While Skullcandy have certainly been around for a while with a diverse range of headphones, earbuds, and everything in between, their newest pair of earbuds has taken a bit of a detour from the norm. Pairing up with Bose to deliver a new form of high-fidelity audio proves Skullcandy isn’t messing around this time, providing a stack of premium features at a reasonable price of A$189.99.
With fantastic audio quality and decent ANC capabilities, the only issue holding the device back is the unique and at times strange case design, which might feel a little awkward depending on how and where you store it.
Design
The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds themselves look great. They’re a little larger than the majority of earbuds out there, but thanks to a rubber lip within each bud, interchangeable silicone tip sizes, and a push-and-twist fit, they feel both comfortable and stable in the ears. Even after a light jog, workout, or vigorous shake of the head, they barely moved.
Available in five colours, True Black, Bone, Plasma, Primer and Leopard, we got the chance to try out the Bone colourway, which is essentially an off-white. The earbuds themselves carry the same colour as the case, and even with the small stem on the outer side, don’t feel like they stick or stand out too much at all.
The sliding charging case is certainly unique as it pulls out vertically to reveal the magnetically attached buds on either side. The up of the case also features a carabiner keyring attachment on a small rubber strap, which can easily be hooked onto backpacks, belt loops and anything else you’d like.
The only issue I have with the case is that, for as nice as it feels and looks with its clear outer shell and solid white inner shell, it’s just a bit too bulky. It’s not in the sense that it’s heavy or hard to use, but they simply don’t slide into the pocket as easily. It certainly feels like Skullcandy wants you to take advantage of the keyring design and hook this onto something while out and about.
But if you hook it up to a backpack, for example, you’ll have to swing the whole bag around just to slide these out and pop them on, which goes against the portable nature of the earbuds.
Aside from this, the case is still super minimal and clean, with only a USB-C charging port tucked underneath. In the box, you’ll also get a small USB-A to USB-C charging cord, and a small and large pair of silicone tips, should the standard medium ones not fit.
Performance
From a performance perspective, the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds certainly shine. With 12mm drivers designed by Bose, you’re getting some serious bang for your buck as far as your overall audio experience is concerned. Mids and highs are generally great, and while the standard EQ settings can feel a little too heavy on the bass at times, I’m genuinely surprised to find this much bass to begin with.
The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is solid, and while it’s probably not going to blow anyone away, it’s better than average, considering most entry-level earbuds at this price point only begin scratching the surface of ANC here.
While the 4 adjustable noise-cancelling mics are going to block out most everyday background noises, they might struggle in busier areas or strong winds, for example. The mic quality for calls is also solid, but it will let a bit of background buzz in.
Beyond the audio and ANC, there are still plenty of features you’re getting. There’s a Stay Aware mode that allows the earbuds to let in surrounding sounds, and it’s great.
There’s IPX4 sweat and water resistance for protection against workouts, light splashes and spills. They even come with MultiPoint Pairing so you can connect to two devices at once, to listen in on audio from your laptop and take calls from your phone, for example.
You can even use either bud solo, and take advantage of customisable touch controls on either earbud, made possible via the Skull-iQ app, which we’ll touch on a little later.
Battery life is also seriously impressive, serving up a total of 32 hours of listening time with ANC on. That’s 9 hours from the buds and a further 23 hours from the charging case. With ANC off, however, you can get an incredible 40 hours total of listening. The Rapid Charge feature will also give you up to 2 hours of listening from just a 10-minute charge, so they’re never out for too long.
Software
The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds can be paired with the Skull-iQ app, available on both Android and iOS devices. Here, you can customise those aforementioned touch controls, switch between Hearing Modes like ANC or Stay Aware mode, and even adjust your EQ preferences with three preset options, or the ability to jump in and fine-tune settings to your liking.
There’s also an option to turn on Low Latency Audio for gaming, and even an option to turn one of your touch controls into a camera shutter button, although I found that latter option a little perplexing.
The app is easy to navigate with only two tabs at the bottom, the first of which allows you to control everything on a single page. As easy as it is to navigate, however, it feels a little bloated. One of the options on the main page simply says ‘Sound by Bose’, and when you click on it, all it does is bring up a text box explaining this new partnership. I still don’t get it.
The second tab brings you to a Discover page highlighting other Skullcandy products and further information and support for the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds. Given that it does nothing for the overall experience, I feel a link to a website would also have sufficed.
Verdict & Value
Overall, the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds provide some seriously impressive value for money through fantastic audio quality, decent ANC and a long list of premium features.
While the bulkier charging case feels a little awkward, it rarely detracts from the main attraction, which essentially allows you to tap into the premium earbuds space at a lower price point.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Great audio quality; Impressive battery life; Long list of premium features
Lowlights: Charging case design feels a little awkward; Skull-IQ app feels bloated with things that don’t add to the overall experience
Manufacturer: Skullcandy
Price: A$189.99
Available: Now
Review based on unit supplied by Skullcandy.
