Most Underrated Headphones Of 2021: Skullcandy Hesh ANC

When Skullcandy contacted me to ask if I would showcase their new Hesh ANC and Hesh EVO on my YouTube channel my immediate answer was YES. I have yet to get my hands on the Hesh EVO, but they did in fact send over the Hesh ANC. I was expecting the signature Skullcandy sound profile which I’m accustomed to and really like; so when I fired them up I wasn’t exactly surprised at what I heard. The sound quality is in my opinion aimed at a more youthful crowd who likes that extra thump in the bass department. As a guy who used to ride around with four 12” subs in a sky blue Hyundai Excel hatchback bumpin’ No Limit and Cash Money CDs I can definitely appreciate that.

Like I said, the overall sound signature didn’t blow me away, but it was the sound quality that did. Remember these are active noise cancelling headphones. Anyone who’s listened to a set of ANC headphones under the $200-$250 price range will testify the sound quality is skewed somehow once the ANC is engaged; most of the time for the worst. I didn’t get bad reaction from the Hesh ANC. Sure, when you engage the ANC the bass get’s pulled back just a little, but it doesn’t’ ruin the music at all. You’re still going to get hard hitting bass with a good balance of the mids & highs to enjoy your music. This also segways into what I personally believe ANC is and how it should be utilized when listening to music, but we’ll talk about that in another blog. Getting back to the Hesh, the ANC implementation has been done very well and I have no complaints to how it affects my music listening experience.

Skullcandy Hesh ANC

Great Sound… In Silence

See It On Amazon

The active noise cancelation in the Hesh ANC is what I would consider highly effective. In my video showcase I took them outside to test in the streets of Houston. They blocked out a ton of low and mid-level traffic noises from the street I was standing next to. Among all the higher end ANC headphones I’ve tested, none of them have been able to completely block out human voices or high pitch sounds such as car horns. The Hesh ANC is no exception although they do a great job of pushing those sounds to the background of your experience. Ambient sound or a “hear-though” feature has become a must have when it comes to ANC cans. Skullcandy decided to throw that in the package too and yes, they did a good job on that as well.

The mostly plastic build quality is solid although light-weight to the touch. When compared to the ultra-squeaky Skullcandy Venues, these are super stealth while maneuvering them to your head or placing in the included pouch. Memory foam earpads are the exact same as you’ll find on the new Crusher EVO and Crusher ANC headphones. While the earpads help make them a little more comfortable, you can’t get away from that signature firm Skullcandy clamping force. With the construction and lightweight materials these are made of, they don’t get too uncomfortable during longer sessions though.

A 22 hour battery life puts the Hesh ANC at the bottom of the list when it comes to listening time, but they make up for it with a 10 minute quick-charge giving you 3 more hours of getting your jam on. The shorter battery life isn’t my major gripe about the Hesh ANC, it’s the controls. All the controls live on a stiff neoprene strip on the back of the right earcup. The ANC button and multifunction buttons are separated by the + button, but they can still be easily mistaken for each other while wearing the headphones. Is it just me, or are the massive buttons on the Crusher Wireless buttons the best thing ever?

The Hesh ANC are great headphones overall. They don’t try to pack in a bunch of features you’ll probably never use… ummm… except maybe the Tile tracking feature in case you’re one of those people who loose and misplace everything. If that’s you, may God be with your children. I’ve digressed, but I seriously thing the Hesh ANC are highly looked over in the sea of #NewStuff. It’s still early in the year, but I’m considering them to be the most underrated ANC headphones of 2021.

See how they stand up against the Skullcandy Crusher EVO & Crusher ANC here: https://youtu.be/x4-3QM43SO0