Skullcandy Aviator Aviator 900 ANC

ANC hits the 98th percentile, making it one of the best noise-cancellers we've tested, and battery life is a marathon 60 hours. But sound quality is a letdown at 47th percentile, and user sentiment is alarmingly low at the 20th percentile, dragged down by comfort complaints and muddy audio. It's a niche pick for ANC fanatics who don't mind heavy EQ work.

We'll start where it shines. The adaptive noise cancellation is a real standout, ranking in the 98th percentile—it automatically adjusts to your environment and does a remarkable job hushing airplane drone or office chatter. Pair that with a 60-hour battery (ANC off) and a 10-minute quick charge for 4 hours, and you've got endurance that beats many rivals. The 6-mic array and NC mic tech push call quality to the 91st percentile, making it a strong performer for voice calls and Zoom meetings. Build quality is a solid 87th percentile, with a foldable design and 289g weight that feels sturdy, and the retro aviator look definitely turns heads.

Now for the elephant in the room: sound. At 47th percentile, the out-of-box audio is shockingly average for a headphone in this tier. With 36Ω impedance and 119dB sensitivity, the drivers are capable on paper, but the default tuning is often described as veiled and missing low-end punch. THX Spatial Audio with head tracking is a nice feature for movies and gaming, but it can't rescue a frequency response that leaves bass lovers disappointed. Comfort also scores 87th percentile, but that average hides a massive spread—many users say they're the most comfortable headphones they've worn, while a significant portion report severe clamping force and ear pain, especially if they have a larger head. In short, this is a headphone that demands your full attention (and app tweaking) to sound good.

Stacked against the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra, the Aviator 900 ANC wins on raw ANC specs—its 98th percentile score outclasses both. But Sony's XM6 and Bose's QC Ultra are leagues ahead in sound quality and comfort consistency. The Sennheiser Momentum 4, sitting in a similar price bracket, offers vastly superior audio tuning out of the box, while the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 brings a more refined build and a more engaging soundstage. Even the Technics EAH-A800 bests it on comfort and default sound. The Aviator's calling card is noise cancellation and battery life; in every other department, it's either middle-of-the-pack or, in the case of sound, dangerously close to the bottom third.

Pricing is all over the place, from $190 to a wild $6,275 depending on vendor. At the low end, you're getting some of the best ANC on the market for under $200, which is a screaming deal if you can live with the sound trade-offs. But as you creep toward the $300+ range, it collides with the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra, both of which deliver far more balanced sound and universally praised comfort. Unless you're dead set on that retro look and peak ANC, paying above $250 feels hard to justify given the mixed user sentiment and average audio performance.

The ANC on the Skullcandy Aviator 900 ANC is absurdly good—98th percentile in our database means it's literally one of the best at blocking out the world right now. That's flanked by impressive connectivity (95th percentile) and a 6-mic setup that scores in the 91st percentile for call quality. Battery life is no slouch either, landing in the 89th percentile with up to 60 hours of playback and a rapid charge that nets you 4 hours from a 10-minute top-up. So far, it's shaping up to be a stellar spec sheet.

But the number that tells the real story is user sentiment: 20th percentile. Owners are deeply split, and the culprit is sound quality. It sits at a middling 47th percentile, with many finding the default tuning muddy and bass-light. Comfort is equally polarizing—while the memory foam earcups are a dream for average-sized heads, larger noggins often call it painful. If you're willing to EQ the life out of these and your head fits just right, you might love them. For everyone else, the Aviator 900 ANC is a reminder that specs don't always add up to a great experience.

Bass heads, anyone with a larger head, and listeners who want great sound out of the box should look elsewhere. The Aviator 900 ANC demands EQ tinkering to sound decent, and even then it won't satisfy true low-end lovers. If consistent comfort or premium unboxing experience (no hard case) matter to you, you'll likely be disappointed. Given the 20th percentile user sentiment, it's safest to skip unless you're absolutely sure your head shape and sound preferences align with its quirks.

If all you care about is the absolute best noise cancellation and marathon battery life, and you're willing to spend time tweaking EQ in the Skullcandy app, the Aviator 900 ANC might work for you—especially if you can grab it near that $190 low. But for most people, the confounding comfort and lackluster out-of-box sound make it a tough sell when the Sony and Bose options exist. The 20th percentile user sentiment isn't noise; it's a signal that this headphone is a gamble. Our data says you're safer spending your money elsewhere unless your priorities perfectly align with its narrow strengths.