Skullcandy Push 720 Open vs Aviator 900 ANC: Which to Buy?

Quick answer

Choose the Push 720 Open if you want to stay tuned in to your surroundings during workouts, outdoor runs, or all-day listening, and you prefer a lightweight, waterproof, open-ear earbud. Choose the Aviator 900 ANC if you want premium adaptive noise canceling, 360° audio, and over-ear comfort for commuting, travel, or focused listening at home. They solve different problems: one keeps the world in, the other shuts it out.

Open-ear awareness vs adaptive noise canceling

The Push 720 Open is built around blending your digital and physical worlds. It's an open-ear design, so you hear your music or podcasts while still hearing traffic, coworkers, or your running partner. That makes it a strong fit for outdoor workouts, cycling, and office environments where you need to stay aware. The Aviator 900 ANC takes the opposite approach: premium adaptive noise canceling and 360° audio that immerse you in the soundscape. If your goal is to block out engine noise, chatter, or city hum, the Aviator is the one doing that work.

• Push 720 Open: open-ear design keeps you tuned in to your surroundings
• Aviator 900 ANC: adaptive noise canceling and 360° audio for immersion
• Neither is 'better' overall — the right pick depends on whether you want awareness or isolation

Fit, stability, and all-day comfort

The Push 720 Open is lightweight, waterproof, comfortable, and extremely stable, according to the catalog. That combination is aimed at people who move: you can chat, take calls, play outside, and work out without pressing pause. The Aviator 900 ANC is an over-ear headphone wrapped in unrivaled comfort with a retro-inspired design. Over-ear models distribute weight across the head rather than inside the ear, which many people find more comfortable for long listening sessions, but they're bulkier to carry and can feel warm. If you want something you can forget you're wearing during a sweaty workout, the Push 720 Open's stability and waterproofing matter more than the Aviator's plush over-ear fit.

• Push 720 Open: lightweight, waterproof, stable — built for movement
• Aviator 900 ANC: over-ear comfort and iconic design for stationary listening
• Consider whether you need sweat and weather resistance or long-session cushioning

Sound and features

The Aviator 900 ANC is positioned as a luxury listening experience with premium adaptive noise canceling and cutting-edge performance features. The Push 720 Open focuses on seamless awareness rather than isolation; its catalog description doesn't list noise canceling, because an open-ear design is meant to let sound in. The Hesh 540 ANC sits between them if you want active noise canceling in a more affordable over-ear package, with THX Spatial Audio. If you need noise canceling specifically, the Push 720 Open is not the right tool — that's a deliberate trade-off, not a flaw.

• Aviator 900 ANC: adaptive noise canceling, 360° audio, premium feature set
• Push 720 Open: awareness-first tuning, no noise canceling claimed
• Hesh 540 ANC: ANC and THX Spatial Audio at a lower price if you want over-ear ANC on a budget

Price and value

At catalog prices, the Push 720 Open is USD 98.99 (compared to USD 149.99), and the Aviator 900 ANC is USD 197.99 (compared to USD 299.99). The Aviator costs roughly twice as much, which reflects its premium materials, adaptive noise canceling, and over-ear design. The Push 720 Open is the more affordable way to get Skullcandy audio if open-ear awareness fits your routine. If you mainly listen in loud environments and want the noise canceling, the Aviator's higher price buys a capability the Push 720 Open simply doesn't offer.

• Push 720 Open: USD 98.99 (compare USD 149.99)
• Aviator 900 ANC: USD 197.99 (compare USD 299.99)
• Spend more only if you need adaptive noise canceling and over-ear immersion

Trade-offs to weigh before you buy

• Awareness vs isolation: The Push 720 Open lets outside sound in by design, while the Aviator 900 ANC actively cancels noise. You can't get both from one pair. Pick based on whether you need to hear your environment or shut it out.
• In-ear stability vs over-ear comfort: The Push 720 Open is lightweight, waterproof, and extremely stable for movement. The Aviator 900 ANC wraps you in over-ear comfort but is bulkier to carry. Choose the Push 720 Open for workouts and the Aviator for long stationary sessions.
• Price vs premium features: The Push 720 Open costs USD 98.99 versus USD 197.99 for the Aviator 900 ANC. The Aviator adds adaptive noise canceling and 360° audio. Decide if noise canceling is worth roughly double the price for your use case.

Key product facts

• Push® 720 Open: Push 720 Open is lightweight, waterproof, comfortable, and extremely stable, so you can chat, take calls, play outside, and work out without pressing pause. This makes it a practical choice for workouts, outdoor runs, and all-day wear where you need to stay aware of your surroundings.
• Aviator® 900 ANC: Aviator 900 ANC offers 360° audio, premium adaptive noise canceling, and unrivaled comfort in a retro-inspired over-ear design. This suits commuters, travelers, and focused listeners who want to block out noise and immerse themselves in sound.
• Hesh® 540 ANC: Hesh 540 ANC features Active Noise Canceling and THX Spatial Audio in an over-ear design. It's a lower-cost over-ear ANC alternative if the Aviator 900 ANC is more than you want to spend.

Which should you buy?

Best for

• Runners, cyclists, and gym-goers who need to stay aware of traffic and surroundings
• People who want an affordable, waterproof, stable earbud for all-day wear
• Office workers who need to hear coworkers while listening to music or podcasts

Not for

• Commuters or travelers who want to block out engine noise and chatter — choose the Aviator 900 ANC instead
• Listeners who prioritize adaptive noise canceling and 360° audio over open-ear awareness
• Anyone who prefers over-ear comfort for long listening sessions