amazon SKULLCANDY METHOD ACTIVE ANC reviews
Although a few pairs of active noise-canceling headphones have been released, it was not until early this year that Skullcandy applied this technology to a pair of In-ear headphones called Skullcandy Method Active ANC. The quality of these headphones has met the users’ expectations, is worth the upgrade compared to the regular Method Active version?
Open the box / Design
This is the Skullcandy Method Active ANC box (I will call it Method ANC quickly), with the biggest advertised by Skullcandy is the Tile search chip, which the company is integrating into all new products.
Open the box, we have the user manual, a special skull-shaped micro USB charging cord, a shirt clip, a set of ears, and 2 pairs of rubber cushions. The ANC method is designed to go deep into the user’s ear so the buffers are made quite small, with the hard end to hold onto the user’s ear more firmly.
The difference is that Method ANC uses lumpy plastic, holding it in the hand also has a more ‘feel’. The controls are also redesigned to place each button in a separate place, not a single plastic bar anymore.
The micro USB charging port is placed behind a rubber layer. This is a small drawback of Skullcandy when the mid-range Inear pair has not switched to USB Type-C, but at Method ANC we still can charge quickly (10 minutes for 1.5 hours of music).
At the end of the wire we still have a piece of wire pulling so that the headset is close to the user’s neck, making it harder to fall when exercising.
The part with the biggest difference is the ear-wearing part, which is made large to add components for ANC noise cancellation, the quality we will experience more in the next section.
Although bigger, Method ANC is still made very light, so it is comfortably worn on the ear. Comes with that is a system of ear cushions and ear cups called FinFet, making this a pair of headphones that are very suitable for wearing exercise.
We have two weaknesses in the built-in ANC noise canceling, that is the water resistance standard that has been reduced from Method Active’s IPX7 to IPX4, possibly because the company has to integrate an external recording microphone; Along with that, if active noise cancellation is turned on, the usage time will be reduced from 10 hours to 6 hours.
Technical specifications
– Dynamic 9.2mm drivers
– Impedance: 16 Ohms
– Sensitivity: 101 +/- 4 dB
– Frequency: 20Hz – 20KHz
– Bluetooth v5.0
– IPX4 waterproof standard
– 6 hours music playing time
– Weight: 16.6g
where can you get a SKULLCANDY METHOD ACTIVE ANC online
Skullcandy Method Active Wireless In-Ear Earbud – Black, (Model: S2NCW-M448): Buy it now
Practical experience
First we will learn about the quality of active noise cancellation technology on Method ANC. This is an Inear headset, again equipped with a good quality ear cushions system, so the passive noise resistance is quite good, so in most cases we do not have to use the ANC. When activated, the ANC can make sirens, continuous and repetitive noises ‘quieter’ than usual, no longer being jarring. It must also be said that the active noise cancellation of the Method ANC only stops at ‘effective’, but will still lose to the Sony version, and certainly cannot ‘touch’ with the ‘level’ of the pair. Crusher ANC. Think of this as an aid for conventional noise cancellation, not the ability to block all sounds from high-end products!
Like the cheaper version of Method Active, Method ANC is equipped with Tile search chip – something that Skullcandy is trying to apply in all its products, be it cheap or expensive. This chip allows users to use smartphones to determine exactly where their headphones are located, prevent theft or get lost in the house.
Another point that Method ANC is similar to Method Active is that it possesses the latest Skullcandy sound quality, in a more balanced way, without the ‘differences’ that make the experience uncomfortable. However, of course, the bass range of these headphones is still pressed to create the excitement, if you do not do so, it would not be a Skullcandy headset! The amount of extra bass than average, if I’m not mistaken, it’s a little bit more than Method Active, but not to the point of frustrating redundancy. The bass of Pharrell Williams’ Marilyn Monroe has good bounce, solidity and good vibrations. With the Method Active line and now Method ANC, I want a little texture.
The story continues to repeat with the middle strip, when in recent times, Skullcandy has no longer made the super glare, hard to hear, but still focused on making this strip more balanced and comfortable. Surely you must also admit that, even with the genuine bass-head, all of us sometimes “turn” to soft, classical music to relax our mind. This is also the reason why many ‘specialized bass’ brands like Skullcandy and Beats have to change, they cannot make the mid-distorted hard to hear. The ANC method owns the singer voice leaning towards the dark, the negative, the higher it is, the better, the sibalance is cut neatly. Is this the best midrange in price range or not? Are not! But is this a good enough mid-range for a pair of headphones dedicated to the active music? I will answer yes.
In the past, treble was the worst negative strip of Skullcandy, constantly making the user ‘stunned’ because of its very high brightness, causing a dazzling phenomenon. Skullcandy’s new headphones, on the other hand, have a soft treble, somewhat more ‘reserved’. Maybe I use headphones with treble too bright, so I find that this treble is a bit weak, but for normal use of everyone, it will be at ‘just enough’, not too much but not too little, especially in its correct position is often not ‘swallowed up’ by other tonal bands.
There are trade-offs but still worth the money
Certainly mentioning Method Active ANC, many people will say that active noise cancellation is the most outstanding feature. But we must also understand that with a pair of In-ear headphones, the ANC will not be as perfect as an Over-ear with thicker cushioning. Along with that, we will also have to trade water resistance (down to IPX4) and about 4 hours of music compared to the Method Active. However, in general, this is still a pair of ‘worth money’ headphones, especially when looking at the quality, design, and sound quality it brings.
Advantages
– Modern design, comfortable and firm to wear
– IPX4 waterproof standard (reduced from Method Active’s IPX7)
– Has Tile search chip
– Ability to fast charge 10 minutes for 1 hour 30 minutes of listening
– Active noise cancellation ANC
– Exciting sound quality Skullcandy quality
Disadvantage
– Still using micro USB
– Active noise cancellation stops at a decent level
– Price is slightly higher than Method Active version