Skullcandy Sesh ANC Active review: Style, bass, and a few shrugs

Mint

3 days ago

The Skullcandy Sesh ANC Active has everything you'd expect from a pair of wireless earbuds with 'Skater Goth Energy' in their design brief. Bold branding, rugged build, and punchy specs on paper. But once you've worn them, you realise they're more about balanced comfort than loud flash. After over a week of using them across commutes, meetings, workouts, and weekend runs, here's the full picture.
In the box, you get the earbuds, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable (still funky in 2025), extra ear tips, and a chunky but pocketable case. The earbuds are blacked out with a clean Skullcandy logo, nothing over the top. They fit well, look decent, and don't scream for attention. If you're someone who avoids flashy earbuds, this hits the right note. Skullcandy Sesh ANC Active review
They feel snug and fatigue-free, even after long stretches of wear. You can comfortably use them for office calls, Netflix sessions, or late-night playlists. That said, after 5–7 minutes of treadmill running, they started feeling a little loose. For cycling or walking, they stayed locked in just fine.Bonus: they're IP67-rated, so sweat and a bit of rain won't be a problem.
Out of the box, the sound leans flat. But once you tweak the EQ (or just crank the volume), it gets immersive. Bass-heavy tracks feel more immersive with that signature Skullcandy thump, clean, not bloated. Other genres still sound detailed, but not as full-bodied.Think: great for hip-hop, solid for podcasts, okay for orchestral scores.
The ANC performs decently in most environments like airplane hums, office chatter, or commute rattle get dialled down. But it won't drown out everything, and the intensity is noticeably lighter than other premium ANC buds. Transparency mode works for basic awareness, like hearing traffic or talking to the delivery guy, but it's not ultra-clear.
Pairing was quick on both iPhone and Mac, and reconnecting was reliable. No dropouts or annoying glitches. Touch controls are manageable once you get used to the taps. They're responsive and didn't misfire much. Nothing fancy, just works. Skullcandy Sesh ANC Active review
With ANC on, the Sesh ANC Active gave around 1.5 days of casual, non-continuous use. The case recharges the buds fairly quickly, and there were no issues with charge drops or battery bugs. No wireless charging support, though, which at this price, does sting a little.
Indoor call quality is clean, voices sound clear, and the mic doesn't muffle easily. Outdoors, wind noise creeps in and gets obvious. The ANC doesn't seem to help with that much. Not unusable, but you'll be repeating yourself if it's breezy.
You can use the Skullcandy app to tweak EQ, remap touch gestures, and switch modes. It's stable, didn't crash, and setup was painless, but it doesn't offer anything groundbreaking. Most people will use it once, set their preferences, and forget it exists.
If you want earbuds that look sharp, sound bold on bass tracks, and work across everyday life without fuss, the Skullcandy Sesh ANC Active is a solid pick. It's ideal for gym-goers, students, or commuters who want reliable audio with just enough features to feel modern. Serious audiophiles or buyers expecting flagship-tier ANC and app polish should probably skip.