One audio brand that has been a hit among the youth for a long time is Skullcandy, which has its offices in Utah. Be it over-the-ear headphones or wireless earbuds, everything looks different and colourful. Among the company’s latest products is Push ANC Active, which obviously points to a pair of active noise cancellation wireless earbuds. And it has a certain target group.
Big and bold
The earbuds come in a large case with a fabric loop on it. The case is wireless charging compatible, which is something all earbuds around the 8K mark should have in 2025.
The hook-style earbuds are perfect for running and the gym, though the hook doesn’t appear to be as flexible as some of the other earbuds we have tested in the recent past. Yet, it’s comfortable and doesn’t move around once placed on the ear.
The earbuds use touch and button controls. The touch controls are very sensitive, so a slight touch can trigger some function or the other. You can play around with the controls in the app, which also offers some EQ options.
There is multi-point connectivity and it can be toggled from the app. There is also control for noise cancellation and awareness mode to hear things around you.
In case you are looking for a pair of wireless earbuds that offer good noise cancellation, Push ANC scores high. Is it as fantastic as Samsung Galaxy Buds or AirPods? No. But it is just about enough for most people. In case you are at the gym, the sound cans can block out the chatter around you. As for awareness mode, it’s very good, which makes the buds a good choice for running, walking or riding a bike. You definitely can hold a conversation without having to take the buds out of your ears.
With the app, you can create a personalised sound profile
There is IP67 rating, meaning it can be worn for all kinds of activities. Now that we are entering the monsoon phase, the buds can survive it.
Sound quality
If you decide to use this for phone calls, the microphones sound clear. Even in noisy situations, the person at the other end of the call will be able to hear you clearly. It can tackle wind and traffic.
Sound? I have used a number of Skullcandy products in the past but mostly in the wired segment. The products have usually been bass-heavy. The Push ANC Active is different. The sound is far more natural. And that’s a good thing. For energetic music, play around with the EQ to get that much-needed boost in the gym.
The earbuds aim for clear audio. The mids are fantastic and do well with vocals. Different instruments come through clearly; they have some body to them. Same with the treble, which is bright but not harsh. As for the low-end, it’s just about fine. The bass has a punch to it, but it hits and moves on. When it comes to volume and clarity, Skullcandy has done well. One can’t complain much about the sound imaging and soundstage of the earbuds.
Make the call
Skullcandy is miserly with the USB-C charging cable. It’s about the size of a pencil, so the case will be hanging from the wall. But you can drop the sound cans on a wireless charger.
Battery life is impressive. With ANC off, you will get 12 hours on the earbuds and 58 hours using the case. With ANC on, you can get seven hours of listening time and around 37 hours with the charging case. Further, there is fast charging — a 10-minute charge can buy you two hours of usage.
Skullcandy has definitely come a long way with the Push series. It sounds good for casual listening while at work, and the noise cancellation is effective even in noisy settings.
Mathures Paul
At a glance
Device: Skullcandy Push ANC Active
Price: ₹10,999 (introductory price)
High notes
Good level of noise cancellation
Excellent battery life
Perfect for casual usage
Responsive touch controls
Muffled notes
The ear hooks could have been more flexible
Charging case is quite large
