Odi Productions
In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST Skullcandy Hesh ANC review for those who are wondering whether they are WORTH IT in 2025. I’ll also be comparing the Skullcandy Hesh ANC vs Crusher Evo, Crusher ANC 2, Sony WH-1000XM4, ULT Wear, Anker Soundcore Space Q45, Beats Studio Pro, Bose QuietComfort, JBL Tune 770NC, and more!
I’m going to do my best to share whether these headphones are worth it, and ideally who these headphones are for. I’ve owned these headphones for a while now and have quite a few thoughts.
I’ll be sharing my critical opinion with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, audio engineer, and tech journalist.
Let’s dive right in!
Skullcandy Hesh ANC Headphones Review in Short
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC is an affordably-priced headphone that offers above average noise cancelling performance with decent sound quality for modern music. It’s a bit older now and has some flaws like a lack of modern features (multi-point connection, transparency mode, smartphone app with EQ) and cheap build quality. Competes in the wireless over-ear ANC headphone class with Skullcandy Hesh Evo, Skullcandy Crusher Evo, Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2, Anker Soundcore Space Q45, Sony WH-1000XM4, Sony ULT Wear, JBL Tune 770NC, Sony WH-CH720N, Beats Studio Pro, and Bose QuietComfort.
Skullcandy Hesh ANC Pros and Cons
- Good noise cancelling performance
- Decent sound quality for modern music
- Lightweight
- Great value on sale
- No “Crusher Bass” feature
- Lacks modern features
- Tinny treble and loose bass
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Skullcandy Hesh ANC Sound Quality
So when it comes to sound quality, Skullcandy clearly aims their products at a younger crowd who likely listens to mostly modern music genres like Pop and Hip Hop.
Now one drawback to the Hesh ANC is that it does not contain Skullcandy’s patented “Crusher Sensory Bass” technology, found on the Crusher ANC 2 and Crusher Evo models.
From what I’ve tested, bass is what the Skullcandy brand is all about, and lacking that “Crusher” bass is probably the most notable drawback to the Hesh ANC and Hesh Evo models.
I will say there’s a bit of a big dropoff in bass response/quality, and just overall satisfaction from the Hesh ANC compared to the Crusher models.
Bass is their biggest strength, so that leaves the Hesh ANC with a fairly average sound quality performance.
Now, these don’t sound bad, but they are quite tinny with a looser, less impactful bass than on the Crusher models.
Also, it doesn’t help that these don’t have any custom EQ like the Crusher ANC 2, so what we’ve got out of the box is what we’re stuck with.
That said, they’re still fairly fun to listen to for the modern genres it was designed for, and encapsulates that consumer-friendly sound signature, pushing forward bass and treble.
For giggles, I tried listening to Classical and actually found them somewhat enjoyable and detailed, although that timbre is quite artificial due to that tinniness.
So overall, not great, but not bad.
I can enjoy these for the money, especially if I stick to the modern genres that it was designed for.
Sound Quality Score: 7.5 out of 10
Comfort
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC is one of the lightest for the over-ear, wireless noise cancelling headphones as weighed on my scale:
- Sony WH-CH720N – 186.4 grams
- JBL Tune 720BT – 223.2 grams
- JBL Tune 770NC – 227.1 grams
- Skullcandy Hesh ANC – 229.6 grams
- Bose QuietComfort – 236.1 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM5 – 245.9 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM4 – 251.6 grams
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra – 254.4 grams
- Anker Soundcore Life Q30 – 264.6 grams
- Beats Studio Pro – 268.6 grams
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 – 292.9 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space Q45 – 297.5 grams
- Sonos Ace – 318.1 grams
- Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 – 332.3 grams
- Apple AirPods Max – 387.8 grams
Unlike the more expensive Skullcandy “Crusher” series that weighs over 300 grams, the Hesh ANC is one of the lightest headphones in this class.
In fact, the Hesh ANC is over 100 grams lighter than the premium Crusher ANC 2.
So that must make the Hesh ANC automatically more comfy, right?
Well, not quite.
The Hesh ANC definitely has a strong clamping force from the factory.
Also, the top headband barely has any cushioning, unlike the Crusher ANC 2. This creates a slight bit of top of head pressure.
Overall, I still find the Hesh ANC decently comfortable thanks to its lightweight and fairly-sized earcups.
Comfort Score: 4.0 out of 5
Features / Build Quality / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling
Features
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC was originally released in November 2020, so they’re a bit older now when it comes to features:
- Built-in microphones for taking calls
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Adaptive Noise Cancelling
- Foldable and Collapsable
- 1-Year Warranty
The Hesh ANC is noticeably more feature-light compared to the newer and more premium Crusher ANC 2, lacking a smartphone app with customizable EQ, Transparency Mode, or Multi-point Connection.
These also don’t have Spatial Audio or Dolby Atmos support, for those that care.
These headphones do fold and collapse, but don’t include any kind of case.
There are budget headphones in this price range like Anker Soundcore that have hardshell cases, so it’s a bit disappointing these don’t include even a bag like the more expensive Skullcandy headphones.
Build Quality
Unlike the more premium “Crusher” series, the Hesh ANC feels noticeably cheaper when it comes to build quality.
The Crusher headphones have real heft and a mixture of materials, but the Hesh ANC is mostly just plastic with a thin metal layer in the headband.
For this price, the Hesh ANC is about average, which means that they feel more like $50 headphones.
Skullcandy Hesh ANC Battery Life
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC has 22 hours of battery life on a single charge.
This is a bit below average for the current wireless over-ear ANC headphone class, with many headphones being around the 30 to 40 hour range, all the way up to 100 hours even.
There is also a “Rapid Charging” feature that provides 3 hours of listening time with 10 minutes of charging.
Thankfully, these also feature the modern standard USB-C charging port.
Skullcandy Hesh ANC Noise Cancelling Performance
Now here is one area where the Hesh ANC genuinely surprised me.
I had tested the more expensive Crusher ANC 2 prior, and found the noise cancelling to be about average to below average.
The Hesh ANC’s noise cancelling performance impressed me, and it seems to be not only on par with the more expensive Crusher ANC 2, but maybe even slightly better.
It simply does a pretty strong job of effectively blocking out a ton of frequencies, and reminds me more of the noise cancelling found on Bose and Sony headphones.
Unfortunately, there’s no Transparency Mode as these are a bit older when it comes to features.
Overall, I think the Hesh ANC’s noise cancelling for the price is its best trait, but it’s still a bit held back by its relatively short battery life and cheap build quality.
Features / Build Quality / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling Performance Score: 3.5 out of 5
Value
At the time of this writing, the Skullcandy Hesh ANC retails at $134.99, but can be found on sale for as low as $87.
Although the Hesh ANC hasn’t scored exceptionally well on paper, I really find its price to be very attractive on sale.
These don’t sound bad at all for the money, and the Active Noise Cancelling is genuinely one of the best I’ve heard for the price.
That said, it’s hard for me to give these a perfect score here due to their short battery life, lack of features (no smartphone app with EQ, multi-point connection, or Transparency Mode), and cheap build quality.
So, somewhat begrudgingly, I have to dock at least a point for Value, but they do make a case for a perfect Value score at the right price when on sale.
Value Score: 4.0 out of 5
Overall Scoring Breakdown
Sound Quality: 7.5 / 10
Comfort: 4.0 / 5
Features / Build Quality / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling: 3.5 / 5
Value: 4.0 / 5
Total: 19.0 / 25
Is the Skullcandy Hesh ANC Worth it?
Scoring the Skullcandy Hesh ANC proved to be a bit trickier than I was expecting, honestly.
I actually like this headphone a lot, especially if found on sale for under $100 or less.
It has some of the best noise cancelling for the dollar, and it doesn’t sound bad, especially for its target audience and modern genres.
But unfortunately it has real flaws that can’t be ignored, such as short battery life, lack of features (no smartphone app with EQ, multi-point connection, or Transparency Mode), and cheap build quality.
So in short, I do think the Hesh ANC is worth it, but you may be better off upgrading to the Crusher series which also includes that patented (and fun) “Crusher Sensory Bass”.
Some very strong alternatives in this class of wireless headphones are:
- Skullcandy Hesh Evo
- Skullcandy Crusher Evo
- Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2
- Anker Soundcore Space Q45
- Sony ULT Wear
- JBL Tune 770NC
- Sony WH-CH720N
- Sennheiser Accentum
- Anker Soundcore Space One
- JBL Tune 720BT
- Sennheiser Momentum 4
- Bose QuietComfort (2023 model)
- Sony WH-1000XM4
- Sony WH-1000XM5
- Beats Studio Pro
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra
- Apple AirPods Max
Some Relevant Comparisons in this class of wireless headphones are:
- Skullcandy Crusher Evo vs ANC 2 Comparison
- Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Sony WH-1000XM5
- Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Sony WH-1000XM4
- Beats Studio Pro vs Sony WH-1000XM4
- Beats Studio Pro vs Sony WH-1000XM5
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs Sony WH-1000XM5
I highly recommend you check those out next!
Lastly, if you’d like to save some money and keep supporting RecordingNOW.com’s 100% independent, unbiased reviews, do consider using some of our affiliate links below to shop and even just compare prices. We purchase all products we review with our own money to maintain the highest level of integrity, and your support goes into that plus a continuously improving site experience.
Order HERE for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Want to save up to $20 or more?
Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Skullcandy Hesh headphones better than the Crusher series?
Generally speaking, no, the Hesh series is lower-quality than Skullcandy’s Crusher series that features their patented “Crusher Sensory Bass” technology, along with better build quality and materials. Hesh is the more affordable line of the Skullcandy headphone lineup.
What’s better, Hesh ANC or Hesh Evo?
The Hesh ANC is the upgraded and more expensive version to the Hesh Evo, and features Active Noise Cancelling which the Evo does not have.
How good is Skullcandy ANC performance?
Skullcandy ANC performance (found on Hesh ANC and Crusher ANC 2 models) is anywhere from average to slightly above average, especially for the money compared to more expensive premium ANC headphones from brands like Sony and Bose.
How We Tested and Our Methodology
RecordingNOW.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 10 years of experience testing and reviewing consumer electronics and headphones.
We currently purchase the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
After purchasing the product, we conduct up to hundreds of hours of detailed hands-on testing in a controlled, acoustically-treated environment.
ODi Productions is our resident expert and author of this article, with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, tech journalist, and audiophile.
Read Next
Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Review
Skullcandy Crusher Evo vs ANC 2 Comparison
Bose QuietComfort Review (2023 Model)
Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Review
Anker Soundcore Space One Review
