Skullcandy has made lots of decent - sound , budget - friendlywireless earbudsand headphones over the years . But no Skullcandy product has ever had noise scratch or intelligent quality that approaches , let alone rival , a brand like Bose , until now .
go into the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC . At first glimpse , with their fore - based form and slide - out charge case , they wait a circumstances like the company ’s Dime Evo . But when earbud aficionados face a little nearer , they ’ll notice the Method 360 ’s uncanny resemblance to theBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds . That ’s no chance event , and no , Skullcandy did n’t pull off Bose ’s pattern . or else , the two companies partnered to create the Method 360 ANC , and the result is stunning . These are easily the well - sounding earbuds Skullcandy has ever made . And with an introductory price of $ 100 , Bose devotee are n’t the only I who should be paying tending .
Comfort and style
There are no two ways about it , the Method 360 are nearly identical to the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds ( QCUE ) . Put the two side by side like I did in these pics , and it ’s immediately obvious how similar they are . The Method 360 even use the same stability lot — the silicone polymer gasket that provide a good but comfortable fit . Like the QCUE , you get three sizes of these bands and three sizing of eartips . I ’ve always like the way the QCUE feel , and the Method 360 are every bit as well-heeled . Like the Bose buds , the Method 360 are ratedIPX4for canonical water resistance .
Skullcandy has found a few ways to put its own unequalled twirl on the design . The Method 360 apply a glossy prow with the typical half - skull emblem , and there are index number LEDs on the outer surface .
I ’m less excited by the charging case . Skullcandy has opted for a slide sleeve design over the more traditional grapple or flip - top . It make for a big and bulky package that is n’t as easy to fall away into a pocket . possibly that ’s why you get an included carabiner — to dress it to a belt cringle instead .
On the other hand , Skullcandy devotee may adore the type ’s many style . It comes in four semitransparent solid colors ( black , white , reddened , and beige ) plus a Panthera pardus - see animate being peel convention .
Getting the buds in and out is also quite fiddly . You have to learn the right orientation for each side , because there ’s nothing immediately intuitive about it .
Here ’s a tip : hold the grammatical case upside down , with the skull logotype facing up , but away from you , and the carabiner loop pointing toward you , but on the bottom . Pull on the loop , and when the earbud holder slide out , the right earbud will be on the right side and the left on the left field . you’re able to pull them straight out and put them in your ear without any twisting or turning .
Controls and connections
Though the Method 360 may look like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds , from a software perspective , they appear to utilize the same platform as the newerBose QuietComfort Earbuds , and that ’s mostly a good thing . Skullcandy ’s SkullIQ app is a ringer of the Bose QCE app ( or maybe vice versa ? ) , and you ’ll find plenitude of customizations , let in full control over the touch gestures ( something Bose does n’t tender on the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds ) .
There are four per side ( single- , double- , and ternary - pat , plus tap - and - hold ) and these can be allot to any function , including bid / pause , cartroad skip , volume up / down , ANC / foil , Spotify Tap , voice help access , or take photo .
I ’m not a big fan of touch ascendence , but I found they work flawlessly on the Method 360 .
Wear sensors help oneself out with machine - intermission and CV , though curiously , these ca n’t be invalid .
The two areas where I ’d like to see more QuietComfort Ultra influence are ANC mastery and Multipoint .
With the Ultra Earbuds , you’re able to choose to shift between ANC and transparency mode , without cycle through an off mode . Satyendra Nath Bose does n’t offer that on the QuietComfort Earbuds and it ’s not on the Method 360 either .
The Bose Music app , which is used to control the Ultra Earbuds ( and many other Bose products ) gives you a very handy overview of antecedently paired devices as well as currently mate ones . Switching between these devices is a snap . For the QCE / Method 360 , you ’re on your own . you may turn Multipoint on or off , but there ’s no gadget direction .
Still , Multipoint work like a charm , and I had no problem chop-chop switching between two connected devices .
Sound quality
I ca n’t believe I ’m writing this , but the $ 99 Method 360 ANC phone incisively like the $ 299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds when you use both with an iPhone . I specify the phone because the Ultra Earbuds permit you useQualcomm ’s Snapdragon SoundaptX Lossless codec when you have a compatible ( non - iPhone ) Android handset , and that will make a little but obtrusive difference .
So when Skullcandy brags that “ Skullcandy land the style , Bose bring the sound , ” that ’s not just commercialize B.S. — it ’s legit .
liken to the Skullcandy Rail ANC , the Method 360 is on another level . Bass is delightfully full and classic , there ’s plenty of item in the midranges , and in classic Bose stylus , the highs are fork out with a sparkly energy .
As I hop through my usual test running , I kept pronounce to myself , yup , yup , yup , as I trade back and forth between the Method and the Ultra Earbuds .
You may not like the Bose sound — not everyone does — but if you ’re like the many who do , the Method 360 ANC are nothing short of a gift to Bose fan on a budget .
You even get three helpful EQ presets ( Music , Bass Boost , and Podcast ) plus a custom do with the same five - ring equalizer that Bose gives QuietComfort Earbuds possessor .
Noise cancellation and transparency
Bose may power the Method 360 ’s sound , but it ’s keeping the brand ’s crown jewel ( participating racket cancellation ) for itself . The Method 360 ’s ANC is arguably the good that Skullcandy has ever proffer on a set of wireless earbuds , but it ’s not as capable as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds and nowhere close to the Ultra Earbuds .
That ’s wholly okay considering the price . ANC mode is still hefty enough to deoxidize many distract sounds . At my gymnasium , it did n’t give me absolute quiet , but it dropped the drone of the nearby treadmills and the house strait arrangement to the point where I could easily focus on my podcasts .
Traffic and other street sounds were similarly boil down . I ’m not sure when you ’d ever want to block less healthy , but there ’s an adjustment for ANC intensity in the SkullIQ app .
The ANC mode ’s one real weakness is wind . Even little blow are audible . If you design to use the Method 360 ANC for run or cycling , you may need to turn ANC off .
transparence , or “ StayAware ” as Skullcandy anticipate it , is also utterly serviceable , let in a good amount of external sound , and it keep open your voice sounding fairly natural in your ears . Again , it ’s not as exonerated as on Bose ’s earbuds , but it ’s scarce a deal - breaker .
There are just two things I desire Skullcandy to desexualize : The inability to toggle just between ANC and transparence , as I mentioned before , and a way to twist down the mass on the spoken way modification announcements . They ’re freakishly gimcrack . well yet , permit me sprain them off .
Call quality
As surprising as it is that the Method 360 speech sound as secure as the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds , it ’s even more surprising that their call lineament is actually better than both the Ultra and the regular QC Earbuds .
Not that Bose bud are known for their call quality . Satyendra Nath Bose does many things well , but call quality has only ever been middle at well . Still , the Skullcandy buds are good and kept my voice free from grave compaction more consistently while jam out more outside sounds .
When yell in StayAware mode , the power to hear your own representative helps a lot with weariness .
Battery life
Skullcandy pegs the Method 360 ANC ’s endurance at up to 9 hours per charge with ANC on ( and a total of 32 hour with the charging case ’s capability add up ) , and those number jump up to 11 and 40 , respectively , when ANC is off .
For those of you keeping scotch , that ’s about the same as the even Bose QC Earbuds .
If you should run out of juice , there ’s a fast - charge system that promises two supererogatory 60 minutes of hearing time after 10 minutes of charging .
The SkullIQ app will show you the electric battery story of the earbuds , but the only fashion to see the case ’s remaining care is to remove or replace one of the earbuds and then notice the coloration of the casing ’s guide .
What’s missing?
I ’ve spent most of this review demonstrating how favourably the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC equate with Bose ’s QC and QC Ultra Earbuds . But it ’s deserving noting some of the differences , too .
Here are a few feature film that you ’ll find on Bose ’s buds that are n’t useable from Skullcandy .
Conclusion
Though they fare with a shoot down face that is both awkward and bulky , the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC are a stunning note value . The partnership with Bose has given them top - pass reasoned calibre , consolation , and stableness .
With call quality that bests both of Bose ’s ANC receiving set earbuds , great ascendency and customization alternative , and stamp battery life that is more than sufficient for most folks , it ’s kinda hard to object to less - than - perfect ANC and transparency when you ’re only drop $ 100 .
