Far too few workout headphones get made – but Skullcandy’s latest have a big issue that makes them a poor fit

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively: Two-minute evaluate

Gymnasium-goers or athletes who additionally care about their music high quality certainly know the way few over-ear headphones are designed particularly for health; our listing of the most effective exercise headphones doesn’t have a single pair and my very own fondness for them is tempered by simply how uncommon they’re. Most patrons as an alternative have to purchase exercise earbuds, or repurpose regular over-ear headphones for his or her exercise wants (and get very heat ears).

The Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively are a welcome addition to the anemic market section, coming with a couple of options and design issues which make them a step above rivals… although there are some curious deficiencies too.

You’d suppose US-based audio firm Skullcandy could be a chief match for exercise headphones, on account of its emphasis on bassy merchandise and funky designs, and it’s – its web site has a complete part devoted to ‘Gymnasium & Exercise Headphones’. However these are, like most corporations’ choices, simply headphones that can be utilized to train. The Crusher 540 Lively is totally different, because it’s designed intently for that objective.

The ‘Crusher’ within the identify factors to one of many cans’ finest options and the promoting level for each member of this line. The 540 Lively has a bass slider which may improve the bass from ‘regular’ to ‘fairly bassy’ to ‘my head is shaking’, boosting the low finish in an ill-tuned however energetic approach. In case you’re a gymnasium consumer who loves bass-heavy thumping audio that can assist you push your self to the max, this can be a incredible addition.

Devoted Skullcandy followers would possibly scroll down and spot that the Crusher 540 Lively sounds startlingly much like one other pair of cans from the corporate referred to as the Crusher Evo, and so they price precisely the identical in most areas. I too was baffled by how related these cans are and apparently followers had been too, prompting Skullcandy to put in writing a Reddit put up detailing the variations.

The variations lie in a couple of design issues: the tender pads will be eliminated and simply washed, excellent for individuals who get sweaty on the gymnasium, and the band was designed to have a tighter clamp match. This latter level, sadly, doesn’t have a noticeable impact, and the 540 Lively incessantly fell off my head on the gymnasium once I was mendacity down. This might be a deal-breaker for some individuals, relying in your exercise routine.

Audio-wise, you’re getting what you pay for; these headphones sound good however not fairly nice. Nonetheless, the app provides maybe the most effective private audio take a look at I’ve utilized in headphones to date, and the power to crank the bass to 11 would make a nuanced audio design moot anyway.

I’ve talked about a couple of options that I like to date, and so they’re positively the highlights of the Skullcandy, however past the bass and private audio modes there’s a noticeable lack of additional options. I used to be shocked when first trying on the app to see how few instruments had been provided – however maybe it’s finest that you just don’t use the app a lot, given the connection issues I had (extra on these later).

You’re most likely nonetheless questioning if I like to recommend the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively as exercise headphones, and after testing them for a number of weeks, I’m not too certain both. They had been nice for working, nice for exercises the place I stayed upright, and good for common listening. However I discovered myself pre-emptively eradicating them throughout my gymnasium periods once I needed to do a susceptible train, because of the match – so that you’ll must ask your self what your health life seems to be like and whether or not you should do such exercises, earlier than shopping for them.

Skullcandy Crusher 540 (Black) at Walmart for $119.99

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively evaluate: Worth and launch date

Launched in summer season 2025Costs $209.99 / £169.99 / AU$349.99 Few related rivals

The Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively had been launched in summer season 2025, and you may decide them up for $209.99 / £169.99 / AU$349.99.

At that worth they match the Crusher Evo and aren’t too far off different over-ears from the model, barely cheaper than the Crusher ANC 2 and greater than the Hesh 540 ANC, in order that they’re a mid-range decide inside Skullcandy’s oeuvre.

Right here’s the place I’d usually evaluate the headphones to different choices in the marketplace going for a similar factor, however the over-ear exercise headphone market is so slim that there aren’t actually any bespoke choices to talk of.

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively evaluate: Specs

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively evaluate: Options

Bass slider for additional… bass40 hours of batteryUseful sound personalization

It would offend some that I’m going to debate the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively’s titular function on this part fairly than the ‘sound high quality’ one, however on the finish of the day the crushing bass is extra of a novelty and a lift mode than it’s a real approach of refining your music.

I’m speaking in regards to the slider on the Lively’s left cup, my allusion to which within the ‘design’ part might have raised eyebrows (for those who didn’t learn the introduction and haven’t seen any of Skullcandy’s Crusher headphones earlier than).

This slider enables you to management how bassy your music is, with the bottom setting matching different exercise headphones and the best one actually making the cans shake in your head. I used to be blown away by simply how bassy music can get for those who decide the suitable monitor and switch the mode to full; it felt like strolling right into a sticky nightclub from considered one of London’s late-night streets.

Audiophiles gained’t like this mode, as this boosted bass is considerably formless and unreliable in what it augments, however I discovered it infectiously enjoyable to mess around with nonetheless. There’s an inescapable novelty to having your head actually shake as you take heed to ridiculously-amplified home or hip-hop. Some music simply isn’t affected by the enhance although, particularly acoustic and classical tracks, nevertheless it was nice enjoyable to see simply how the Crusher 540 would have an effect on a tune.

There’s no ANC right here to chop out the chaos of a gymnasium, however I discovered the earcup cushions had been fairly good at blocking out a number of noise passively anyway.

The battery life clocks in at 40 hours based on Skullcandy, which is, roughly talking, a mean determine for over-ear headphones, however given the dearth of energetic noise cancellation it’d come off a bit low.

In your cellphone or pill, the Skullcandy app will get you some additional instruments (not the Cranium-IQ app which I’ve used for the model’s earbuds, as that gained’t work – judging by Play Retailer opinions, numerous individuals have made the identical mistake as I). I had a couple of connection issues whereby the app wouldn’t decide up the paired headphones, however often hard-closing and reopening it fastened the problem.

The app provides you a Private Sound listening take a look at to use an automated EQ to your music, and it’s one of many easiest and best examples of this take a look at that I’ve ever used, as you’re merely prompted to pick ‘Sure’ or ‘No’ on whether or not you possibly can hear a collection of beeping tones performed. Its evaluation of my listening to additionally matched what different exams have instructed me, so it appears pretty correct.

You may also use the app to change between three commonplace EQ presets: music, podcast (which boosts treble however strips bass) and film which lowered treble barely. There’s no customized EQ so that you can make your individual combine, so audiophiles should depend on SkullCandy’s judgements.

Numerous EQ modes are the one options you get from the app, so for those who had been hoping for a smorgasbord of additional instruments, you’ll be dissatisfied.

Skullcandy Crusher 540 Lively evaluate: Design

Loads of buttons on cupsDoesn’t clamp onto head robust enoughCups are detachable for cleansing