Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC Review

It’s been a minute since I’ve reviewed or used a set of Skullcandy headphones. The new Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC seems like a good pair to come back and check out what the company is up to. Out of the gate, I will be upfront in this review. I know the history of Skullcandy, and I know how they generally tune the headphones they make. This company has an audience that loves thick and heavy bass, and its headphones reflect that. If you’ve read my reviews, thick and heavy bass isn’t exactly my favorite. But I know apps and EQs can make a difference, and I have considered who these headphones are for.

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC are certainly not going to be for everyone; thank God for choices! But for those who love what Skullcandy does. I think they’ll love these. And for those who have been waiting for another set of headphones bearing the Aviator name. I think you’ll want these. Let’s get into the full review.

The Quick Take

The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC headphones are a bass lover’s dream. Well, maybe the Skullcandy Crushers are more , but those are literal bass monsters. These aren’t my favorite headphones, just being honest. But they do have a lot going for them for those who do enjoy heavier bass. From the design and battery life to physical buttons and excellent build. If you’re a Skullcandy fan and a fan of bass, this is your game.

Score and Bottom Line

The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC looks nice; they’re much smaller IRL than what I imagined them, but that’s not bad. The earcups are a bit shallow, but my ears fit in fine. I love the various ways these can articulate, making them easy to move around. The included carrying bag is interesting.

Physical buttons are wonderful, and I love the wheel for switching from ANC, Normal, and Transparency modes. The app gives you good control over the sound; the bass-heavy sound can be dialed back, but not enough for my taste. Again, these are made for a different music style than I prefer, and I am OK with that.

Call quality is excellent, though. I think that bass-heavy thickness helps to make callers sound more full and not so thin, which many other headphones sound like. Battery life is competitive and good, and I love the little display that shows how much charge you have. The ANC on these was surprisingly good, better than I expected.

Overall, these are a nice set of headphones. I do think they’re for users who favor the bass in their music. Not that they can’t be used for anything else; they can. Just know that the bass will be slightly heavier than a more neutral soundstage-tuned set of headphones. I would truly recommend these to Skullcandy fans and lovers of bass; they are worth your time and money.

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Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC Specifications

• 60 Hours of Battery (ANC Off)
• ​50 Hours of Battery (ANC On)
• ​Rapid Charge (10 min = 4 hrs)​
• Personal Sound by Mimi®​
• Adjustable Stay-Aware Mode​
• Sweat + Water Resistant Nano Coating ​
• Flat-Folding and Collapsible Design​
• Clear Voice Smart Mic
• Custom & Preset EQ Modes (Music, Bass Boost, Podcast)​
• Low Latency Audio Mode
• ​Natural Voice Sidetone for Calls​
• Bluetooth® (v5.3)​
• Skullcandy App Compatible​
• Google Fast Pair + Finder​
• Multipoint Pairing​
• Spotify Tap™​
• Onboard Call & Media Controls​
• Customize Button Functions​
• USB-C Rapid Charging Cable​
• 3.5mm Aux Cable
• Headphone Type: Wireless Over-Ear
• Connection Type: Bluetooth® v5.3, 3.5mm Aux Impedance: 36Ω
• ​Driver Diameter: 40mm
• THD: <1% at 1 KHz
• Sound Pressure Level: 119.4±3 dB at 1000Hz@ 0.190V/1mW​
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz​
• Weight: 332 grams

What’s In The Box?

• Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC Wireless Headphones​
• Removable AUX Cable​
• Durable Crossbody Travel Bag
• ​USB-C Charging Cable
• ​User Guide

Design

The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC headphones have an interesting design and are far smaller than they look in marketing material. I was expecting some considerable ear cups, but these aren’t as massive as I thought they were.

First off, the materials used throughout these headphones are top-notch and all feel premium. The headband is flexible yet sturdy. The top of the headband has an interesting suede insert, surrounded by plastic. The underside has minimal padding, which I thought might be an issue but really wasn’t. I thought the comfort might be compromised, but the padding that is there is sufficient and comfortable.

The headband arms are a nod to old-school headphones with their metal build and sliding mechanism. I also love the coiled wire that feeds up through the headband and out each arm. Another old-school touch. There is Skullcandy and Aviator branding on each arm, subtle and nicely placed.

The outside of the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC earcups is made of a glossy hard plastic that has Skullcandy branding and writing subtly placed underneath. It’s not loud and blazing in your face; it’s a nice touch and makes people want to look at the headphones closer.

The earpads are soft and supple, and the ear holes are a lot shallower than I thought they would be. I would have liked for them to be a bit deeper, but my ears fit in there okay. The pads are comfortable, though, and the whole package is light on the head.

Both ear cups have controls on the bottom with the left one housing a custom button, headphone jack, and the ANC wheel. The right cup houses the display which shows battery level and connection, the power button, and the joystick.

The included carrying bag that comes with the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC is interesting. It’s ample and has extra space for other things aside from the headphones and cables. It comes with a strap that can be slung across your chest for carrying purposes. It’s not hardshell, but I think it’ll provide ample protection for your Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC headphones.

Overall, the design is very different from the rest of the pack, and that is an excellent thing. Seeing the marketing materials, I wasn’t sure I was going to like these at all. But they’re really a nice-looking pair of cans that are well built and have real functionality. The carrying bag is a bonus, and I love that they made it so you can carry a few extras if need be.

Ease of Use

The first thing you should do when opening the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC headphones is plug them in and charge them to full. This should be the norm for any device you buy, though I know most people don’t bother. While they’re charging, download the Skullcandy app and log in. Once they are charged, power them up, open the app, and tap ,Find Devices. Bluetooth settings will open, and you can pick the headphones from the list. Go back to the app and make your adjustments. Fairly easy to set up, though I would like to see Google Fast Pair included.

Once you’re all set up, using the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC headphones is a breeze. The physical buttons are spectacular! Especially the wheel that adjusts ANC/Normal/Transparency and the joystick for the volume and tracks. These are some of the nicest physical buttons on a set of headphones I’ve used. Very accessible and easy to use. Overall, these headphones are straightforward, and I appreciate the physical buttons.

App

The app for the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC is pretty typical for headphones. I should have mentioned in the ease of use section, make sure you update the firmware before using your new headphones. I know Skullcandy has issued a firmware update or two for some bugs, so update before using.

The app allows for preset EQs and custom EQs. You can set multipairing in the app as well. You can use the software to take a customized hearing test that balances the sound to your specific hearing. You can set head tracking and spatial audio as well.

The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC app also allows for customization of the buttons and how they work. And you can adjust ANC, Transparency, Normal, and Auto ANC modes here too. You can even adjust the volume within the app. The app shows your battery life as well as alerts you to any firmware updates that may need to be done.

Overall, the app is pretty robust and has a lot going for it. I’m not a huge fan of apps for headphones, but when you have things like THX Spatial Audio and other software-driven features…well, it’s needed. This app works very well and has everything fairly well laid out.

Sound

Before I get into the normal sound quality of the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC headphones, let’s talk about THX Spatial Audio and head tracking.

THX Spatial Audio is a technology that makes sound in games, movies, and music feel more immersive. It creates a 3D-like audio experience, so sounds seem to come from all around you, not just from one direction. For example, you might hear footsteps behind you or a bird flying overhead in a game. It works with headphones or speakers to enhance the realism of what you’re listening to. Many devices, like gaming headsets, use it to make entertainment more exciting.

The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC headphones are labeled as suitable for gaming and entertainment, and when you click on that THX Spatial Audio button, the game is on. While I have my issues with these headphones when it comes to music sound quality, for gaming, using THX Spatial Audio and head tracking. These were pretty damn nice.

The head-tracking feature is wild, and it never gets old. Head-tracking sound in the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC headphones is a cool feature that makes audio feel more realistic by adjusting sound based on your head movements. When you turn your head, the sound shifts to match, like hearing footsteps stay behind you in a game. It uses sensors to track your head’s position in real-time. This creates a 3D audio effect, making movies, music, or games feel like they’re happening all around you. It’s like having a surround sound system strapped on your ears.

So, I am very much impressed with the sound coming from these puppies for gaming and even movies. When it comes to music, though, these are thick. Even with customized EQ and trying out the personalized sound feature. I felt these were too thick for the music I like to listen to. Too much emphasis is put on the bass side of things.

That does not make them bad though. I was surprised that the bass wasn’t eating the mids and trebles alive. The balance there was good, and I could at least enjoy them without feeling all my music was being crushed by the bass and drums. I know the Crushers are meant for that, and those headphones I’d never consider.

Like I’ve said in this review. I have no hate towards the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC sound staging. I know these are made for a certain listener, and that listener is going to love these.

Overall, I very much like the gaming and movie sounds coming from these headphones, but I don’t feel they give the music I like to listen to enough care. That said, my bass people will absolutely love these.

Reception/Call Quality

Bluetooth reception is excellent, and you can use these wired through the USB-C port. Call quality is exceptional, some of the best call quality on a set of headphones I’ve heard. I think a lot of that has to do with the bass characteristics of the tuning. Many headphones have a thinner sound quality in voice calls, but these have a thicker, fuller-sounding call quality. I don’t use headphones for calls, only to test a few times, but these were excellent.

Battery Life

The advertised battery life of the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC is 60 hours without ANC and 50 hours with ANC on. I found these numbers to be fairly accurate with these set to ANC on and volume set to between 40 and 60. Battery life is going to vary wildly from one person to the next. Your results will be different, but I think most users will get close to the advertised battery life.

Price/Value

The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC is priced a bit lower than similar headphones from Bose or Sony, at USD 299. For a set of Skullcandy headphones, I thought it was a bit high. But given the sound, ANC, battery, build, and included accessories. I think you’re getting your money’s worth here.

Wrap-Up

The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC looks nice; they’re much smaller IRL than what I imagined them, but that’s not bad. The earcups are a bit shallow, but my ears fit in fine. I love the various ways these can articulate, making them easy to move around. The included carrying bag is interesting.

Physical buttons are wonderful, and I love the wheel for switching from ANC, Normal, and Transparency modes. The app gives you good control over the sound; the bass-heavy sound can be dialed back, but not enough for my taste. Again, these are made for a different music style than I prefer, and I am OK with that.

Call quality is excellent, though. I think that bass-heavy thickness helps to make callers sound more full and not so thin, which many other headphones sound like. Battery life is competitive and good, and I love the little display that shows how much charge you have. The ANC on these was surprisingly good, better than I expected.

Overall, these are a nice set of headphones. I do think they’re for users who favor the bass in their music. Not that they can’t be used for anything else; they can. Just know that the bass will be slightly heavier than a more neutral soundstage-tuned set of headphones. I would truly recommend these to Skullcandy fans and lovers of bass; they are worth your time and money.