JBL Quantum ONE Headset Review – A Profound Technical Achievement

JBL Quantum ONE Review

The Quantum One headset from JBL is, and I can’t stress this enough, genuinely phenomenal. The comfort, design, adjustable parameters, and tremendous quality of audio culminate into being quite possibly the best I’ve ever experienced.

Akin to many headsets on the market today, the Quantum Ones extend far beyond the range of human hearing with a 20hz-40khz frequency response. While presentation ultimately relies on the developer, you won’t miss a single audible nuance thanks to the 50mm dynamic drivers packed into these bad boys. Within the intuitive QuantumENGINE, you’re able to customize driver equalization, mic settings, spatial sound modes, and lighting. I’ve taken advantage of each while testing the headset across several games.

There are many games with impressive audio, but none compare to the integrity of Modern Warfare 2019. I can’t imagine a better way to experience the game’s killer sound design than with this headset. Naturally, I felt inclined to crank the volume to a deafening level to embrace the soundscape of war. Every round fired, explosion, and VTOL jet flying overhead packs incredible punch and clarity. These cans live up to the tagline ‘Sound is Survival’ as they saved my life on several occasions due to the remarkable DTS Headphone mode. The 7.1 surround sound is unlike any I’ve experienced before, and I’m sure I had an advantage over opposing players. With this technology, you can practically feel the intensity and distance between you and everything within the game world, especially with active noise canceling enabled.

Almost Perfect

The Quantum Ones even shine in standard stereo mode. It’s not ideal for competitive gaming, but they’re outstanding for listening to music. I’m not entirely fond of the QuantumSPHERE 360 option. The proprietary 3D mode is intended to provide competitive gamers with “next generation immersion and accuracy,” but I believe it’s inferior to the DTS mode. It’s undeniably impressive, as it sort of sounds like you’re in a spacious theater, but audio sounds relatively distant as a result. The mode utilizes head tracking and even takes your head diameter and body height into account. I understand the necessity for head tracking in VR games, but it doesn’t make sense for traditional experiences because there’s no reason to turn your head away from the screen. This technology has incredible potential, but it’s currently my least favorite aspect.

The ten band equalizer provides total control over presentation. The flat EQ is excellent on its own, but you’re able to save your own adjustments or choose between several preset options like bass boost, FPS, and long session. The detachable unidirectional boom mic features a 100hz-10khz frequency response, and according to my friends on Discord, it sounds crystal clear. I appreciate the simplicity of the mic’s implementation, but I wish I could further enhance it like the rest of the headset within the Quantum Engine. Options such as EQ, compression, and a noise gate would be ideal additions. The mic feature I most appreciate is sidetone, which feeds back your mic input into the headphones. There’s nothing more frustrating for me than struggling to hear my voice while communicating in competitive games, and sidetone compensates for that. However, active noise canceling is disabled while sidetone is enabled. I don’t mind it at all, as I’m more concerned with being fully immersed in single-player experiences that don’t require the use of a mic.

The Quantum Ones are wired and connect to your console or PC via a USB to USB-C cable. Included on the cable is a game/chat balance dial that functions well. Beyond the technical prowess, the headset’s comfortable for the duration of long game sessions and looks groovy adoring your dome. I’m not a professional gamer, so few people will be able to appreciate the visual presentation I crafted within the lighting parameter of the Quantum Engine. This thing lights up like the Griswold’s house on Christmas Eve. It’s borderline obnoxious, but I love it. You can choose between many presets or adjust the logo, ring, and notch to your preference. I’m a simple man, so I’m rolling with a static blood-red glow to match the entirety of my rig.

Future Proof

Another notable aspect of this exceptional peripheral is its Discord certification. The app instantly recognizes its presence and optimizes your input and output options accordingly. The Quantum series is also the official gaming headset partner of 100 Thieves. I’ll never be a professional gamer, but I can certainly pretend to be one while wearing these.

If I haven’t made it clear, the JBL Quantum One is now my all-time favorite headset. It’s comfortable, stylish, and in my experience, features unrivaled audio quality. The Sphere 360 mode could use some work, and I’d love to possess more control over the mic, but overall it’s a profound technical achievement. The JBL Quantum ONEs are available now for $299.95.

***Quantum ONE headset provided by JBL for review***