This is already a pretty saturated market, with a lot of established players offering great products for even the most modest budgets. Launched last summer, JBL’s Quantum line looks to shake things up and offers variously premium features for less than a company like Razer, HyperX, or SteelSeries will charge.
Editor’s note: This review was updated on July 2, 2021 to include a microphone score based on the results of our reader feedback poll. Most of the headset’s features are controlled by two dials and three buttons, the bulk of which are clustered together on the back of the left headphone. You can activate the TalkThru feature with a quick tap to the ANC button, and it’s very easy to enable this by accident while you fumble around with the controls. The JBL QuantumENGINE app is necessary if you want to use either included surround sound standard, customize the LEDs, or just have a more visual interface for controlling everything. JBL claims the headset can last 14 hours on a single charge of playback with the LEDs off, which is largely consistent with our test results. With LEDs, surround sound, and ANC switched off the JBL Quantum 800 can last up to 14 hours, 13 minutes of consistent playback.
If you listen at a lower overall volume than 75dB(SPL), you might find you get better results than us, but all the settings we turned off have a pretty significant effect on performance. Playing games like Overwatch and League of Legends on PC, as well as Dauntless on PlayStation 4, worked like a charm. It handled the varied soundscape of swinging through New York City in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales very well on PlayStation 5—even while connected via USB, the headset didn’t have any issues with PS5’s spatial sound features. With QuantumSURROUND, the sounds of gunfights and different character conversations and vocal cues in Overwatch never felt segmented like that.
It may look a little wonky, but the JBL Quantum 800 actually have pretty typical sound for a pair of gaming headphones. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, if you’re a big fan of EDM or even just songs where the rhythm section really drives the momentum. However, the slightly distorted orchestral samples that play in the background of the song are a little harder to hear distinctly than they would be on a more neutral-leaning headset. The boost in the bass will probably make the rumble of explosions more prominent, but they were always going to be the loudest thing in a given scene, so you may not even notice. The accurate mids are pretty important though, as it means the sounds of character and player speech are less likely to be drowned out by other sounds—same deal with subtler audio cues like footsteps in games like Fortnite. Both the QuantumSURROUND and DTS:X 2.0 settings noticeably alter the audio profile of the headset, and not always in flattering ways.
Turning on either setting means two things to varying degrees: mids get less emphasis, and everything else gets boosted, in slightly odd ways. Remember, this isn’t a pair of commuter headphones, it’s a conspicuous gaming headset with all the gaudy flashing lights and the lengthy attached boom mic you’d expect. This won’t block out the sounds of a doorbell or someone actually talking to you, but it will pretty well erase the hum of a refrigerator or PC, or even noisy neighbors. However, when you boost highs and de-emphasize everything else, you make basically every kind of voice sound like it’s coming out of a tin can on a string, and that’s just the problem we have here.
It’s got a very comfortable build, noise cancelling, wireless audio, multiple surround sound options, and Bluetooth, all for $200. However, if you’re willing to prune a few features off your list of requirements, you don’t have to look very far to find gaming headsets that handle the basics better, and offer a lot of the same frills—often for less money.
JBL Quantum 400 Gaming Headset Review – Onbewandeld pad
JBL staat al jaren bekend om haar audioproducten, waarbij de nadruk vooral ligt op de koptelefoons en speakers die voor een goede prijs verkocht worden. Op de schelpen heeft JBL tevens een slimme keuze gemaakt die het design helemaal compleet maakt. Dit is een speciale techniek die JBL heeft ontwikkeld om het gevoel van surround sound na te bootsen. Bij games als Counter-Strike en Overwatch werkt dit dan ook uitstekend.
Graag hadden we de technologie ook op consoles gezien, maar die hebben het helaas te doen met stereo-audio. Medespelers hoeven niet te lijden onder gemompel of keiharde tonen die de trommelvliezen scheuren. Gelukkig betekent het niet dat iedereen die langere gamesessies inplant, hoeft te vrezen. Haal hier de JBL Quantum 400 Gaming Headset voor 99,95 euro bij bol.com Wat dat betreft heeft JBL een goed design afgeleverd, al hadden we de microfoon graag los kunnen koppelen (hoe goed deze ook mag zijn).
JBL Quantum One review – De ultieme wired headset voor gaming en meer?
De JBO Quantum One komt geleverd in een harde kartonnen doos, vol met fraaie plaatjes, teksten en symbolen. Een bezoekje aan de JBL-site doet wonderen, maar dit had gestroomlijnder en duidelijker gekund. Prachtig als je er van houdt, maar gelukkig kan dit ook uitgezet worden.
De beugel zelf is voorzien van zacht foam met leren overtrek en zit meteen lekker.
Aansluiten via de 3,5mm jack kan ook, maar dan moet je juist die functies missen. De headset zit ook na een lange dag werk nog steeds comfortabel, zelfs met warm weer.
Dat betekent dus richting je console kruipen, want de kabel is niet zo heel erg lang. PC gamers hebben hier allemaal geen last van, zij zitten toch altijd vrij dicht op hun laptop/PC.
Enige waar zij mogelijk last van krijgen is dat er een USB poort nodig is en die zijn vooral op laptops vaak schaars. Bediening van het volume moet dan via een kleine dongle die in de kabel zit. Daarmee is de JBL Quantum One een prima product, vooral als hij aangesloten is via USB aan je PC. Voor PC gamers die vaak online gamen is deze headset een prima keuze.
JBL Quantum One Gaming Headset review
That said, crisp sound, easy to use accessories, and a comfortable fit on the ears give this headset a lot of bang for its buck. That said, crisp sound, easy to use accessories, and a comfortable fit on the ears give this headset a lot of bang for its buck. Interchangeable between the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, this headset is adaptable to however you play with both a 3.5mm headphone wire and a USB audio mixer included in the box. We only wish that feature would come across when wearing them on console, but as it stands the USB mixer won’t work Xbox One or PlayStation 4.
In fact, that’s probably the biggest issue we had with the JBL Quantum One headset: it’s compatible with all consoles, but it’s not as stable and doesn’t sound as good as it does when used with a PC. That said, the 3.5 mm headphone jack will allow for voice chat on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 (not the Nintendo Switch), but we experienced far more technical issues on the console than when we had the USB mixer plugged into the PC. Moreover, the audio is close to the best we’ve ever heard in a gaming headset, with every minute detail coming through clean and clear thanks to the amazing customizable surround sound. The spatial audio tech that the Quantum One hangs its hat on is certainly cool, but it wouldn’t always match the direction I was facing which definitely hurt the immersion. Clean audio, an easy-to-use mixer, and a powerful microphone make this headset an instant heavy hitter in the PC gaming sector.
Review: JBL Quantum One
Dat vonden we jammer, dus besloten we om de JBL Quantum One alsnog te reviewen. Het doet ons ook groot plezier om een gaming headset van JBL te kunnen testen.
Dat komt mede door Virtual Reality, waar we binnen de hifi toch ook wel wat van meekrijgen.
Hoe geweldig zou het zijn om virtueel aan te schuiven in rokerige jazz club, eind jaren 40, om van dichtbij te ervaren hoe Miles Davis zijn trompet bespeelt.
Het belang van de technologie die JBL dus in deze headset stopt is enorm groot, met name voor head-fi. Een certificering voor Discord, DTS X, RGB verlichting en hi-res audioweergave worden als kenmerken genoemd. Maakt niet uit welke computer of gameconsole het is, de JBL Quantum One is erop aan te sluiten. Hiermee kan je eenvoudig en snel ANC of headtracking aan of uit zetten.
We moeten recht voor het scherm gaan zitten en een knop indrukken. Het geeft gamen echt een nieuwe dimensie, dus in die zin: missie geslaagd.
Dat gebruiken we bij het kijken van films en series ook, afgewisseld met de DTX-instellingen. We kijken de serie Altered Carbon op Netflix, wel het eerste seizoen.
Een willekeurige greep uit de top 40, brengt ons op het nummer Head & Heart – Joel Corry. Vooral het midden en laag worden zeer netjes naar voren geschoven. Als je geen jazz of complexe klassieke stukken wil luisteren, scoort de JBL ruim voldoende. Het andere stukje audio op een gaming headset is natuurlijk de microfoon. Iets omhoog vinden we ook een knop om de microfoon direct op mute te zetten. Dat maakt de JBL Quantum One ook geschikt om te gebruiken in een online meeting. Echter zagen we bij de Razer dat hier iets beter mee werd omgegaan. JBL heeft zoveel aandacht besteed aan innovatie en techniek, dat het andere niet zo zwaar weegt.
De geluidservaring is van ongekend niveau, echter wel gericht op films en games.
JBL Quantum One review: a top-quality gaming headset packed with features
This pair of headphones is very much up at the premium end of the market, with active noise cancelling, high-quality 50 mm drivers, and what JBL is calling QuantumSphere 360: immersive surround sound that aims to put you right in the middle of the gaming action. It’s the flagship headset in the JBL line (check out some of the other options from the same brand for a cheaper alternative or two), and if you’re looking for the best gaming audio experience on Windows at the moment, then it’s absolutely worth considering.
In our JBL Quantum One review, we’ll outline exactly what you can expect from the headset, covering everything from audio quality and setup, to the design and feel of the headphones.
The JBL Quantum One gaming headset definitely scores highly as far as its design and its aesthetics are concerned: it feels really well put together, with soft and comfortable ear pads, a cushioned head strap, and robust black plastic connecting everything together.
Our ears felt well cushioned and protected, safely ensconced in a pocket of high-quality audio, and we didn’t notice any sort of discomfort even after a couple of hours of using the headset. Via a quick setup process where sample sounds are played to your left and right ear, you can enable the bespoke QuantumSphere 360 feature for immersive 360-degree audio.
The JBL Quantum One headset is a pricey bit of gaming equipment but we think the expense is justified: you get a whole host of features to play around with (particularly on Windows), you get two connection types to choose from, and you can use the headphones with just about every device out there, from your Xbox to your smartphone. It’s fair to say that the extra features like noise cancelling and surround sound aren’t best-in-class, but they still make a difference, and in terms of overall audio performance and fidelity the headphones are hard to beat.
Absolutely put this near the top of your list if you’re in the market for a new gaming headset, particularly if you’re a Windows PC gamer and you want to take advantage of the extra features enabled by the accompanying JBL software.
JBL Quantum ONE Review
Volume control relies on an infinite scroll wheel, which isn’t ideal in terms of physical feedback, although they provide an audible beep to indicate the minimum and maximum volume. You can easily swap audio channels when using the USB cable using an in-line dock. A secondary mute input and RGB lighting activation rely on the same button, just like ANC and talk-through.
JBL Quantum One Gaming Headset review: Great sound, rich features
The Quantum One has something JBL refers to as QuantumSPHERE 360 (more on this later), which is basically integrated head-tracking that creates an independent virtual soundscape that sounds different according to how you position your head. And as its stiff S$369 price tag suggests, the Quantum One packs that and more into its frame, including elaborate RGB lighting on the earcups.
I personally prefer headsets with a simpler design in the style of the Razer BlackShark V2 or Logitech G Pro X Wireless, but the JBL Quantum One will suit those who enjoy a more traditional, gamer-esque look. At 369g, this isn’t the lightest headset around, but its plush, memory foam earcups and padded headband help with comfort over long hours.
You’ll also want to watch out for peeling on the synthetic leather, so it’d have been nice if JBL had included swappable fabric ear cups as Logitech did on the G Pro X Wireless. There are helpful notches on the sliders so you can set the precise position for each earcup, but I’ve liked to see a more sturdy metal mechanism on a headset at this price. The detachable USB-C cord comes with a compact mixer dial, which lets you adjust the audio balance between chat and your game. Then you’ll also need to calibrate the head-tracking, and an onscreen gyroscope helps you ensure your head is in a neutral position before setting the central point of reference. Nevertheless, positional accuracy was pretty spot on – while the relatively smaller sound stage on my regular in-ear monitors means that I often had trouble separating my own footsteps from that of the enemy in a chaotic situation, I had no such issues with the Quantum One. The ANC did a good job of cutting out the whir of my PC and dampening some of the background noise, but it won’t entirely silence the TV if it’s blaring in the same room as you.
What’s more, the calibration appears to have a tendency to drift, so audio often doesn’t sound completely centred even if your head is, leading to a somewhat distorted perception of the soundscape. If you can get past its garish RGB lighting, it offers a rich feature set that most PC gamers will appreciate, including ANC, a useful game-chat mixer dial, and some of the best audio I’ve heard on a gaming headset.
At S$369, this is a steep investment, and I think it would be a lot more attractive if the head-tracking feature had been removed to make way for a more palatable price tag or improving the microphone.
Wij stellen technologie op de proef
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