For $89.99, the Skullcandy Sesh ANC Active earphones provide a reliable fit and an excellent IP67 rating for protection against the elements. But their dull audio quality and ineffective active noise cancellation (ANC) are serious enough issues that we don’t recommend them. The Editors’ Choice-winning JBL Endurance Peak 3 earbuds ($99.95) have a stronger IP68 rating and superior audio quality, making them a much better choice for exercise despite their lack of ANC. The cheaper Anker Soundcore Sport X10 earphones, at $79.99, are another suitable alternative, delivering decent noise cancellation and a secure ear hook design.Design: Stylish, With a Secure FitAvailable in a black-and-orange finish with prominent Skullcandy logos, the mostly plastic Sesh ANC Active earbuds don’t feel overly cheap. They are slightly larger than some other models, but their unique shape helps them stay securely in my ears. For that reason, they are suitable for sports and exercise. You get three total pairs of silicone eartips in the box to further help you achieve an ideal fit.
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(Credit: Christian de Looper)
Internally, 12mm drivers deliver a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. The earphones support Bluetooth 5.3, the AAC and SBC codecs, multipoint pairing with up to two devices, and Google Fast Pair.Unlike the slightly more expensive Skullcandy Push ANC Active, the Sesh ANC Active earbuds lack physical buttons and simply provide touch controls on the surface of each earpiece. I typically prefer stem controls, but touch panels are still better than physical outer buttons that tend to push the earpieces further into my ear canal. By default, the controls are the same on both sides. A single press controls playback or answers calls; double presses skip to the next track; and triple presses cycle among the ANC, Stay-Aware (transparency), and Off modes. A press-and-hold gesture rejects an incoming call, ends a current call, or activates Spotify Tap. You can’t control the volume by default, though you can tweak most of the controls via the companion app.
In line with their billing for sports use, the earbuds have an IP67 rating. That’s far better than the IPX4 rating for most noise-cancelling models. It means the earphones are fully dustproof and can survive submersion in water at depths of up to 1 meter. The charging case is not water-resistant, so be sure to dry off the earpieces before docking them. If you want an even greater level of durability for intense running and exercise in inclement conditions, you should upgrade to the IP68-rated JBL Endurance Peak 3.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
The plastic charging case has an orange Skullcandy logo on the top and a small, matching nylon loop on the side that you can use with a hook. The case is a bit bulky but should still fit in most pockets. Although the docks use magnets to guide the earbuds into place, it’s easy to incorrectly position them in a way that they won’t charge. An LED on the outside of each earpiece indicates when they are charging, but it’s a pain to double-check them every time. The case won’t close properly if the earbuds are misaligned, but it’s not difficult to imagine a scenario in which you don’t realize the case is still slightly open. For charging, you can plug the included USB-A-to-USB-C cable into the USB-C port on the back; wireless charging is not an option.Skullcandy claims that the earbuds can last roughly 7 hours per charge with ANC on or 12 hours with it off. The case provides an additional 21 or 36 hours, respectively, with ANC on or off. The estimates for the earbuds are about average, though I expected slightly higher numbers for the case, given its size. The company says that 10 minutes of charging gets you 2 hours of playback time. For comparison, the JBL Peak Endurance 3 earphones provide 10 hours of battery life per charge, with an extra 40 hours in their case. App Experience: All the Expected FeaturesThe Sesh ANC Active earbuds work with the well-designed Skullcandy app (available for Android and iOS), which provides a good range of options and features. The app takes a few seconds to recognize the earbuds each time, however, which can be a little frustrating.
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You can customize the on-ear controls, as mentioned; switch among the ANC, Stay-Aware, and Off modes; and manually set the noise cancellation and transparency levels. Otherwise, you can choose among three EQ presets (Bass Boost, Music, or Podcast) as well as create a custom EQ with five bands between 60Hz and 12kHz. The JBL Endurance Peak 3 earbuds let you tweak the sound more granularly, but the options here should be sufficient for most people. I also tried the Personal Sound Profile feature, which tailors the audio experience to your ears. Setting it up takes a few minutes, but I enjoyed the results. You get to pick from a few different presets at the end of the process. The app also lets you download and install firmware updates.Noise Cancellation: Mostly IneffectiveThe Sesh ANC Active earbuds don’t impress on the ANC front. They largely fail to cut out noise that competitors eliminate with ease. In testing, the earphones pared back some of the low-end rumble from a plane engine, though the rest of the frequencies from this recording sounded just slightly less loud. The experience was largely the same on a bus—the earbuds mitigated little of the low-end rumble, and everything else was easily audible. In a busy cafe, voices sounded just a bit quieter. Frankly, I had to double-check that the ANC was indeed on at times. This mode creates a bit of a hiss, too, though it’s not as distracting as on some other models.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
The Editors’ Choice-winning EarFun Air Pro 4 earphones offer much more effective ANC for the same price. They easily cut out low-end engine noise and are far more effective in crowded environments. The Soundcore Sport X10 earbuds are appreciably better in these scenarios, too.The transparency mode works in a pinch for a quick conversation, but it doesn’t sound all that great and cuts out most of the high-end frequencies that would help make it sound more natural. You probably won’t want to keep it active more than you have to, but again, it allows you to chat with someone without removing the earbuds.Sound Quality: Heavy Bass, and Not Much ElseThe earbuds use the Music EQ preset by default, so that’s what I stuck with for testing. It primarily boosts the bass, while cutting some of the highest highs and the high-mids. This is problematic since the highs are what contribute to a detailed, exciting sound. The bass feels a little out of control on The Knife’s “Silent Shout.” These low-end elements are tricky to tame at the best of times, and the lacking high-end here makes them especially overwhelming.Bill Callahan’s “Drover” generally sounds a little dull and muddy. The underwhelming highs mean that the guitar sounds a little lifeless, the percussion lacks its usual bite, and the violin track gets buried. The vocals are relatively rich, but the earphones aren’t doing much to support them. Although this track focuses more on mid-heavy instruments, the underrepresented highs make for a slightly unnatural presentation.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” is another track that doesn’t require much in the way of a high-end response. Here, the earbuds deliver a decent listening experience. Although they struggle to produce some of the deep bass, the vocals are pleasant. Still, I would have preferred a bit more sibilance.On orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, the earbuds produce dull, muddy audio. Strings lack vibrancy, and some of the frequencies you would usually want to be less prominent actually get a boost.Of course, many people prefer a bass-heavy audio response for exercise, which is the main purpose for these earbuds. The EQ is an option if you want a more compelling response, though it can only do so much to make up for the frequencies the drivers can’t handle in the first place.The microphone array is good enough for voice calls. I found it easy to hear each word from a test recording on my iPhone and couldn’t pick out any Bluetooth artifacts.Verdict: Budget-Friendly, But Below AverageThe Skullcandy Sesh ANC Active earbuds are affordable, fit well, and provide excellent protection against the elements, but their bloated sound and almost non-existent ANC significantly outweigh those positives. For workouts, you are much better off with the Editors’ Choice-winning JBL Endurance Peak 3 earbuds for their IP68 rating and better audio quality, even if they don’t offer ANC. If noise cancellation is a priority, however, favor Anker’s Soundcore Sport X10 earbuds, which cost even less and deliver enjoyable sound.
Skullcandy Sesh ANC Active
Pros
Secure fit
Quality companion app
IP67 rating
The Bottom Line
Skullcandy’s durable Sesh ANC Active earphones don’t cost much and fit well, but they trail far behind competitors on sound quality and noise cancellation.
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About Christian de Looper
Contributor
Christian de Looper is a consumer tech reporter based in sunny Santa Cruz, California. Christian has reported on tech for over 10 years, with bylines in many of the largest tech publications. Christian has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Technology, and lives at home with his wife, daughter, and cat. Despite being an Australian who now lives in Santa Cruz, Christian has only surfed once—and it didn’t go well.
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