Skullcandy Method 360 ANC TWS review: Standing out is easy, but standing apart is tough

Earbuds across price ranges have been trying to differentiate themselves with unique designs and partnerships with established audio brands. Skullcandy has chosen to go its own way with the Method 360 ANC. The new TWS earphones pair was launched recently in India, priced at Rs 12499. It has an unconventional charging case that can be hung from your backpack. And there’s the ‘Sound by Bose’ branding, which immediately raises expectations. Together, they make the Method 360 ANC one of the more intriguing launches in the premium TWS space. But does it all come together for a good pair of earphones? You’ll have the answer here.

Skullcandy Method 360: Design that stands out

Most earbuds have compact pebble-or squircle-shaped cases. Skullcandy has given the Method 360 a long rectangular case that resembles a vape. Some bystanders asked and gawked at what this thing I was holding. It has a translucent surface with a grooved finish. This was good to hold. But it is noticeably larger and not something you can easily slide into your jeans/pant pocket.

With the built-in carabiner, the Method 360 is meant to be hung from a bag or belt loop. While that’s certainly distinctive, I wasn’t comfortable doing so. A case hanging in plain sight feels more vulnerable to accidental knocks, scratches or even theft in crowded places. But I know some people who would love to hang it, as it is sure to be a talking point.

It feels like Skullcandy has prioritised style and identity over portability. Even while I was in a crowded metro, taking out the earbuds was tough. The sliding mechanism to open the case felt cool but slightly cumbersome. Putting the earbuds back in also didn’t always come naturally to me. 

The earbuds themselves are also a tad bigger in size than most earbuds out there. But they are lightweight, and the rubber earwings offer a comfortable fit. They wouldn’t quickly fall off during light workouts and movements. You can choose between the different ear tips and silicone wings present in the box for the right combination. The larger size of the earbuds offers more surface for touch/tap gestures, which again matters a lot in everyday use.

Last but not least, the Method 360 ANC earbuds support an IPX4 rating, which means you don’t have to worry about sweat or light rain, although some competitors offer better protection against dust as well.

Skullcandy Method 360: Sound by Bose doesn’t stand apart

Ever since Bose began licensing its ‘Sound by Bose’ audio tuning, we’ve started seeing the branding appear on some earbuds. Method 360 also gets this, and as per Skullcandy, the partnership includes Bose engineers’ involvement in not just audio architecture but also the design of the ear gels. The claims include ‘high-fidelity audio experience defined by clarity of sound and depth of range,’ but that’s not exactly what we get. The sound signature is more bass-forward than balanced, which is fine for listening to hip-hop, EDM, workout playlists, and Bollywood pop. But even the quality of the bass isn’t too deep or energetic.

In ‘Matador’ by Jayo, the rumble in the beginning portion of the track isn’t prominent on the Method 360, while its strong presence is meant to create an exciting sense of depth and energy. The same is true for the bass drops on Jailer 2’s ‘One Name.’ They don’t dig as deep as they should, making the drops feel less impactful than they are meant to.

The high notes of the synth beats on The Weeknd’s ‘Open Hearts’ aren’t clear either. The soundstage is very narrow, too. So, a track like Hangova from ‘DC’ sounds confined. While the overall loudness sounds low when compared to our reference earbuds at the same volume level, the vocals by Anirudh Ravichander in this Hangova track sound recessed on the Skullcandy pair.

Overall, the Method 360 delivers an easy-going sound with more lower-end emphasis but doesn’t try too hard to impress. Just don’t expect the kind of refined listening experience the ‘Sound by Bose’ branding might lead you to anticipate.

Thankfully, the companion app includes a custom equaliser. More on that in the next section.

Also Read: Skullcandy Uproar TWS review: A bit too simple for its own good

Skullcandy app: Ample customisation

The app has a simple dark-themed interface with colourful accents that instantly feel on-brand for Skullcandy. It has most of the essential features one would need, but then there are some notable omissions.

You can see the battery status, change volume, noise modes (ANC, transparency), equaliser modes, enable game mode, multipoint pairing, and change button controls. You also get Spotify Tap and camera shutter controls, which some may find useful. I appreciate the customisability of touch gesture controls.

Of course, the app isn’t without its flaws, though. It occasionally detects earbuds from other brands as available devices, the battery percentage isn’t always accurate, the EQ presets don’t make a meaningful difference to the listening experience, and there’s no option to disable in-ear wear detection.

Skullcandy Method 360: ANC and calls

Method 360’s ANC sufficiently blocks constant low-frequency sounds, such as the sound of a fan, AC, chimney, etc. You can still hear the sudden noises and nearby conversations, albeit at a low volume.

Transparency mode is good enough for quick conversations without taking the earbuds off. However, your own voice sounds bass-heavy and distant, making conversations feel less natural than they should.

During regular voice calls, the other person sounded clear to me, but they consistently said my voice sounded distant, as if I were speaking from farther away.

Skullcandy Method 360 ANC: Reasonable battery life

Skullcandy has equipped the Method 360 ANC with an above-average battery life of 8 hours 15 minutes with continuous music playback (FLAC) with AAC codec, 80% volume and ANC on. But the battery life between the two earbuds was constantly inconsistent.

As per the brand, the Method 360 can last for 9 hours and with the case, up to 32 hours with ANC on, and with ANC off, the battery life can last up to 11 hours with the earbuds and up to 40 hours with the case.

So, the runtime in our test was a tad shorter than the brand’s claims, but that could be due to different testing conditions. Your mileage may vary based on your listening preferences.

You get fast charging speed, which is said to give 2 hours worth of playback with just 10-minutes of top-up. Nice. That said, the absence of wireless charging will be missed by some at this price point.

Skullcandy Method 360 ANC verdict: Should you buy it? 

The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC is a product that dares to stand out with a distinctive charging case. With that and the ‘Sound by Bose’ branding, Skullcandy is trying to differentiate itself from the sea of earbuds under Rs 13000. Well, if you’re after something that starts conversations and offers a decent fit, you’ll like this.

However, the overall experience doesn’t consistently justify the asking price. The bulky case isn’t the most practical for everyday use, the app needs polishing, transparency mode and call quality leave room for improvement, and the sound doesn’t deliver the refinement the Bose partnership leads you to expect. While the battery life is respectable, the lack of wireless charging is another omission at this price. If it were any cheaper, we could have ignored some of these qualms.

At Rs 12499, the Method 360 ANC has much competition and is difficult to recommend over them. So, unless you specifically like Skullcandy’s bold design, there are better options in this segment.

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