JBL Quantum 600 (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://www.jbl.com/gaming/QUANTUM600.html
JBL is a big name in the audio industry. Whether they’re selling speakers, headphones, headsets, PA systems, studio monitors, or accessories—JBL has a strong presence to audiophiles and casual consumers alike.
According to JBL’s mission statement: “We combine passion and purpose to design and deliver smart products, systems, software and services that connect people wherever they are. We lead with integrity, innovate with intention, and drive operational excellence to inspire breakthrough performances that generate customer value and strong shareholder returns.”
Today, we are looking at the JBL Quantum 600 which has an MSRP of $149. However, as of the time of writing, you can find the Quantum 600 on Amazon or JBL’s website for $100. I must say that the headset is well packaged and the box gives off a premium, high quality feel. The box itself has an outer sleeve that houses the headset and accessories under a clear plastic case below.
The headset comes with an easy to understand manual, a braided USB-C charging cable, a braided audio cord, and the wireless dongle. That’s right, you will be able to use this headset with either the 2.4GHz wireless dongle or with a 3.5mm audio cord. Because of these connection options, you will be able to connect the Quantum 600 to your PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, phone, etc.
The braiding on the charging and audio cables are much appreciated as they feel better than your typical plastic black cables. The headset itself is very comfortable with padding on the plastic earcups and headband. That said, it is rather heavy at 346 grams—a fact that always took a few minutes to get used to for the first few times that I used it. The headset has a glossy matte finish and the JBL logos on both earcups light up. By default, the lights alternate between purple and blue, but those options can be customized using the PC app.
The headset itself has audio controls on the left earcup and a power toggle on the right one. The top rocker on the left earcup allows you to adjust the balance between game and audio chat while the lower one allows you to control the master volume. Finally, you can mute the microphone either by pressing the mute button on the left earcup or simply by tilting the attached microphone up. When connected via the audio jack, the volume can also be adjusted using the slider on the audio cable.
The audio quality is great for what is essentially a $100 headset. My only real complaint while gaming is that the sound can come across as soft at times and the maximum volume isn’t that high. I never noticed audio delay in the sound when playing wirelessly. The headset is bass-heavy, which audiophiles will find familiar in similar headsets. The highs and middles are certainly not drowned out by the bass, but you may want to adjust the sound using the Quantum ENGINE PC app which has many presets for you to try as well as custom options. It is unfortunate that there is no noise cancellation, but one would be hard pressed to find noise cancellation on a $100 headset.
Unfortunately, I was not very impressed with the microphone quality. It works just fine for gaming and for phone calls as people have told me that they can head my clearly, but the audio just isn’t crisp enough for tasks that are more likely to require a dedicated microphone, such as making YouTube videos or podcasting. That said, if your main goal with the microphone is to communicate with friends while gaming without worrying about having the highest audio quality, then this microphone is perfectly serviceable.
My biggest issue with the headset is one that I encountered entirely by accident. You’re unable to use the headset when it is plugged in and charging—even if the wireless dongle is still plugged in. Thus, if you find that it's about to die in the middle of working or gaming, you will have to use a different headset to continue while this one charges. Luckily, there's a strong 14 hour battery life and I’ve yet to find myself running out of juice in the middle of a task.
The bottom line is that the JBL Quantum 600 is a great budget headset that can be found new for as little as $100. I can definitely recommend checking it out and comparing it with the slightly more expensive 800 model with noise cancellation.
Technical Specifications
- Frequency response 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Microphone frequency response 100 Hz – 10 kHz
- Max input power 30 mW
- Sensitivity 100 dB SPL @1 kHz / 1mW
- Maximum SPL 97 dB
- Microphone sensitivity -40 dB @1 kHz / Pa
- Impedance 32 ohm
- Microphone pickup pattern Unidirectional
- Driver Size 50 mm
- Dynamic drivers
- Weight 346 g
- 2.4G Wireless transmitter power <4 dBm
- 2.4G Wireless modulation π/4-DQPSK
- 2.4G Wireless carrier frequency 2403.35 MHz – 2479.35 MHz
- Battery type Li-ion battery (3.7 V / 1300 mAh)
- Power supply 5V 2A
- Charging time 2hrs
- Playtime with RGB lighting off Up to 14hrs
- Playtime with RGB lighting on Up to 9hrs
Verdict
- Very easy setup
- Crisp audio quality with high bass that doesn't tune out the mids and highs
- Stylish and comfortable
- Physical rockers on the left earcup to control the volume
- Durable build quality
- Option to connect wirelessly or wired
- Braded audio and charging cables are high quality
- Works on every mainstream console and PC.
- Affordable budget headset
- A little bulky
- Only a 14 hour battery life
- No Bluetooth functionality
- Microphone quality is so-so but will do the job
