This is the second of our JBL Gaming reviews after looking at the Quantum One which is priced towards to upper end of the market. However, JBL offer gaming headphones to fit all budgets and the JBL Quantum 300 comes in at a more budget-friendly £59.99.
Don’t expect all the features you get with the Quantum One with the 300 model. It still provides the user with a decent level of sound and they are also very comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions.
Design
The Quantum 300 are an over-ear gaming headset that is only available in black and comes with a wired connection that is 1.2M long and you also have that microphone more on that later.
The frame of the Quantum 300 is made completely of plastic hardly surprising considering the cost. There are adjustment sliders but they do feel make the overall comfort a little tight at times. The headphones are lightweight at 245g it’s just that plastic build that makes me concerned they will simply just snap at some point. That aside they do come with very comfy ear pads that do offer an amount of noise cancellation not as much as the Quantum One but still a decent amount. Apart from that no real premium features in terms of comfort. People will know they are JBL due to the branding on the headband and cups but I would have preferred more thought to the comfort aspect.
You also get a USB Sound card dongle. Just like the Quantum One, this headphone is also compatible with a range of consoles such as:
- PS4/PS5
- XBOX One
- Nintendo Switch
- PC
As you can see the Quantum One is compatible with a wide range of consoles but to really benefit from the JBL Quantum Engine software that little treasure is only available for PC Users. However, when testing these headphones on my PS4 I also found the audio quality to be excellent but also did notice the benefit of using them on a PC as I have both devices I guess it was w Win-Win situation.
Coming back to that Microphone the Quantum 300 comes with a flip-up boom mic that lets you shut off the audio instantly. You will hear a click when you have turned the mic off. If you want to start chatting again it’s just a simple flip of the mic and bingo. I found when testing the mic that the arm is nice and firm ensuing when it’s off you know it’s off and won’t accidentally switch back on.
In terms of the actual performance of the microphone that also performed well providing clear audio to other listeners and I tested this while trying to learn to play Fortnite against my son who let’s just say is 1 million times better than I am.
The mic also comes with a foam tip which is doing a good job of preventing severe popping sounds. It may also be known I would avoid using these headphones in noisy environments as they will pick up unwanted noise quite a bit. Using these at home prevented that issue.
The only negative in terms of design is the fact you don’t have any cable controls however their volume wheel is on the left cup. The positioning is a little odd as you have to reach the back of the cup to control the volume. Not a massive deal but still a little strange but something you will learn to live with.
Comfort
The JBL Quantum 300 is an exceptionally comfy headset with plush memory foam earpads that provide well over an inch of internal ear cup space in front of their deeply recessed angled drivers.
The shape of the ear cup is a little bit strange that is not the standard oval shape like most other headsets but are still comfortable for periods of use.
Moving to the headband it’s also quite soft and does a good job of comfort with that strip of padding across the headband. There is a negative and as expected the clamping force does start to hurt after long periods of use. However, the earpads do offer a way to prevent that clamping and also provide some passive isolation.
Sound Quality
One of the most important factors when considering which pair of gaming headphones to buy is the sound quality and the Quantum 300 provide that JBL award-winning sound. They come with 50mm dynamic drivers as well as the use of that QuantumEngine software and 7.1 surround sound providing that spatial awareness. This provides us with a sense of where the sounds were coming from in the game and also enhanced the overall sound.
While testing these over the last few weeks I found the bass to be quite solid with enough to please the bass heads in the room. The treble response offered a more relaxed and less detailed sound and made the music in some games a little thinner compared to normal. However, this did not impact me for a long period of use.
Moving to the soundstage the QuantumSurround feature offers a pleasant sound and a bass punch that you can handle all day. The QuantumSurround feature offers some cinema-like EQ that offers that spatial audio system that is controlled with an on/off switch.
The QuantumSurround provides a dramatic change in the sound signature it gives that extra powerful punchy bass paired with a sharp upper mid-range. The QuantumEngine does allow you to customize the surround sound a bit and it did not make much difference truth be told. It did not make more difference to the gaming experience in my opinion.
The Mic input is a negative aspect of the headphones the dongle is quiet and heavily noise-gated. The noise gate on the Quantum 300 is so strong that you need to shout to get the mic to activate then you get a super quiet poor quality audio and your voice will just fade in/out at the beginning and ends of words without any way to adjust the mic tone or mic gain through the software or included volume slider turned up barely makes a difference.
Verdict
If you are looking for a decent pair of gaming headphones but budget is a factor in your choice then the JBL Quantum 300 is a great option to consider at £59.99 it won’t hurt the wallet that much. The Quantum 300 is ideal for that gamer who uses a wide range of consoles from a PC to a PS4 these headphones tick that box.
When playing COD on the PC I found the Quantum 300 audio and surround sound offering provides that gaming experience that may just give you the edge. The only real issue with these headphones as mentioned is the noise gate control as it really does not help the mic If JBL can fix this issue these would be getting a solid 5-star review.
How could they improve?
Well, I think the build needs some focus the all-plastic design makes them feel a little cheap so maybe use some aluminium to give it a bit more strength in the build. I would also look to move the position of the volume wheel control towards the front of the headphones.
Would I buy them?
I think so my youngest son is a gamer and he found them an enjoyable experience for someone starting out in their gaming journey. For those who want better features and an improved audio performance check out the Quantum One but it does come with that more expensive price tag. However, if your just looking for a fun sound that is ideal for both gaming and watching a film on your PS4 and budget is a consideration these should be high on your shopping list.
Product Rating:
- Design: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
- Features: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
- Audio Quality: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
- Value for Money : 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Overall Rating: 3.7 out of 5.0 stars
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