Skullcandy Crusher Evo vs Sony ULT Wear
Quick take: The Skullcandy Crusher Evo costs $10 less; the Sony ULT Wear has active noise cancelling while the Skullcandy Crusher Evo doesn't; the Skullcandy Crusher Evo lasts longer per charge (40 hrs); only the Sony ULT Wear supports multipoint (two devices at once).
Which one to buy
Both are sold on bass, but they mean different things by it. The Crusher Evo has a slider that drives haptic drivers, so at 30-50% your head feels hip-hop and movie explosions like a subwoofer. The ULT Wear's ULT button is an EQ boost: ULT1 is a fun lift for EDM, and ULT2 buries everything above the bass line, so most owners try it twice and leave it off. If you want to feel bass physically, nothing else does what the Skullcandy does.
The rest of the spec sheet favors the Sony. For about $10 more it adds real ANC (owners say it beats anything else under $200 short of Sony's own flagships), transparency, multipoint, LDAC, wear detection, a deep app EQ and spatial audio. The Crusher Evo has none of those beyond a Personal Sound hearing-test profile. The Skullcandy does have the longer battery, 40 hours against the Sony's 30 with ANC on.
Both have documented hinge problems. Crusher Evo hinges crack often enough that replacement kits are widely sold, and the ULT Wear's rotating joints crack often enough that Sony issued an advisory and repairs them free. Both clamp: the Crusher starts tight and loosens over weeks, and some owners find the Sony's thin headband digs into the crown on long sessions. Glasses wearers should note the Crusher's haptic effect gets weaker through glasses arms.
On a bus or plane the Sony is the clear pick. On a couch watching action movies, the Crusher is.
Skullcandy Crusher Evo
Best if feeling the bass is the whole point, for hip-hop, EDM or movies at home, and you don't need ANC or multipoint. Pay street price, never list.
Sony ULT Wear
For anyone who commutes or flies. Strong ANC, multipoint, LDAC and a proper EQ come with a tamer bass boost, for about $10 more.
| Spec | Skullcandy Crusher Evo | Sony ULT Wear |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$140 | ~$150 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Over-Ear Headphones | Over-Ear Headphones |
| Noise Cancelling | None | ANC |
| Battery (single charge) | 40 hrs | 30 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | 10 min = 4 hr | 3 min = 90 min |
| Codecs | — | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Multipoint | No | Yes |
| Driver Size | 40 mm | 40 mm |
| Weight | — | 255 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Transparency Mode | No | Yes |
| Spatial Audio | No | Yes |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
Pros & cons
Skullcandy Crusher Evo
- ✓Haptic Crusher bass slider delivers physical, subwoofer-like rumble no rival matches
- ✓40-hour battery with 10-minute quick charge for 4 extra hours
- ✓Bass slider at zero yields a respectable, near-neutral everyday sound
- ✓Personal Sound (Mimi) hearing test in the Skullcandy app customizes the tuning
- ✓Plush memory-foam earcups owners find comfortable for long sessions
- ✓Folds flat and comes with a travel pouch
- ✓Built-in Tile tracking to locate lost headphones
- ✗No active noise cancellation at a price where ANC is now standard
- ✗No multipoint — reconnecting between laptop and phone is manual
- ✗Folding hinges are the build's weak point in long-term reports
- ✗Max haptic bass muddies mids and is fatiguing for some owners
- ✗No aptX or LDAC support published
- ✗$200 list price is poor value — only buy at its frequent $110-145 street price
Sony ULT Wear
- ✓ANC inherited from the 1000X line — best-in-class under $200
- ✓ULT button gives instant bass boost without touching the app
- ✓LDAC hi-res codec support, rare at this price
- ✓Multipoint pairs two devices with reliable switching
- ✓Light 255g build with low clamp force — owners wear them all day
- ✓3-minute quick charge yields 90 minutes; 30 hr with ANC on, 50 off
- ✓Sony Sound Connect app has a full custom EQ and 360 Reality Audio support
- ✓Wear detection auto-pauses when you take them off
- ✗ULT2 bass mode is comically overblown and swamps mids and vocals
- ✗Sound lacks the refinement of similarly priced Sennheiser and Bose rivals
- ✗Call/mic quality is inconsistent outdoors
- ✗Some long-term owners report earcup-joint plastic cracking after a year or more
- ✗No IP rating or wireless charging
- ✗ANC, while strong for the class, still trails the XM5/XM6 noticeably
Skullcandy Crusher Evo vs Sony ULT Wear: common questions
Is the Crusher Evo's haptic bass better than Sony's ULT mode?▾
They do different things. The Crusher's drivers physically vibrate the cups, so you feel bass. The Sony's ULT button boosts bass through EQ. Owners who want the physical effect say nothing else replicates it, while ULT1 is the more tasteful everyday boost.
Does the Crusher Evo have noise cancelling like the ULT Wear?▾
No. The Crusher Evo has only passive isolation from its closed cups. Noise cancelling is the ULT Wear's main advantage, and owners rank it as the best in its price bracket.
Is the Crusher Evo or the ULT Wear more likely to break?▾
Both have hinge weak spots. Crusher Evo hinges crack after a year or two of being thrown in bags, and aftermarket kits exist for the repair. The ULT Wear's pivot cracks are common enough that Sony repairs them free under its advisory, which makes Sony's the easier fix.