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Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720: two-minute assessment
The Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720 is an open-back headset with a bass-heavy sound designed to impart as a lot influence as potential when enjoying video games.
For a gaming headset, the Crusher PLYR 720 has fairly a muted look; even the RGB lighting is restrained. In truth, probably the most distinguished function is the sheer bulk of the drivers, that are onerous to disregard and aren’t precisely flattering when cupped over your ears.
The total headset is constructed to a excessive commonplace. The supplies really feel premium and durable, and the varied buttons and controls function with a reassuring solidity. All this implies the Crusher PLYR 720 ranks among the many best wireless gaming headset when it comes to development.
Wearing the Crusher PLYR 720 is essentially a pleasure, regardless of that aforementioned bulk. Even when sporting glasses, I skilled little fatigue on my ears or head, even after lengthy periods.
This is partly as a result of thick padding of the earcups, though their inside circumference is smaller than you may think from the surface, which can be an issue for these with bigger lobes.
The headband can be supremely snug. It has a second layer that stretches throughout the highest of your head, due to this fact eliminating the soreness that single-layer headbands could cause — even these with tender padding.
However, the match isn’t all that safe. Whenever I leaned my head again, all the headset nearly fell off utterly, solely saved by the grip of the headscarf.
Both the desktop and cellular apps for the Crusher PLYR 720 are simple to make use of and stuffed with helpful tweaks, full with useful graphs and visualizations that will help you make them. In my time with them, they ran easily with none glitches or stability points.
The general sound high quality of the Crusher PLYR 720 is superb. When gaming, each element is audible and impactful, even with the bass dialed again. However, it maybe lacks the treble readability of one of the best headphones round. This is considerably forgivable when gaming, however much less so when listening intently to music. I nonetheless discovered the Crusher PLYR 720 pleasing for the latter function, although, and it’s a greater gaming headset than many on this regard.
Given the title, it’s no shock that Skullcandy’s Crusher function is the sonic spotlight. This lets you crank the bass of the Crusher PLYR 720 to frankly absurd ranges. How a lot you must dial in relies upon vastly on the particular supply, however at its finest it provides an unparalleled quantity of weight to low-end frequencies, from gunshots to kick drums.
The Crusher PLYR 720 additionally will get THX Spatial Audio assist. The head-tracking function works effectively sufficient, though it lacks precision and subtlety. The encompass sound distance changes additionally fail to impart a way of area all that precisely.
Along with these options, there’s additionally the compulsory EQ graph, with 4 presets and 4 customized slots for tuning your individual. However, I didn’t discover any tweaking helpful, because the default flat mode was adequate for each situation.
The microphone presents loads of readability, too, rendering my voice with out distortion. It’s a small disgrace the stalk can’t be manipulated to the identical diploma as gooseneck designs could be, however I discovered the positioning ample nonetheless.
Connecting the Crusher PLYR 720 to varied units was fast and straightforward, whether or not it was by way of the two.4GHz USB dongle or Bluetooth. Also, having the ability to hook up with your smartphone and your gaming system concurrently is a blessing, as this lets you alter settings within the cellular app mid-play.
The battery lifetime of the Crusher PLYR 720 is sort of spectacular. Skullcandy quotes a time of 48 hours, and I consider this determine. Over the course of a number of days, when used with quite a lot of platforms, all sonic options activated, and RGB lighting on, it nonetheless had juice left.
All of those high quality options come at a value, although, because the Crusher PLYR 720 sits firmly on the premium finish of the market. There are nice wi-fi headsets for significantly much less, such because the Razer BlackShark V3 and the Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless, however when you want untold quantities of bass in your life, the Crusher PLYR 720 scratches that itch like nothing else.
Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720 assessment: value & availability
- $269.99 / £229.99 / AU$449.99
- Available now in two variations
- Top-end of the market
The Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720 prices $269.99 / £229.99 / AU$449.99 and is obtainable now. Two editions can be found: Xbox and multi-platform. Both are the identical value.
If you need to avoid wasting critical cash, then the Razer BlackShark V3 is likely to be for you. In our glowing assessment, we highlighted its snug, light-weight design that felt extra premium than its mid-range price ticket suggests, in addition to its spectacular noise isolation and versatile sonics. For these causes, we expect it ranks among the many best PC gaming headsets round proper now.
For those that prize audio high quality firstly, the Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless is a greater possibility. We had been impressed with its immersive sound stage, though we had been much less taken with its microphone. This headset can be loads cheaper than the Crusher PLYR 720.
Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720 assessment: specs
|
Price |
$269.99 / £229.99 / AU$449.99 |
|
Weight |
0.78lbs / 354g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS |
|
Connection kind |
Bluetooth, Wired (USB-C, 3.5mm AUX), 2.4GHz wi-fi (USB-A dongle) |
|
Features |
THX Spatial Audio, Crusher bass enhancement, eight-band EQ, 4 sound presets, Sidetone mode, plug-in mic |
|
Battery life |
48 hours |
|
Software |
Skull-HQ (PC), Skullcandy cellular app (Android and iOS) |
Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720 assessment: design and options
- Very snug
- Excellent construct high quality
- Plenty of audio-based options
For a gaming headset, the Crusher PLYR 720 has a fairly muted type. The design is devoid of any gamer-aesthetic touches typical to many on this sector. The premium-looking and feeling matte black end even lends a component of sophistication.
The RGB lighting is equally refined: there’s some illumination strained by means of small strips and a honeycomb mesh on the drivers, however the lion’s share is reserved for the within of the earcups — which, after all, you received’t see when sporting the Crusher PLYR 720.
I must also spotlight the construct high quality of the Crusher PLYR 720, because it’s wonderful. Despite it being a comparatively gentle unit, it feels sturdy and well-made. I notably appreciated the 180-degree rotating drivers, which is handy if you need to take a break and dangle the headset round your neck.
What makes the headset stand out above all else, although, is the cumbersome drivers. They’re very extensive, which makes the Crusher PLYR 720 lower than splendid as a journey companion; not solely as a result of the drivers take up loads of area, but in addition as a result of they don’t look notably fetching round your ears.
Despite this bulk, the precise inside circumference of the earcups is sort of small. Personally, I didn’t discover them too small for my ears, nevertheless it’s potential others would possibly.
In truth, I discovered the Crusher PLYR 720 exceptionally snug all-round. There’s loads of padding on the earcups, but its material is extra breathable than many. Also, as a glasses-wearer, I can affirm that the cups don’t current any points when sat on high the arms of frames.
The headband is strong but versatile, and feels reassuringly sturdy. You don’t get any padding right here; as a substitute, there’s a supplementary band, constructed from an elastic materials to suit snugly in your head, operating beneath the primary one. I discovered this extremely snug; I didn’t expertise any aching or fatigue in any respect, even after lengthy periods, as I’ve with many different headsets.
The changes for the earcup top are additionally wonderful. They have a adequate vary to accommodate varied head sizes, and the operation of those changes could be very clean with no notching. Despite this, the cups stay at your chosen top setting with a stunning quantity of stability, which inspired me.
However, the general match of the Crusher PLYR 720 isn’t notably safe. The earcup padding offered little friction to the facet of my head, so at any time when I tilted my head again all the headset moved with it; solely the grip of the headscarf saved it from falling off utterly. However, this wasn’t a problem throughout regular use, so it’s a trade-off I’m prepared to simply accept for the supreme general consolation of the headset.
The switches and different controls on the Crusher PLYR 720 function with a satisfying solidity and smoothness. There are three important buttons, all of that are simple to succeed in, due to their handy positioning and beneficiant dimension. One is called Custom, which is deceptive, since so far as I can work out, can solely be used to toggle THX Spatial Audio Head Tracking on or off.
The joystick for adjusting quantity and different parameters is straightforward to make use of for probably the most half, though there isn’t a lot suggestions if you transfer it. At least it’s onerous to set off by chance, by, say, leaning in opposition to the again of your chair — one thing I’ve skilled quite a few occasions with standard quantity wheels.
It’s a slight disgrace, although, that the jumps between the quantity increments are fairly massive, that means it is onerous to dial in a really exact quantity with the joystick; for such functions, you’d be higher served by the quantity settings of your linked gadget or inside Skullcandy’s software program.
Thankfully, the Crusher wheel doesn’t endure from unintentional triggering or overlarge increments. It’s tactile and clean to function, whereas the small level that stands out makes it simple to know the place precisely you’re within the setting.
There are three ports on the Crusher PLYR 720: a USB-C port for charging and playback, a 3.5mm audio jack, and the microphone enter. All are positioned on the left-hand driver. The varied cables match securely in these ports, and what’s extra, they’re properly recessed for cover from unintentional disconnections.
The microphone seems to be as effectively made as the remainder of the headset. The tender rubber feels extra upmarket than many others, however whereas it could actually bend round, it’s not a real gooseneck, so avid gamers who’re explicit about their mic placement is likely to be a bit of upset by its lack of maneuverability.
Skull-HQ, the desktop app for the Crusher PLYR 720, is feature-packed and fairly simple to make use of. It has a faux-retro interface that employs the terminal font, tapping into that mid-nineties hacker vibe. It ran easily throughout my time with it; I didn’t expertise any slowdown or bugs.
The structure is obvious, though I used to be a bit of upset by the shortage of explanations for sure options. Some are solely denoted by symbols, which aren’t at all times self-explanatory. A tutorial for the joystick controls would’ve been appreciated, too, slightly than having to at all times discuss with the guide.
There are loads of tweaks that may be made to the Crusher PLYR 720 within the app. These vary from rudimentary RGB customizations and primary changes quantity, sport combine, and the sidetone perform.
Beyond these, there’s an parametric EQ with FPS, RPG, Music, and Default (flat) presets to select from. There are additionally 4 customized slots, permitting you to avoid wasting your individual sculpted sound. This is achieved by dragging eight factors on a graph, with a variety of 32Hz to 16KHz, to chop or increase frequencies by 12BD.
Various changes for THX Spatial Audio can be found, too, together with the flexibility to set speaker distance. Strangely, nonetheless, there isn’t a toggle for the Head Tracking perform, as there’s within the Skullcandy cellular app (which has a greater, cleaner interface than Skull-HQ, by the by).
Then there’s a bit for the Crusher bass enhancement. Here, you may alter the cut-off factors for the high and low frequencies on one other EQ graph. This is slightly overkill for such a setting, however nonetheless I at all times welcome a visible illustration for sonic settings. It’s additionally accompanied by a humorous ditherpunk face depicting varied expressions relying on the energy of the Crusher setting.
Skull-HQ even includes a listening to take a look at, designed to calibrate the Crusher PLYR 720 primarily based in your particular person listening to. What’s extra, a knock-off model of Space Invaders is buried within the app, too.
Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless assessment: efficiency
- Skull-shaking bass function
- Great general for gaming and music
- Clear mic
The basic sound of the Crusher PLYR 720 is punchy and clear, with all frequencies represented effectively. Overall constancy isn’t fairly up there with the best wireless headphones, although, which is most obvious when listening to music. This is as a result of slight lack of crispness and readability on the excessive finish.
It’s the bass response that the Crusher PLYR 720 is offered on, although — due to its Crusher function. Whether that is one thing you want comes down to non-public choice, however I’ve to say that when the temper struck, I cherished cranking the wheel to most and letting the drivers shake (and so they actually do shake) to my favourite bass-heavy tracks or to gunfire, one thing I definitely observed when enjoying Counter-Strike 2.
However, you’ll end up driving the Crusher degree regularly, because the prominence of the bass enhancement can range broadly between sources; even these you thought had a comparatively tame low-end instantly develop into a booming mess, inflicting the drivers to audibly rattle — even earlier than you’ve enabled the additional Crusher Bass Boost on high. In truth, I wouldn’t need most “Crushing” for a whole session, even for sources that may deal with it with out distorting.
The THX Spatial Audio in all fairness efficient. With Head Tracking enabled, adjustments to the audio area react shortly to move actions, with out being too disconcerting or disorientating.
However, you’ll have to maneuver your head by massive levels to note the impact. Also, it’s a disgrace that the sensitivity of the impact can’t be adjusted, because it lacks the precision and subtlety of among the finest THX headsets and headphones. Adjusting the digital distance of the encompass sound audio system noticeably adjustments the soundscape, however at the price of lowering constancy. What’s extra, I discovered it largely ineffective at imparting a sensible sense of area.
The microphone for the Crusher PLYR 720 is obvious and largely freed from distortion. The Sidetone mode permits an applicable degree of ambient noise to spill by means of, so you may hear your individual voice extra clearly.
During my time with the Crusher PLYR 720, it proved simple to connect with the varied units I examined it with. The 2.4GHz USB dongle permits for immediate plug-and-play, and merely requires the flip of a swap on the dongle itself to alter compatibility modes from PC to Xbox.
In phrases of connectivity to Microsoft’s console, then, the Crusher PLYR 720 up there with the best Xbox Series X headsets. It additionally linked to my Nintendo Switch simply as simply, by way of the dongle and Bluetooth.
Oddly, though I had the Xbox model of the Crusher PLYR 720, it nonetheless labored with my PlayStation 5 by way of the dongle. There’s conflicting info as as to if that is supposed or not: the printed guide states that the Xbox variant solely works with the PS5 when linked by way of the 3.5mm audio cable, whereas the product web page on Skullcandy’s web site states that wi-fi play is feasible with Sony’s console. If the latter is appropriate, it then begs the query as to why there are two variations of the Crusher PLYR 720.
It linked seamlessly to my Android smartphone by way of Bluetooth, with no discernable drop in audio high quality. Better but, you may hook up with your telephone and console or PC on the identical time; throughout my testing, I used to be impressed by the convenience with which it established and maintained these simultaneous connections. The advantage of that is which you can alter settings within the cellular app on the fly, taking impact whereas enjoying your sport.
Even with this multiplatform use, the battery of the Crusher PLYR 720 endured admirably effectively. Skullcandy claims it could actually final 48 hours, however with all of the bells and whistles enabled, you may see lifespan deplete at a substantial charge within the software program readouts. Still, it managed to final a number of lengthy periods over a number of days, which, along with connecting to varied units, additionally concerned activating all its varied sound options and retaining the RGB lighting on.
Should I purchase the Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless?
Buy it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless assessment: additionally contemplate
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720 |
Razer BlackShark V3 |
Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless |
|
Price |
$269.99 / £229.99 / AU$449.99 |
$149.99 / £149.99 / AU$350 |
£159 (round $210) |
|
Weight |
0.78lbs / 354g |
0.6lbs / 270g |
0.7lbs / 336g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS |
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile |
PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck |
|
Connection kind |
Bluetooth, wired (USB-C, 3.5mm AUX), 2.4GHz wi-fi (USB-A dongle) |
2.4GHz wi-fi, wired (USB), Bluetooth |
Bluetooth, wired (USB-C), low-latency 2.4GHz wi-fi (dongle) |
|
Features |
THX Spatial Audio, Crusher bass enhancement, eight-band EQ, 4 sound presets, Sidetone mode, plug-in mic |
THX Spatial Audio, removable Razer HyperClear Super Wideband 9.9mm mic |
Five-band EQ, 10 sound presets, Sidetone mode, customized button settings, plug-in mic with noise discount |
|
Battery life |
48 hours |
70 hours |
50 hours |
|
Software |
Skull-HQ (PC), Skullcandy cellular app (Android and iOS) |
Arctis Companion App |
Beyerdynamic app |
How I examined the Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless
- Tested for a number of days
- Used for varied situations and with a number of platforms
- Experience reviewing gaming headsets
I examined the Skullcandy Crusher PLYR 720 for a number of days. Not solely did I take advantage of it for gaming, however I additionally listened to music and watched movies with it on.
I examined it with a Windows PC, an Xbox Series S, a PlayStation 5, and a Nintendo Switch, connecting to every of those units with the USB dongle. I additionally examined Bluetooth connectivity with the latter console, in addition to with my Android telephone. I used each the desktop Skull-HQ app and the Skullcandy cellular app to check out all the varied options.
I’ve been gaming for many years, utilizing quite a lot of headsets, headphones, and audio system for the exercise. I’ve additionally reviewed quite a few headsets professionally, all the best way from price range wired choices to premium multiplatform wi-fi choices.
- First reviewed: February 2026
- Read extra about how we test