JBL Quantum 810 Wireless Gaming Headset - Review
JBL tend to run a little under the radar when it comes to gaming headsets. Whilst always a good option, they often seem to be a second though in the gaming industry. These days, the need for wireless headsets is becoming more and more so the demanded norm. JBL once again have an offer on hand, that once again knocks expectations out of the park.
The JBL Quantum 810 Wireless is JBL’s dedicated wireless gaming headset. The wireless dongle is quite small compared to many other 2.4ghz connection dongles in use, and once plugged in is easily forgotten about. A major benefit of the JBL Quantum 810 is that despite their intended functionality to be used wireless, they have the option for an analog single input with a volume control wheel. Audio quality does seem somewhat notably different when using the wired connection, tending to be somewhat louder. A drawback of the wired functionality, however, is unless you’ve traditionally used JBL products, the cable itself is rather short. More designed for use with console controllers than for PC and audio feedback use.
What really sets JBL headsets apart from the pack however will always be their audio quality. The Quantum 810 Wireless has some of the cleanest, zero-latency and crisp audio I’ve ever experienced. There is enough options here to allow for optimisation to preferred equalisation. For most of my use I stuck with the Bass Boost mode, and definitely noticed a solid increase in both bass levels and overall sound. Where the JBL Quantum 810 Wireless truly shines however, is in the Spatial Sound settings. The JBL QuantumSURROUND is a 3D Audio Virtualisation enabled technology that aims to create a full immersive audio experience.
When it comes to either listening to music or gaming this is the optimal way to be using the headphones. It cannot be understated however effective the QuantumSURROUND technology is at creating a 3D immersive environment. The balanced setting was definitely the most optimal, but you can adjust this to your preferred way of listening to get an even better experience. It is hard to truly express how much of a difference the spatial audio can make. One of the greatest examples I found was whilst watching wrestling. Wherever the action was occurring in the ring, the moved and matched exactly where it was occurring. The commentators themselves sounded like they were just slightly behind me, and the crowd themselves had a full 360 sound. Whilst it may seem strange, immersive audio goes a long way in making you feel like you’re part of the scene you’re watching. Be it watching a wrestling event, playing a horror game and hearing the creepy creaks and sounds all around you, and where they are designed to come from, or having that even more accurate ability to hear the footsteps and direction of bullets in shooters. The QuantumSURRROUND is easily the best spatial audio I’ve experienced. A small drawback here is that this spatial audio seems to only work when being used alongside the Quantum software on PC.
In terms of comfort, JBL headsets are often some of my favourites. The earcups are larger than standard, so for people with slightly larger ears, or ears that sit more flush with their head, they quite easily fit in the cuffs. The headband is a little stiff, which is nice if you have a habit of changing the size of your headband by accident. It does however mean it requires a conscientious effort to change the width of the headphones. For longer sessions, I had no issue, pain or discomfort wearing the Quantum 810 Wireless headset for upwards of 8 hours. The cuffs themselves are pretty malleable, making them very easy to wear whilst wearing glasses. Even more so, they are soft enough to not cause pressure on the sides of the head which is a major relief to people who have to wear glasses whilst using the computer.
A nice addition is a button on the headphones themselves, on the left cuff that allow you to turn active noise cancellation on and off at will. I found that whilst it was turned on, it blocked so much of external sound that when talking it was almost impossible to hear myself. For people in noisy environments this will be a handy thing. However for content creators who need to hear themselves this may prove to be a problem as it is almost too effective. As a side gripe, when turned on ANC made it feel like my ears were stuck in a suction tunnel.
From full charge, the headset will generally last 12-14 hours whilst in use, and upwards of 20+ hours with on and off use. Whilst this may seem like an annoying amount of time, the benefit here is that the headphones can be charged whilst in use with a USB-C to USB-A cable provided. It is frustratingly on the left cuff, meaning that it often got in the weight of my left arm when using it whilst at the computer. I understand that the left cuff is generally the preferred side for headphone cables, but just once, I would like the option of being able to choose the right cuff.
My major gripe with the JBL Quantum 810 Wireless, is a gripe I’ve previously had with other JBL headsets. The microphone of the headset is a fixed swivel arm with a bendable tip to put it in a position best to fit to the mouth. The problem with this however, is that the microphone arm is always exposed. Whilst you can flip it up into a muted position, I am much more a fan of modern-day retractable microphones or detachable ones. Given that the headset can be connected via Bluetooth, its ability to either hide or remove the microphone, would make it something that you could use on a plethora of other devices, without looking weird doing it. Whilst it may not matter to someone who is using it as a day-to-day headset for gaming alone, it is a design that I take umbrage with.
The JBL Quantum 810 Wireless has instantly taken its place as my day-to-day use headset. The 3D audio ability of the headset is one of the best, and in terms of clean, crisp audio quality it rivals some of the stalwart juggernauts of the studio audio industry. With incredibly comfortable ear cuffs, super effective active noise cancellation and a solid battery life, you’ll struggle to find a better headset option on the market.
The Score
9.0
Review unit provided by JBL
The Pros
+JBL QuantumSURROUND is one of the best spatial audio experiences I’ve had
+Comfortable for long sessions even with glasses
+Clear, clean and crisp audio with zero-latency when used wirelessly
The Cons
-Somewhat poor battery life
-Microphone arm is poorly designed
-Left side charging port is frustrating when using a computer
