There are voice prompts to let you know when you’ve changed the ANC as well as a light indicator, which turns on when the ANC is on. There’s also a beep when you’ve reached the minimum or maximum volume limit. I wore the Skullcandy Hesh headphones during a three-hour project staining the deck in 90-degree heat. If that wasn’t enough to prove their comfort, I don’t know what would be.
You will be able to wear them for a long time before you start to feel uncomfortable. Yes, we sometimes eye options that are wireless, and other times we want features like noice cancellation. But above and beyond we also want to make sure the headphones play well, delivering clear audio when in use. Buttons to control the basics are easily located on the right ear, and include a button for power, volume, turning ANC on and off, and even pairing.
Honestly, unless you find that feature handy, or know that you’ll be in a particularly noisy commuting/work environment, save money and go for the Evo. You get nearly identical sound quality and both models feature a noise-isolating fit that does a nice job of passively muting your surroundings. Four buttons on the right earcup give you complete control over tracks, calls, and volume without ever touching your phone. To start the pairing process, press the top “O” button for one second. Then open the Bluetooth settings on your phone, click on the now-discoverable Skullcandy Hesh headphones and start listening. As Skullcandy’s instructions point out, it’s as easy as one, two, three.
It’s best-suited for taking calls in quiet spaces and can struggle to separate your voice from ambient noise in moderately loud environments. There’s a peak in the high-bass, which adds boom to your mixes while the dip in the low-mids thins out vocals and lead instruments. The dip in between the high-mid and low treble weakens and hurts the details of vocals and lead instruments. However, the few following peaks across the treble range result in a harsh sound with piercing sibilants. A very short USB-C-to-USB-A charging cable is included, as is a drawstring travel pouch. The headphones have Tile built in, so you can use the Tile app to locate them if they’re lost nearby.
Spending more gets you a pair of wireless headphones with expansive sound and personalization options that better replicate the original recording and/or how you want to hear it. At high volume, however, the ample lower range can lose contours, and this is mainly evident in bass-oriented productions. Pleasantly, the midrange is not smothered by the bass, and the warm, soft mids are enjoyably clear, enhancing the overall sound and offering agreeable voice reproduction. While sibilants seem softly rounded and no harshness is noticeable, the high frequencies may lack a bit of lively verve and freshness.
With powerful 40mm drivers and exceptional acoustics, Hesh ANC features audio quality that has been refined over four generations of constant improvement. The clear, rich sound—combined with active noise canceling—delivers the kind of captivating audio experience that you’d expect for twice the price. Skullcandy’s Hesh ANC headphones deliver decent noise cancellation for the price, but nothing outstanding.
Marketed as a powerful, budget option, the Hesh ANC headphones are “for those more concerned with sharing a great playlist than showing off our status”, at least according to Skullcandy. But I wouldn’t be too sure these are the best headphone option for music lovers looking to save some cash. You can receive audio and use the microphone when connected to an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console via plugging in the 1/8″ TRRS cable into the controller. The skullcandy hesh anc come with a 1/8″ TRRS cable. They also come with a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging the headphones.
However, they could move around or fall off your head during more intense physical activity. They’re also bulky, which doesn’t make them very portable, and they don’t have an IP rating for skullcandy wireless water resistance, although we don’t currently test for it. Onboard in-line microphones in the Skullcandy Hesh Bluetooth headphones let you answer calls or talk to your virtual assistant.