Skullcandy Push ANC Active Review: No-Excuses Buds For Gym Rats — But Are They Street Smart?

Skullcandy Push ANC Active Review: Skullcandy has always worn its rebel badge with pride — from its loud designs to louder bass drops. But with the Push ANC Active, the brand seems to have hit the gym, cleaned up its act, and returned with a bulked-up pair of buds that look ready to run a marathon. Literally.

Priced at Rs 9,999, the Push ANC Active is marketed as Skullcandy’s most feature-loaded workout bud — complete with adjustable 4-mic ANC, over-ear hooks, waterproofing, and nearly two and a half days of battery if you play your cards right. But while these earbuds flex hard in the gym and at home, they somewhat fumble in the urban jungle.

Skullcandy Push ANC Active Review: Quick Pointers

What I Like:

  • Ultra-secure fit with comfy ear hooks — ideal for workouts
  • Wireless charging + reverse charging support
  • Monster battery life with rapid charge backup
  • Skullcandy app lets you fine-tune sound to your ears
  • Adjustable ANC and Stay-Aware modes for flexibility

What I Don't:

  • Call quality outdoors is poor — background noise overpowers your voice
  • 105g charging case is chunky — won’t disappear into your joggers
  • Low-latency audio still has minor lag in mobile games

Design & Fit: Bulky, But in a Good Way

The Push ANC Active isn’t here to be dainty. It’s got bulk, it’s got hooks, and it’s proud of both. The ear hangers are flexible but secure — they stay put whether you’re mid-burpee or dodging potholes on a jog. The buds snap into your ears with purpose, and once they’re in, they don’t budge.

The charging case? Let’s just say it won’t win any minimalism awards — but it’s practical. Wireless charging is a welcome touch, and being able to drop it on a Qi pad or juice it up on the back of your Pixel Pro feels premium.

App & Controls: Customisation That Works

The Skullcandy app continues to be a bright spot in the brand’s revival arc. You can not only remap controls and EQ modes but also use Mimi’s personal sound profiling to match the buds to your unique hearing range. Whether you're into bass-heavy trap or acoustic folk, the app lets you tune your world.

Spotify Tap is a neat touch for those who don’t like fiddling through apps mid-run. And multipoint pairing means you can switch between your laptop and phone without disconnecting, like it’s 2019.

ANC & Stay-Aware: Built for Focus — Indoors

Let’s talk about the ANC. Indoors, it’s punchy. It knocks out the hum of the gym’s AC, clanging weights, and even the missus's late-night K-drama obsession. The Stay-Aware mode is adjustable too, letting you decide how much ambient noise seeps in, which is great for runners or cyclists who need environmental awareness without pulling a bud out.

But step into the wild — say, a crowded street with honking rickshaws and vendors shouting deals — and the ANC buckles. Not catastrophically, but enough that you’ll notice.

Call Quality: Houston, We Have a Problem

Here’s where things get messy. If you’re indoors, calls are fine. Clear, crisp, even pleasant.

But take a call while walking through traffic or jogging past a barking dog, and suddenly your voice disappears into the chaos. The mic setup seems to boost background noise instead of filtering it, leaving the person on the other end wondering if you’ve joined a construction crew. It’s a surprising miss, especially on buds pitched as “active lifestyle” companions.

Audio Quality: Tuned for Movement, Not Mastering

The 12mm drivers deliver energetic, crowd-pleasing sound. There's plenty of low-end for gym playlists, with mids and highs holding their own even when you're moving. They’re not reference-grade monitors, but for workouts and commutes, they slap.

Play something like Heat Waves by Glass Animals or Lavish by Twenty One Pilots, and the bassline keeps your tempo up without muddying vocals. But if you’re into high-fidelity classical or jazz, you may miss some finer nuances. Then again, who’s doing leg day to Chopin?

Battery Life: Absolute Unit

With ANC off, you're looking at a wild 58 hours total — 12 hours on the buds, 46 in the case. With ANC on, you still get 37 hours combined, which is more than enough for most people’s weekly grind.

Rapid charge is the cherry on top — 10 minutes of juice gets you 2 hours of playback. Honestly, these could outlast your weekend getaway and the hangover after.

Skullcandy Push ANC Active Review: Final Verdict

The Skullcandy Push ANC Active is not trying to be everything for everyone. It's a no-nonsense, all-function workout companion built for people who treat the gym like church. For that audience, it’s a slam dunk.

But if your life is a mix of Zoom calls, city strolls, and audio perfectionism — you might be better off elsewhere, especially given the weak outdoor call quality and bulky case.

Still, for Rs 9,999, you get a beast of a battery, top-tier fit, IPX5 protection, and enough audio punch to fuel your hustle. The Push ANC Active isn’t perfect, but it knows what it’s here for — and doesn’t flinch.

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