomes bass you’re feeling. It vibrates in time with whatever’s playing and in response to certain frequencies, which means a thumping kick drum on a track feels exactly like it would if you were standing near a big PA at a gig.

It sounds ridiculous. It’ll probably make you laugh. It’s also completely addictive, and, to my knowledge, there is genuinely nothing else on the market that does this.

I should point out that the crusher system and the actual audio are largely separate. The motors add physical weight to the bass without just cranking the low frequencies until your eardrums file a formal complaint. So your hearing stays intact, the sound quality stays intact, and you get this extra layer of physical presence on top. Smart.

Which brings me to Bose’s involvement.

Sound quality

Here’s where the 1080 make the biggest leap over the Crusher ANC 2 (which didn’t sound bad themselves).

Skullcandy brought Bose in to work on the EQ, sound profiles, and overall audio tuning. The difference is obvious. With the crusher dial turned all the way down – so it’s just the raw sound profile – the 1080 sound fantastic. Deep, detailed bass with real texture, a wide soundstage, punchy mids that don’t turn into a wall of noise after an hour – they are extremely Bose-like. Obviously. I’ve worn them for long sessions, and they don’t fatigue, either, which is a classic Bose signature.

The previous generation had incredible bass, but the overall sound quality didn’t really compete with what Sony or Bose could do at this price. The 1080 can absolutely compete with that bunch, and it’s a big feather in Skullcandy’s cap.

Bose’s True Spatial feature comes along for the ride, too. This is Bose’s take on head-tracked spatial audio and, if you’re watching a film and you turn your head, the audio stays anchored to where the screen is rather than rotating with you. It works really well. It’s much better suited to movies and TV than music, but it’s a nice extra to have.

Curious how Bose’s own headphones stack up at a similar price point? Read our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review for more.

Design and build

You can’t mistake a pair of Skullcandy cans. They’re chunky and purposeful, the logo is unmistakable, and the colour options are exactly what you’d expect from a brand that has never pretended to be Sony (how many other headphone brands have called a colour ‘cement’?).

The frame is plastic, but it’s the kind of plastic that feels considered rather than cheap. The cushioning on the headband and earcups is genuinely good, and as someone who is, shall we say, aerodynamically optimised up top, I can confirm they sit close to the head rather than sticking out too much. This matters more than people with hair will ever appreciate.

They’re surprisingly light, too, and very comfortable for long sessions. They also fold properly (a rarity these days), which allows them to compact down nicely into the soft carry bag that comes in the box. I’d prefer a hard case, personally, but I’m aware that makes me sound like someone’s dad (I’m 45, and literally someone’s dad, so the label fits). The bag is well made, at least, and includes a nice little strap if you want to attach it safely to something.

The controls are, joyously, all physical buttons and dials. No touch-sensitive guff. Just like the aforementioned Crusher Dial, they all feel well made and satisfying to use. Thank you, Skullcandy.

Battery life is 60 hours, which is more than anyone needs. And if you’re somehow caught short: ten minutes of charging gives you four hours of playback. While I’m talking specs, the 1080 come with Bluetooth 5.3, support for LC3 audio with aptX and LDAC, multipoint for two devices, and USB-C audio.

Noise cancellation and transparency

The passive isolation is already strong on the 1080 – the earcups seal well, and even without ANC switched on, the world noticeably quietens down. Turn ANC on and it gets better still. It’s up there with some of the best I’ve tested.

Transparency (Skullcandy calls it Stay Aware) lets the outside world in and lets you hear yourself on calls. Out of the box, it’s decent but not exceptional – not quite at Apple or Sony levels. However, the Skullcandy app has a sidetone slider that boosts how much of your own voice you hear, and nudging that up makes a real difference. It’s worth spending two minutes in the app when you first set these up.

The mics are solid. Fine for calls and video meetings, and you can hear my live test of them on the YouTube video I published about these headphones recently.

Speaking of the Skullcandy app, it’s superb. Personal sound setup, custom EQ, preset profiles for gaming and other modes, sleep mode, sidetone control – it covers everything you’d want without becoming overwhelming, and the EQ control is detailed enough.

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Price and verdict

The Skullcandy 1080 ANC cost £279.99 in the UK ($279.99 in the US). That puts them comfortably below Sony’s XM6 and even further below the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2. For that price, you’re getting solid ANC, Bose-quality sound tuning, 60 hours of battery, physical controls, and the crusher system – which you genuinely cannot get anywhere else.

If bass isn’t your thing at all, there are better options at this price. But if you’ve ever wanted to feel music rather than just hear it, the Crusher 1080 is the first time the trade-off between silly bass and great sound doesn’t apply.

Buy the Crusher 1080 if you love bass, want a pair of cans that do something no other headphone can, and still need them to sound good for everyday listening. The Bose collaboration has genuinely fixed the one thing the previous generation couldn’t claim.

If you’re weighing up the top over-ear options at this price, our AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6 comparison breaks down the competition.