Quick Summary
Skyllcandy and Bose have partnered for the Crusher 1080 ANC headphones, offering Skullcandy’s playful design and bass-heavy signature, with Bose noise-cancelling smarts.
The headphones are the first third party cans to feature the full suite of premium Sound by Bose audio technologies.
When you think about noise-cancelling headphones, there are a couple of brands that will spring to mind. Sony is one, Apple and Bowers & Wilkins are also likely to be considered, but Bose most definitely will be. Now there's another to add to the list.
Skullcandy has partnered with Bose for its Crusher 1080 ANC headphones, pulling off something no other headphone brand has managed before: getting Bose to hand over its prized noise cancellation tech for a pair of over-ears that aren’t Bose-badged.
What's so special about the Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC?
The Crusher 1080 ANC headphones marry Skullcandy's signature bass technology with a full suite of Bose audio smarts, including its adaptive noise cancellation, spatial sound and voice-clarity features.
It's the first time Bose has allowed another headphone manufacturer to integrate the full suite of Premium Sound by Bose audio technologies into a single product.
For anyone who's tried Skullcandy's Crusher line before, the idea is simple: turn a physical haptic bass dial on the earcup (or open the accompanying app) and adjust the sensory "rattle" of your bass from normal and balanced sound to a rumble you can basically feel.
That sensation is built on a dual-driver setup, and Skullcandy says the version in the 1080 ANC is its most refined yet, with sharper detail and separation than previous Crusher models.
Layered on top is Bose's contribution: QuietControl adaptive noise cancellation with Quiet, Aware, and Off modes, TrueSpatial 3D audio with head tracking, and the WaveForm audio engine to keep sound balanced at any volume.
There's also SpeechClarity for calls, so background noise doesn't drown out your voice.
Battery life is claimed to be 60 hours with ANC off, or 50 hours with it switched on, plus a 10-minute rapid charge that delivers four hours of playback.
Other useful extras include multipoint pairing, wear detection, a low-latency mode for gaming and video, and Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio and Auracast support.
Skullcandy CEO Brian Garofalow calls it an attempt to build "the world's greatest headphone" by combining the two companies' strengths, while Bose's Nick Smith frames it as a chance to reach new listeners through Skullcandy's playful, sensory-first approach.
The Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC headphones are now available for £219.99 in Black, Candy, Primer, and Cement colourways through Skullcandy.co.uk and select UK retailers.
