Skullcandy Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC Wireless Over-Ear Review
The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC offers all the modern features in a comfortable shell, but its mid-tier performance struggles to justify its premium asking price.
The 30-Second Version
The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC is a mid-pack performer with a near-premium price. It's comfortable and feature-complete, but its noise cancellation and sound quality can't keep up with the class leaders. Only consider it if you're locked into the Skullcandy ecosystem.
Overview
The Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC lands squarely in the middle of the pack. It's a wireless over-ear with all the modern features you'd expect: adaptive noise canceling, THX spatial audio, and a customizable app. Nothing about its spec sheet jumps out as exceptional, but nothing is glaringly missing either.
Our data puts it at or just below the 50th percentile across almost every category. That means it's perfectly average compared to other wireless over-ears. For a price hovering around $200-$230, you're getting a competent, no-surprises headphone from a brand known for its style.
Performance
Performance is exactly what you'd expect from a headphone scoring in the 48th to 50th percentile range. The sound is decent but not audiophile-grade, the ANC cuts out a fair amount of noise but won't silence the world, and the battery life is fine. The THX spatial audio with head tracking is a nice bonus for movies and gaming, but our scores show gaming performance is its weakest area at just 5.8/100. It's a jack-of-all-trades, master of none situation.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- THX spatial audio adds a fun, immersive layer for movies. 93th
- Comfort gets high marks, especially for people with larger heads. 92th
- You get a full suite of modern features like multipoint pairing. 91th
- The Skullcandy app allows for solid EQ customization. 81th
Cons
- Noise cancellation is just okay, not best-in-class.
- Sound quality can be a bit heavy-handed, especially in the bass.
- Gaming performance is notably weak.
- It doesn't excel in any single performance category.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | Over-Ear |
| Open/Closed | Closed |
| Foldable | Yes |
Audio
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Driver Size | 40 |
| Freq Min | 20 |
| Freq Max | 20000 |
| Max SPL | 119.4 |
Noise Control
| ANC | Yes |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Wired Connector | 3.5mm |
Battery
| Battery Life | 60 |
| Fast Charging | 10min=4hrs |
| Charging | USB-C |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
| NC Mic | Yes |
Features
| Touch Controls | No |
| App | iOS, Android |
| Volume Limiting | No |
| Water Resistance | Water-Resistant |
Value & Pricing
At $200-$230, the value proposition is tricky. You're paying near-premium prices for decidedly mid-tier performance. If you're a Skullcandy fan who loves their style and wants their take on a full-featured ANC headphone, it might be worth it. But if raw performance per dollar is your goal, there are better values in this price bracket that will beat it in sound, ANC, or both.
Price History
vs Competition
Stacked against the giants, the Aviator 900 ANC struggles. The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra will run circles around it for noise cancellation and overall sound refinement, often for a similar or slightly higher price. The Beats Studio Pro offers a more polished Apple ecosystem experience. The Apple AirPods Max is in a different league (and price tier) entirely. The Aviator's main advantage is its unique Skullcandy styling and the inclusion of THX spatial audio, which some of those others lack.
| Spec | Skullcandy Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC Wireless Over-Ear | Sony Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear | Apple AirPods Max Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Closed-Back | Sennheiser Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus Wireless Active | JBL JBL Tune 770NC Noise-Cancelling Over-Ear | Bang & Olufsen Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX Noise-Canceling Wireless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Driver Size (mm) | 40 | 30 | 40 | 37 | 40 | 40 |
| Impedance Ohms | — | 48 | 16 | — | 32 | 24 |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Open Closed Back | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Battery Life Hours | 60 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 70 | 35 |
Common Questions
Q: How good is the noise cancellation really?
Our data places it in the 48th percentile, which means it's average. It works for commutes or offices, but don't expect it to completely drown out loud environments like top-tier Sonys or Bose headphones.
Q: Is the THX spatial audio worth it?
It's a legit cool feature for watching movies or playing single-player games, as the head tracking makes the soundstage feel more immersive. For competitive gaming or pure music listening, it's less critical.
Q: Can you use them wired?
Yes, they include an audio cable in the box, so you can plug in if the battery dies or if you need zero-latency audio.
Who Should Skip This
Skip these if you're a competitive gamer. Our scoring shows gaming is its absolute weakest area (5.8/100). Also, if your top priority is best-in-class noise cancellation or neutral, detailed sound, your money is better spent on a Sony WH-1000XM5 or Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4.
Verdict
Buy the Aviator 900 ANC if you're a dedicated Skullcandy user who wants their most feature-packed over-ear model and values spatial audio for media consumption. It's a comfortable, capable daily driver that checks all the boxes, even if it doesn't ace any of the tests.