Skullcandy Method 360 ANC review: Excellent Bose audio at an affordable price
**Skullcandy Method 360 ANC**
**MSRP**: $100.00
“The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC are a real treat for budget-conscious Bose enthusiasts.”
**Pros:**
- Affordable price
- Outstanding sound quality
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Multipoint connectivity and wear sensors
- Impressive battery life
**Cons:**
- Bulky charging case
- Lacks wireless charging
Skullcandy has produced a variety of budget-friendly wireless earbuds and headphones that sound good over the years. However, none of their products have featured noise canceling or sound quality capable of competing with brands like Bose—until now. Introducing the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC. At first sight, their stem shape and slide-out charging case resemble the Dime Evo. However, if you look closer, you’ll see that the Method 360 bears a striking resemblance to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. This similarity isn't coincidental, as Skullcandy and Bose collaborated to develop the Method 360 ANC, resulting in an impressive product. These earbuds represent the highest sound quality that Skullcandy has achieved thus far. With an introductory price of $100, they are definitely worth the attention of Bose fans.
**Editor's note**: Skullcandy has mentioned that the Method 360 ANC will likely see a price increase after launch—possibly reaching $130. However, this review reflects our impressions based on the $100 introductory price. We may adjust our rating if prices rise.
**Comfort and Style**
The Method 360 is nearly indistinguishable from the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (QCUE). When comparing them side by side, their similarities become immediately apparent. The Method 360 uses the same silicone stability bands that provide a secure yet comfortable fit. Like the QCUE, it offers three sizes of stability bands and eartips. I’ve always found the QCUE comfortable, and the Method 360 is equally pleasant to wear. Additionally, both models have an IPX4 rating for basic water resistance.
Skullcandy, however, has incorporated its unique elements into the design. The Method 360 features a glossy stem adorned with a half-skull logo, along with indicator LEDs on the outer casing. However, the charging case is less impressive. Skullcandy has chosen a sliding sleeve design instead of a more conventional clamshell or flip-top, making it bulkier and harder to fit in a pocket. Perhaps that’s the reason for including a carabiner—to attach it to a belt loop instead.
On a positive note, Skullcandy fans may appreciate the variety of styles the case offers, available in four translucent solid colors (black, white, red, and beige) as well as a leopard print design. However, retrieving the earbuds can be tricky as you need to understand the correct orientation for each side.
**Controls and Connections**
Though the Method 360 may visually resemble the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds, from a software aspect, they seem to share a platform with the newer Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, which is mostly advantageous. The Skullcandy SkullIQ app is similar to the Bose QCE app, providing various customizations, including comprehensive control over touch gestures—something Bose does not offer with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Each earbud has four gestures (single, double, and triple taps, plus tap-and-hold), which can be assigned to various functions such as play/pause, track skip, volume adjustment, ANC/transparency modes, Spotify Tap, voice assistant access, or taking photos.
I’m usually not fond of touch controls, but I found these worked perfectly on the Method 360. Wear sensors assist with auto-pause and resume capabilities, although curiously, you can't disable them. I'd like to see more inspiration from the QuietComfort Ultra in areas like ANC control and Multipoint connectivity.
With the Ultra Earbuds, switching between ANC and transparency mode doesn’t require cycling through an off mode, which is not an option on the Method 360 either. The Bose Music app, designed for use with the Ultra Earbuds and other Bose products, provides an easily navigable overview of paired devices, while with the QCE/Method 360, this management isn’t available. Nevertheless, multipoint functionality performs exceptionally well, and I had no issues switching swiftly between two connected devices.
**Sound Quality**
It’s astonishing to say this, but the $99 Method 360 ANC sounds strikingly similar to the $299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds when paired with an iPhone. It’s important to specify the device, as the Ultra Earbuds can use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound aptX Lossless codec with a compatible (non-iPhone) Android phone, which makes a slight but meaningful difference.
When Skullcandy claims, “Skullcandy brings the style, Bose brings the sound,” they are genuinely not exaggerating. When compared to the Skullcandy Rail ANC,
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Skullcandy Method 360 ANC review: Excellent Bose audio at an affordable price
The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC are truly a blessing for budget-conscious Bose enthusiasts.