Headphone Reviews

Skullcandy Crusher ($99.99)
Selling product is largely a matter of providing things that people want, and kids these days want MOAR BASS!!! Sony's XB series of headphones sell very will, obviously there's a market demand for extra-bass headphones. The problem is way too much of a good thing can sound pretty dumb, and a lot of these bass heavy headphones are almost unlistenably murky and bloated with heavy handed bass.

Enter Skullcandy with quite a novel solution. The Skullcandy Crusher adds the sensation of bass without adding too much acoustic bass response with their "Sensation 55" driver. This driver is essentially a moving mass driven by a small amplifier in the headphones that deliver low-frequency vibrations in the headphones that go along with the music. The effect is....surprisingly good.

A quick note to all you young folks who might have found this page Googling for info about these cans.
I need to put this early in the review so you won't have to read through a bunch of stuff from an old audiophile dude. Go ahead and buy the Crusher—they sound pretty good, and the Sensation55 driver works well if adjusted carefully. They're quite cool, and I think many of you will have a lot of fun with them. In fact, you'll probably enjoy the Crusher so much that in your old age you'll remember these cool cans from your youth and how much fun they were.

But its also likely you'll learn soon enough that there are much better headphones out there that have really great performance, deliver tight, punchy bass, and make your music sound amazingly clean and clear. When you think your ready for the next step, check out some of the headphones on the "Wall of Fame". I think you be surprised at how much better sound quality can get.

Alrighty then, if you want the straight scoop on the details of these headphones read on, otherwise, go ahead and plunk down your money and have fun. Make sure you pass these around to your friends, they'll get a kick out of them too.

Physical Description
The Skullcandy Crusher is an around-the-ear, sealed headphone. Not surprising for a headphone at this price, the construction is unapologetically plastic. The Crusher is available in numerous color schemes including: white, black, red, gray, teal, snakeskin, and a number of camouflage versions. Compared to the Skullcandy Aviators, for example, the Crusher's looks are pretty plain-Jane, but I wouldn't say they're ugly.

The earcups rotate forward and back about ten degrees, and earpads are plush and provide ample room to get your ear fully inside the cushion for a comfortable, around-the-ear fit. I don't think the ear cushions are memory foam, nor are the pads protein leather, but the pads do seem to have fairly good quality for a headphone at this price. The headband pad is some sort of vinyl film over foam cushions. Frankly I thought the comfort was pretty good for a $100 headphone.

A four foot cable attaches to the left ear with a 3.5mm plug and includes a one-button remote; plug housings are slim and will easily fit into your phone jack through protective cases. The earpieces also fold up inward toward the headband to become more compact for storage and transport. A simple fabric bag with Skullcandy skull logo is also included.

Isolation from outside noise is slightly less than average for sealed headphones, and sensitivity is good allowing for ample volume from portable devices. The Crushers will make for a good portable cans for your jaunts around town.

Okay, let's talk about sound quality and talk about the unusual Sensation55 driver on the next page.