Two new pairs of distinctive over-ear headphones have recently launched: the Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen), $359/£300, and the Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC, $280/£200. Which will provide you with the best listening experience? We put them head-to-head…
Design & Comfort
Lightweight at just 230g, the 2nd Gen QuietComfort have a more streamlined look than the OG noise-cancellers. Excellent button placement allows power on/off, play/pause, control volume, mode change and call answering all from the comfy pill-shaped earcups, complete with handy L/R labelling inside. The Black, white, mauve, mint, green colourways are fun and I rate the adjustable sliding headband too – super plush. The Bose also feature new adaptive feedforward controls, which mean the headphone’s six-microphone system better compensates for gaps in the earcup seal – usually caused by wearing glasses, big hair or hat wearing. Noise cancellation remains effective even when the fit isn’t 100%.
The Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC come in black, pink, tan, grey and have a very chunky design with lots of padding on the cups and on the top of the band. They’re comfy on but less so than the Bose, being considerably bigger and heavier at weigh 374.2g. On-board controls are extensive and easy-to-access and include the Crusher wheel for instant bass adjustment.
Winner: Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen)
Features
Bose has added ActiveSense technology to its noise cancelling technology – automatically softening sudden, loud noises in Aware Mode. Other Modes are: ANR off, Quiet, Immersion and Cinema – which is excellent for video content. They have 40mm polymer diaphragm micro drivers, adjustable three-band EQ, custom listening modes and shortcut functions available via the Bose App, too. They have a 3 hour charge time and 24 hour battery life,
The multi-sensory Crusher Bass headlines the Skullcandy features suite, closely followed by the Bose tech – hello QuietControl ANC, TrueSpatial and SpeechClarity. Modes include Quiet, Aware and ANC Off, Music, Movie, Podcast and Custom EQ audio modes and Still and Motion spatial audio. They have 36mm dynamic drivers and dedicated sensory bass drivers. The App lets you customise bass, ANC, EQ, buttons and more. Impressively, the Skullcandy’s have a 45 minute charge time and a whopping 50 hours listening time.
Winner: Draw
Sound quality
Arguably providing the best sound quality in this price bracket, music and content feels immersive and engaging yet still natural with the QuietComfort over-ears. Bose’s noise cancelling tech has got even better too, providing crystal clear listening. I also found them perfect for making calls too – they do an excellent job of blocking background noise.
The Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC have the best sound quality of any of the brand’s headphones I’ve tested, presumably down to the inclusion of the Bose tech. Sound is clear and captivating, with the Crusher-specific dedicated dual-driver system acting as a subwoofer, which means you can actually feel your music. This model is the first to feature Bose QuietControl, which uses six microphones and adaptive processing, so you can truly lose yourself in your music, and indeed Crusher Bass, without being distracted by the outside world.
Winner: Draw
Overall winner: Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen)
While the Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) are our favourite over-ears of the pair on test, bass junkies may well prefer the also excellent, and £100 cheaper, Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC…
