A less expensive model of Bose’s finest earbuds, with just a few key sacrifices

Skullcandy isn’t a reputation that normally involves thoughts whenever you consider premium headphones. The Utah-based firm has primarily made its identify within the price range area, promoting extra on low costs and loud, sports-heavy advertising than the promise of wonderful sound high quality.

With the brand new Method 360 ANC, the audio maker is making an attempt to vary that by latching onto one other model fully. Skullcandy proudly boasts that its newest wi-fi earbuds function “sound by Bose,” which is to say that Bose has equipped the acoustic tuning, ear suggestions and total form of the gadget. In reality, the brand new buds look fairly much like Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds from afar. However that upscale pair retails for $299 and the Technique 360 ANC solely prices $130 (or as low as $100 at third-party shops of this writing). So has Skullcandy managed to seize the perfect of Bose at a extra inexpensive worth? Form of.

Design and options

The Technique 360 ANC is certainly roughly as comfy because the QuietComfort Extremely. Every earpiece is barely heavier and extra plastic-y — and Bose’s pair was already on the cumbersome aspect — however the delicate ear gels and stability fins assist them match comfortable with out creating an excessive amount of strain. I had no points with them coming unfastened over a number of weeks of testing. The earbuds have an IPX4 water-resistance score — not the perfect, however sufficient to outlive most individuals’s exercises. The bigger body creates more room for the aspect contact panels, and all of the controls do work reliably, which isn’t a given within the $100 vary.

These earbuds additionally include a lot of the options you’d need from a contemporary pair. There are lively noise cancellation (ANC) and ambient sound modes. Battery life is okay at eight to 11-ish hours, relying on ANC utilization. They will dependably join to 2 gadgets concurrently, they usually work with Google’s Quick Pair tech on Android gadgets. They assist put on detection, too, and there are three totally different units of ear gels and fins within the field. Any settings tweaks I’ve made in Skullcandy’s Skull-iQ app have taken impact rapidly, and on the whole the software program is simple to navigate. The one main omissions listed below are the dearth of wi-fi charging and a brief one-year guarantee.

Sound high quality

When you begin listening to the Technique 360 ANC, although, you begin to see why it’s priced underneath $150. The default sound signature is extraordinarily V-shaped: The bass is very large, the treble is vibrant and all the things in between is recessed. Bass lovers ought to respect this with hip-hop, dance music and plenty of pop songs. A observe like Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA” turns into notably simple to rock to: The low-end is deep and impactful, whereas a large spike across the higher midrange retains the vocals clear all through. Usually, the Technique 360 ANC is a step up from the Anker Soundcore Space A40, the longtime prime decide in our information to the best earbuds under $100. That pair is much extra muffled within the treble, whereas the Skullcandy pair’s crisper, extra prolonged highs are inclined to make songs really feel much less closed-off.

That mentioned, it’s very simple to see how this sort of signature may get fatiguing over time. It’s constantly intense, and the recessed mids trigger it to lose particulars in reasonably intricate compositions. An indie rock observe like Hop Alongside’s “The Knock” is a little bit of a large number, because the bassline and crunchy rhythm guitar overwhelm the lead guitar riffs and rob the raspy vocals of air. With America’s “Ventura Highway,” the folksy acoustic guitar comes by way of clearly, however the overemphasized treble makes “ess” sounds a contact too sharp.

The QuietComfort Extremely doesn’t precisely sound impartial, nevertheless it all the time comes off as extra balanced by comparability. Skullcandy has additionally omitted assist for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs, so it solely helps the fundamental SBC and AAC. All of that is nonetheless better-than-average for bassheads procuring on this worth vary — simply don’t count on it to compete very far past that. Fortunately, you’ll be able to rein in among the default profile’s excesses with a customized EQ in Skullcandy’s app.

ANC, ambient sound, name high quality and one funky case

Skullcandy’s ANC is completely respectable for $130, and it’s nice you’ll be able to customise the depth of the noise-canceling impact by way of the app. However it’s not on the extent of the QuietComfort Extremely Earbuds and even the step-down QuietComfort Earbuds. It cuts out a good chunk of the bassy rumble of an NYC subway prepare, however higher-pitched screeches and cease bulletins are very a lot audible with music enjoying at average volumes.

The “Keep Conscious” (ambient sound) mode, in the meantime, is satisfactory however nothing extra; it’s a type of offers the place it’s essential to maintain the quantity considerably low to make sure you can hear your self clearly. Name high quality isn’t nice, both: The mic does properly to restrict background noise, nevertheless it struggles with wind and makes your voice sound noticeably skinny and processed. My testing associate mentioned it made me sound like I used to be in an elevator.

My largest criticism, nonetheless, is with the ginormous tube of a case. It’s comically massive subsequent to pairs just like the QuietComfort Extremely or Area A40, a lot in order that I’ve to query simply how spacious Skullcandy thinks most individuals’s pockets are. There’s a built-in clip that permits you to hook the case to a bag or belt loop, however as a resident of New York Metropolis, I’ll by no means be comfy sauntering round with something of worth dangling on my particular person. Truly snapping the earbuds again into the case is cumbersome as properly: You need to slide the case open, then flip the earpieces the other way up and insert them on reverse sides. I can perceive desirous to make one thing distinctive, however that is an occasion the place boring would’ve been higher.

Wrap-up

The Technique 360 ANC has its issues, however most of them aren’t too stunning for a comparatively inexpensive pair of wi-fi earbuds (outsized case apart). Don’t be fooled into pondering the Bose branding means you’re getting a Bose-level product — the real-deal QuietComfort Earbuds are higher should you’re prepared to pay extra. However that is nonetheless a tier above most price range pairs we’ve examined. It has almost all of the options we’re searching for (not like, say, the Beats Solo Buds), it’s comfy and the sound signature will hit proper should you’re hungry for bass. At its regular $130, it’s properly value contemplating for bassheads who can go one rung above the cut price bin. For $100 or much less, it’s an ideal worth. Simply make room for that case.