Times have changed, and while the cost of noise cancelling earphones have really come down over the years, the cost of everything else has seemingly gone up alongside it.
Nowadays it seems like everything is more expensive, and while AI could be to blame for some of it, rising costs of living are a key part.
If there’s one thing that might be able to put a hold on some of it, the democratisation of technology is something. A concept that sees high-end tech eventually trickle to regular price points, it may as well simply be known as “progress”, and could be the reason for so many of the noise cancelling earbuds we’ve seen over the years that get the price lower.
That’s not something that tends to happen to many over-ear headphones, as these tend to command a hefty price. As it is, the latest models of high-end noise cancelling headphones usually sit over the $600 mark, but they don’t all have to.
Skullcandy is showing what its Bose collaboration can OLED with a new pair, the Crusher 1080 ANC. The second pair out of Skullcandy and Bose’s prior work together, it uses a two-driver system to create a hefty bass effect more like a subwoofer, creating an impactful bassy sound rather than simply a lot of bass.
That’s effectively why Skullcandy is calling it the “Crusher”, breaking the bass down into what might be described as a physical sensation.
Skullcandy’s work on the design comes with Bose’s work on the audio, using a six-microphone adaptive active noise cancellation system and variant of spatial with head-tracking, likely similar to the Bose Ultra headphones we’ve seen over the years.
We doubt it’ll quite match what Bose offers in noise cancellation and balanced sound, but that’s also not the point. The Crusher 1080 ANC is more about hefty bass for folks who love that, and without a hefty price, at that.
In Australia, the Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC will be priced at $399, offering up to 60 hours of battery life, alongside wear detection, equaliser modes, and a flat-folding collapsible design complete with a small travel bag.
Like the last pair, Skullcandy has even grabbed Tony Hawk as an ambassador, noting that “Crusher might actually be the best headphone ever. Stunning audio and a bass experience unlike anything else,” he said.
We’ll let you know what we think when we take them for a review, but for now, you’ll find the Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC headphones at JB HiFi and at Skullcandy’s online store.
