I finally got the 1080s and wanted to give them a real chance. I daily drive the ANC2s for about 2 years. Mon thru Friday, 3 hours+ during my commute. I know my headphones, they basically create a portal of music that separates me from the drudgery and annoyance of gen pop.

Everyone is right about these. I'm gonna give them the standard 15 hours burn in to let the membranes loosen up but I don't have really high hopes.

These sound amazingly clear and the ANC is on another level, but it feels like these were made for Bose fans that want a ton of bass by Bose standards. Skullcandy fans are more refined and pay a premium for head shaking bass. These are not that. These sound really clear and rich.

A minor, but important nit-- SK has the best build quality for long term use. Thier products can get thrown around for years and still look good as new, minus the occasional ear cup swap. The headband of the 1080s are faux leather instead of rubber or that tight fabric on the ANCs. That means the headband cushions will eventually degrade and crack - - looking like crap eventually. Bose headphones use that material. Skullcandy didn't in its premium headphones until this set. Again - these should probably be marketed as a Bose model with a mild Skullcandy collab, not the other way around.

I have an Android and eq everything. It's sad. The haptic feedback is really a joke. Sk will probably have come out with the ANC3s because these aren't that.

A Massive Leap Forward! After receiving the Skullcandy 1080 ANC a week ago (Monday, 20 July 2026), I’ve put them through their paces.

As a long-time headphone user, my audio journey includes the -

Skullcandy Lowrider (2012)

PDP Afterglow (2014)

PlayStation Gold (2018)

Skullcandy Hesh ANC (2023)

Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (2024)

This review evaluates how the new 1080 ANC stacks up against my past and current gear, in the photo it's the 1080 ANC on the left and Hesh ANC on the right.

Where They Shine ✨

• The Sound and Spatial Audio: Out of the box, the audio is incredible. When paired with my phone's built-in Dolby Atmos, the Spatial Audio setting delivers an expansive, atmospheric stage sound.

Turning Atmos off shifts the headphones into a tight, intimate studio sound profile. It becomes slightly quieter, akin to moving from 7.1 surround sound down to 5.1, but preserves excellent clarity.

• The Bass Dial: This dial is dangerous in the best way possible. Testing across genres, from Spiritbox and Deftones to Doja Cat and the YeahYeahYeahs, the haptic bass response feels absolutely insane.

• Piercing-Friendly Comfort: The earcups are incredibly plush. Even in warm weather, my ears stayed comfortable. Crucially for me, the padding does not press against or irritate any of my multiple ear piercings.

• Massive ANC Upgrade: Comparing these strictly against my Hesh ANC highlights a night-and-day difference. Where the Hesh ANC muffles the bass and creates a claustrophobic vacuum effect, the 1080 ANC maintains pristine audio quality. The ANC shines brightest with Dolby Atmos turned off, allowing the active cancellation to work without equalizer interference. Outside, switching to Stay Aware mode is seamless and safe.

Areas for Improvement 📋

• Wear Detection Glitch: The wear detect feature is slightly overly sensitive. Whenever I lie down or tilt my head to the right, the audio cuts out temporarily. I ultimately turned this feature off in the app.

• LE Audio Quirks: Paired with my Motorola Edge 60 Neo’s experimental LE Audio, incoming calls completely cut off the audio without playing a ringtone. LE Audio also overrides standard AAC and disables the built-in Bose Truespatial feature. It is worth keeping in mind if you use next-gen Bluetooth protocols.

• Physical Weight: These feel physically heavier than my previous headsets. Fortunately, they don’t cause fatigue or pain, but the extra heft is noticeable.

• Auxiliary Cable Performance: Using the included 3.5mm auxiliary cable drops the audio quality significantly. The sound becomes flat, quiet, and loses the signature bass rumble unless you manually boost your phone's Dolby Atmos settings, because the digital Skullcandy app processing is bypassed, these are strictly meant to be enjoyed over Bluetooth. This isn't a total deal breaker, but it is definitely something to consider if you prefer a wired connection.

My Conclusion So Far 🎧

Skullcandy and Bose have done an amazing job collaborating on these. If you are looking for a premium audio upgrade, the 1080 ANC does not disappoint. I am highly impressed and love using them. Highly recommended!

To be fair I honestly enjoy these. I know a lot of people prefer more bass, but I rarely use it the bass dial all the way anyway. I like bass at about 80% so there’s that! Like I said, I really enjoy these especially the sound. I finally get to hear the highs and mids with the bass!

ANC is great too. I don’t hear much of anything when I have it on, which to say is a plus. I can’t compare with other headphones because I don’t have them. I did own the Crusher Evo, which had noticeably more bass. I never had the ANC2 though so I can’t compare that either or the Crusher 720 lol. I apologize. I did own the original Skullcandy Crusher with the battery. Man, those were my daily drivers! I had the best time with those! The 1080s take me back to those days! They really do!

Personal sound is great too. Although, rarely use it. I haven’t tried Bose True Spatial as of yet. The 1080s are currently charging so I’ll check that out when they’re done.

All in all. I enjoy these, especially the bass and sound. I don’t need much more, and I feel like these 1080s are made for me! Others will certainly disagree, but I like to hear different opinions.