Skullcandy Method 360 ANC Review: Bose-Quality Sound, Budget Price

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There are a lot of earbuds out there, from open-ear to workout earbuds, but there’s not a lot out there like Skullcandy’s Method 360 ANC earbuds. Skullcandy, best known for its budget-friendly audio products with youthful, skate-inspired branding (see: the promo campaign with Tony Hawk), has never been particularly renowned for its audiophile credentials. But its latest release is different. 

Skullcandy teamed up with Bose, who went under the hood and designed the sound for the Method 360 earbuds. Bose has designed audio for other brands under its “Sound by Bose” line, and the company has been in the automotive business for decades, so Bose lending its name to other brands is nothing new. But this partnership is one of the most high-profile collaborations between two well-known earbud brands. 

So, how do they stack up? In short, these are some of the best-sounding earbuds at this price point, and the active noise canceling (ANC) is top-tier, but some design quirks may put some people off.

Skullcandy Method 360 ANC: Design 

The biggest — and that word choice is intentional — design decision is the case. It’s the largest, most unusual earbud case I’ve ever seen. The case has a built-in clip, with a semi-transparent plastic outer. Instead of a clamshell design, the earbuds slide out of the case with a telescoping motion. 

It takes a little guesswork to figure out how to place the earbuds in the case, as they fit in upside down. And oddly enough, from what I would consider the front of the case, the right earbud is on the left and the right is on the left, adding to the puzzle-like nature of the case. 

Skullcandy sent me a white “bone” colorway, but there’s also black, brown, red, and a leopard print to choose from. In short, these aren’t earbuds designed to blend in. Anyone who prefers the svelte design of AirPods may not be a fan, but if you’re into the bag charm craze, you might appreciate the bold design and built-in carabiner. And, not for nothing, the sliding design means it’s nearly impossible for the earbuds to pop out if you drop them. 

As for the earbuds themselves, they bear a striking resemblance to Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, with a swappable stabilizer band and a rounded stemmed design. 

Skullcandy Method 360 ANC: Features and Controls 

The Skullcandy earbuds are controlled by the Skull-iQ app, which is intuitive and surprisingly feature-rich, including adjusting the active noise-canceling level using a slider. There are built-in EQ modes, or you can use the five-band EQ for a custom sound profile. 

The earbuds also have Google Fast Pair, making them easy to connect with Android devices, while multipoint make them a good office companion, keeping you connected to a laptop and phone at the same time. The earbuds have reliable in-ear detection, quickly pausing the music when you take an earbud out. 

You can customize the controls on both the left and right earbuds. The tap controls are dependable, and not overly sensitive, a common problem with some earbuds. By default, a single tap controls playback, and you can set a controls for a double tap, triple tap, or long press; I set double tap to switch between ANC modes. I prefer to have both earbuds do the same thing, but you can set the left to switch ANC modes and right to open your assistant, for example. 

As for battery life, it’s solid, although you don’t get a huge boost by having a gigantic case. The earbuds’ stated battery life is up to 32 Hours with ANC On, with nine hours in earbuds and 23 hours with the case. Turning ANC off gives a substantial boost to battery life, with up to 40 hours total. It’s pretty solid performance, outlasting the nearly identical Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra earbuds.

Skullcandy Method 360 ANC: Sound Quality and Performance 

The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds are a great-sounding pair of earbuds, particularly at their $130 price point. I do think Bose’s QC Ultra earbuds sound better, but at $300, they’re also $170 more than the Skullcandy earbuds. With the Method ANC earbuds, there’s minimal tradeoff in audio performance with ANC on or off, a problem that affects some earbuds, including higher-priced pairs. For this price point, there aren’t many better-sounding earbuds out there. 

The noise canceling performance is similarly impressive. Again, Bose’s much pricier QC Ultra earbuds outperform Skullcandy here, but the Method 360 earbuds can capably handle loud street noises, other daily distractions, and they even do a decent job blocking wind noise.

If there’s an audio gripe, it’s the voice assistant, which announces the battery life and connection status when you first put the earbuds in. Not only is it tinny-sounding, but it’s too loud, regardless of your phone’s volume level. Hopefully, Skullcandy can fix this in a future firmware update, because it’s a common complaint among users. 

Skullcandy Method 360 ANC: Verdict

The biggest impediment for users buying these earbuds will likely be the case, which will only fit in the baggiest of baggy Gen Z jeans. The case seems designed to be divisive, or at least statement-making, and if you’re a fan of the bag charm trend, you might enjoy the design. 

Other than the case and the overly-loud voice assistant, there’s little to complain about with these earbuds, and a lot to love, particularly at this price. The sound quality and ANC are standouts, the fit is snug and comfortable, and the battery life outlasts many higher-priced earbuds. 

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly pair of buds — with a real sense of personality  — that don’t skimp on audio quality, the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds are a knockout.