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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Philips SHP9500 offers superior overall sound quality and a more immersive soundstage, which makes them excellent for listening to music and watching TV or videos. They come with a long detachable cable and are very comfortable, but have no active noise cancelling and their open-back design means they leak sound and let ambient noise in, limiting their use in noisy environments. Conversely, the Skullcandy Hesh ANC provides active noise cancelling, making them more suitable for air travel and public places. They are wireless with a significant battery life and have built-in controls, but may not be as comfortable for long listening sessions. If silence and portability are priorities and you're often on the go, the Skullcandy might be the right choice. However, if sound quality and an expansive listening experience are more important, especially at home or in quiet places, the Philips could be preferable. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Philips SHP9500
- Excellent for music
- Good for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Skullcandy Hesh ANC
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.2
6.7
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is only fair.
Gaming
7.2
5.6
The Philips SHP9500 is good for gaming, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
6.0
The Philips SHP9500 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is only fair.
TV and Video
9.0
5.8
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for TV and video, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5
8.7
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC is very good for noise reduction, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
Battery
N/A
23.0 Hours
The Philips SHP9500 does not have a battery. The Skullcandy Hesh ANC has 23 hours of battery life.
Cost
$48
$135
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Philips SHP9500 has a price of $48 and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC costs $135.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Philips SHP9500 has very good build quality, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
4.9
5.3
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC and Philips SHP9500 are both poor for phone calls.
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How the Philips SHP9500 and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Philips SHP9500 | Skullcandy Hesh ANC |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$48 | $135 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Philips | Skullcandy | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2013 | December 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.3/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.3/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.1/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 23 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.6 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 7.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 294.8 Grams | 226.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Philips SHP9500
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Lab
Brian Stone | April 2020
"You can’t go wrong with the Philips SHP9500 for their price. Their audio quality is superb, and the fact that you can use them for just about anything you can think of makes them well worth your money"
Skullcandy Hesh ANC
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonecheck
Maike Paeßens | 2021
"Skullcandy’s Hesh ANC are compact, wireless over-ears for everyday use that are tuned for bass and designed to suppress or amplify ambient noise as required. In addition to Bluetooth 5.0, optional tracking via the Tile app is supported so that these headphones can be found if they get lost."
Get a great deal on the Philips SHP9500 or the Skullcandy Hesh ANC
About Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
About Skullcandy
Skullcandy is an American, consumer-oriented, earbuds and headphones manufacturer with 20 years of market experience. They sell a wide variety of, budget-friendly and unique, wired and wireless products that are sure to please the vast majority of users. Among their most popular offerings, the Crusher headphones, includes a pair of actual subwoofers inside the cups which makes the bass extra prominent for a unique and extra fun sound.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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