JBL's Quantum 350 Wireless Headset features the fantastic sound of its higher priced brethren but lacks a lot of the premium features that made those models truly stand out among the pack.
When I reviewed JBL’s Quantum 800 Wireless Headset last year, I considered it to be one of the best gaming headsets I’ve used in quite some time.
Considering how busy the market is, the $200 price point was completely fair with the amount of features and quality sound the Quantum 800 produced. It was the second-most expensive headset in JBL’s new Quantum line to push their brand deep into the gaming space.
Now, a year later, JBL has introduced the Quantum 350, the newest addition to the Quantum family. Coming in at $99.95, the Quantum 350 is absolutely not going to include every feature that jettisoned the Quantum 800 to such heights. But what’s most surprising about the headset is its quality sound at the introductory price. While I lament the absence of many of my favorite parts about the Quantum 800, the Quantum 350 has proved to be an exceptional secondary headset and one that I have constantly connected to my PC.
The first thing to notice about the Quantum 350 is the lightweight design of it. Likely weighing at about a pound, there’s little chance that the headset is going to feel heavy on a user’s head. The lack of bells and whistles accounts for the lack of heft and that’s perfectly okay. The earcups can rotate to allow airflow or sound to an ear while numbered lines indicate the optimal length the headset band can extend down for your head’s size. The top band isn’t entirely covered in foam, just the very bottom of the arc before it begins to curve. Though the band and the cups’ cushioning lack the thickness of the Quantum 800, the Quantum 350 still features very soft memory foam that provide a great amount of comfort. Accounting for the weight of the headset itself, I understand not needing as much cushioning.
When it comes to battery life, the Quantum 350 trumps the 800 by an average of 5 to 7 hours. Where the 800 got around 14 hours at best, the 350 should get players upwards of 22 hours, literally amounting to nearly a full day’s worth of life before having to recharge. JBL says that a five minute charge with a USB-C cable should supply an extra hour of battery life. But what really delights me is that users can charge the headset while it’s in use. Too often wireless headsets can’t work while they are being charged, a phenomenon that’s never made much sense to me. I’m glad the Quantum 350 bucks that trend.
Users can also access the JBL QuantumENGINE PC software and adjust settings like the equalizers, sidetone, and adjust the microphone. Because the Quantum 350 isn’t entirely feature-rich, the software is great to fine-tune what how players want the headset to sound. Most headsets don’t even allow for users to adjust any setting aside from volume and allowing this much control on a cheaper device is a smart move.
Because the Quantum 350 is certified for Discord, it’s important that the microphone be good. While not comparing to a dedicated microphone, I can’t really find much fault with the headsets detachable microphone. The boom mic is voice-focused, meaning that it is easily flexible and will pick up on the user’s voice easily. It might not dampen out the loudest sounds but there is an included bit of windshield foam for the microphone to help buffer noise that isn’t your voice. Detaching the microphone is simple if you have no plans on using the voice features but there is also a handy mute button on the backside of the left cup.
That’s about where the features of the Quantum 350 ends. Where the Quantum 800 had programmable lights, active noise cancellation, and the ability to adjust the volume of chat and game audio, the Quantum 350 has the side button for mute and a dial for volume. This does mean players are less likely to fidget with the wrong button or dial, however. Again, the cheaper price of this headset means that a decent amount of shortcuts need to be made. I get it and can’t be too disappointed at the small number of features.
Thankfully, the Quantum 350 really does deliver on sound quality, especially when it compares to its bigger siblings. Using the USB dongle with a 2.4GHz wireless connection, I never experienced a sound outage while playing or talking in Discord. And with 40mm drivers, I heard the loud booms of explosions and was able to distinguish between the quiet sounds of ambient noise and the louder sounds of literally everything else going on. Watching YouTube and listening to music on Spotify was equally pleasing.
My general issue when discussing sound is that I’m not an audiophile. I know when something sounds amazing, decent, or just plain awful. But sussing out the finer points of sound design might be out of my ability to describe. I had my suspicions when turning on the Quantum 350 for the first time, knowing its limitations and taking into consideration I’ve used the Quantum 800 as my go-to headset since owning it. I was glad that my fears were basically alleviated, hearing quality sound come out of the large earcups. Is the Quantum 350 a substitute for a more expensive headset? Definitely not. But I think it is at a price range that puts it in a great place when keeping in mind what else is on the market.
The JBL Quantum 350 Wireless Headset is JBL’s new headset for gamers. Quickly connecting to a console or PC, players will be hearing incredible sound in a matter of seconds. Its feature set may pale in comparison to higher-end devices but that’s not the target audience here. JBL knows how to make a product that produces great sound and this is one of the best entry points into the brand, which may convince you to invest in a nicer set down the road.
