JBL Quantum 600: Particularly impressive in terms of sound quality
6.8.2020
Translation: machine translated
JBL now also makes gaming headsets. I picked up the mid-range JBL Quantum 600 model and played with it extensively. The US audio company has successfully entered the gaming business with a few compromises.
JBL is primarily known for its portable speakers and headphones. With the Quantum series, the manufacturer is now also trying to score points with gamers.
Design, operation and connections
All headsets in the Quantum series have a similar design. The Quantum 600 is made entirely of plastic and doesn't look particularly high-quality at first glance. On closer inspection, I realise that the headset is nevertheless well made. Everything fits as it should. As we all know, design is a matter of taste. Personally, I'm not a fan of the exterior of the 600 - it's too angular, too clunky and I also don't like the fact that the microphone can't be removed.
The headband is flexible and padded. The ear cups can be rotated. This means the headset fits snugly around the head. It stays firmly in place on my small headset, even when I'm jumping around wildly in front of the PC after the fiftieth death in "CS:GO". After a few hours, I feel a slight pressure on my ears and head.
The left ear cup is packed with controls. At the bottom you will find the USB-C port for charging and next to it a 3.5 mm audio connection. Further back is a button to mute the microphone, the volume wheel and another wheel to adjust the ratio between game and chat volume. The power switch is also located at the bottom of the right ear cup.
The Quantum 600 can be connected with a 3.5 mm audio cable or 2.4 GHz USB dongle. Bluetooth is missing. The headset is charged via USB-C. It is compatible with PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One and Switch. But only with a cable for the latter two. You have to do without surround sound here and your games only run in stereo. You only get the full range of functions with JBL Quantum Surround on the PC. With the PS 4, you at least get DTS headphone:X v2.0 - if you connect the headset to the dongle.
JBL promises up to 14 hours of battery life with RGB switched off. In my experience, this is relatively close. With RGB, the Quantum 600 ran out of juice after about nine hours. The charging time is around two hours for a full charge. Unfortunately, the headset can only be operated via the 3.5 mm connection during this time.
The JBL Quantum Engine software offers an equaliser, lighting and microphone settings. You can also activate the virtual surround sound here and choose between DTS and Quantum Surround. Firmware updates are also made via the software. Unfortunately, the profiles can only be saved on the PC and not on the dongle.
Sound quality for games and microphone
Since I'm less of a multiplayer gamer, the Quantum 600 takes me first to post-apocalyptic Seattle in "The Last of Us Part II". You can think what you like about the game, but the staging and the soundtrack are simply bombastic. The Quantum 600 does an excellent job here. Thanks to the first-class sound backdrop, I am immersed in the world of "The Last of Us Part II". Whether clickers or human enemies, I have the impression that I can locate them well thanks to the simulated 3D sound.
To test the performance of the microphone and Quantum Surround, I play "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" on the PC. Here, too, the sound quality is very good. I have the impression that I can locate the enemies even better than in "The Last of Us Part II".
The microphone quality is good, but not outstanding. My fellow players can hear me, but occasionally they hear a crackling sound. The clacking of my keyboard is also clearly audible through the microphone. The wheel for adjusting the ratio between chat and game volume is practical for me. Nevertheless, it takes me a while to find out exactly where it is on the ear cup. JBL has clearly placed too many controls here. In particular, I don't need the mute switch for the microphone because it switches on and off automatically when I flip it up or down.
I also used the headset for video meetings. The quality is also solid, but not amazing. When I'm quiet for a moment, the chat participants can hear a slight hiss.
Sound quality for music
I start my test song "1000 Highways" by SonReal and am taken aback. It sounds terrible, it echoes as if I'm in an indoor swimming pool. Well, Quantum Surround is a good idea for games, but a bad one for music. After I deactivate the option, everything is different. The song pulls me in just like the first time. Although the Quantum 600 is rather bass-heavy, I can clearly hear the orchestral sounds. The highs also come across clearly without masking the mids.
After so much kitsch, I need something dirty again. After all, I killed dozens of people in the most brutal way in "The Last of Us Part II" and "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare". I need to get back in the mood for the next session. I decide in favour of "Beautiful Music For You To Die To" by Necro. Here it becomes clear that the Quantum 600 emphasises the lows. The mids are often lost. I use the equaliser and the "Clairity" preset - which almost completely removes the bass - to help. I like it that way. Now I perceive the rap much better.
Conclusion: Good headset with minor flaws
The Quantum 600 leaves me somewhat ambivalent. On the one hand, the headset delivers great sound quality in games and good output for music. On the other hand, the microphone is average and, above all, cannot be removed. This adds weight to the head and is annoying for people like me who rarely need a microphone. I also find the many controls on the left ear cup annoying. Sometimes less is more.
At 179 francs, the headset is at the upper end of the price range in terms of workmanship and quality. Nevertheless, you get a good headset that is also interesting for streamers due to the controls.
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
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