JBL are back with another wireless headset, this time in the form of the Quantum 610 which is for all intents and purposes an upgrade on the previous Quantum 600 model. I've been a big fan of the JBL range for a while now, but how does the 610 stack up?
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Excellent Design | Lack of Bluetooth Connectivity |
Amazing Sound Quality | No Premium Features Like ANC |
JBL Quantum Surround | |
Play and Charge Capable | |
The design follows JBL’s usual gaming headset mould, with a combination of both matt and gloss all black finish with the only colour being the small orange accents on the cables or the flashy RGB which is completely customizable to suit your preference. This design that JBL has opted for is absolutely one of my favourite designs of any headset I have tested. It has a perfect mix of sleek and stylish with that hint of gaming in there too. They truly are a great looking unit. The left earcup features a volume dial, a game/chat mixer dial, a mic mute button, your 2 slots for both USB-C and 3.5mm AUX and the flip to mute mic. The right earcup has the power button and indicator light. Due to the size and materials on the ear cups both noise leakage and noise isolation are very good. Even at max volume there's almost xero noise leakage and once there's some in-game volume happening the isolation is enough that you'll rarely be disturbed by background noise.
For me personally the JBL headset design has only 1 real missing piece. This is something only a handful of headsets do and something I'd like to see more do. That is to have an onboard storage slot for the USB receiver. Headsets like the Logitech G935 have a hidden compartment under the earcup outer plastic panel in which you store the USB dongle to ensure you never lose it. Not a big deal I know but I am being "nitpicky" here on account of the fact the Quantum 610 is a clear tick in every other box concerning design and comfort.
The JBL Quantum 610 is an extremely durable headset. I mean I have twisted these in every way imaginable and they hold up to whatever I throw at it. If you're a particularly angry gamer or you rage quit often then a durable headset is a must. And the JBL headsets (from the Quantum 600 and up) are some of the most durable headsets I've ever tested.
In terms of fit and comfort, yet again the JBL way is one of my favourites, admittedly the headband does tend to occasionally grab my hair a little when taking them off, but aside from that I love the JBL design. The earcups are extremely plush and a perfect size for pretty much any ear size, they are glasses friendly due to the plushness of the foam and while the clamping force is something I remember having to get used to the first time I tried a JBL headset on, they honestly feel like they are not even there anymore.
The Quantum 610 is primarily designed for PC use however is compatible with just about everything via either the 3.5mm AUX cable or the 2.4GHz USB receiver for consoles like the PS4 and PS5. I definitely recommend plugging them into a PC first though and playing around with the settings in the JBL QuantumENGINE software. This will allow you to make changes to things such as the mic sidetone as well as toggling things like QuantumSurround or DTS on/off. These settings then carry over when using them with your console so definitely with having a bit of a play with.
The microphone on The Quantum 610 is good. It's not the best headset mic I've used, but it's damn good and one that people have actively told me sounds really clear as it does a great job of blocking out background noise even on console which is where a lot struggle.
In terms of audio performance JBL is, well, JBL. As I've said before, I’ll say again. It blows my mind that so many people overlook companies like JBL when what they are known for is excellent audio quality. It's kinda what they do, yet so many people go for gaming brands and don't even give JBL a second thought. Well, you're only doing yourself a disservice. I've convinced a few people now to come over to the dark side and use JBL and every single one of them have come back afterwards and told me that I was 100% right. The Quantum 610 are no exception, they are really clear and crisp and the bass levels are perfect. Making things like explosions and gunfire sound extremely realistic especially when combined with JBL QuantumSURROUND.
One thing that all JBL headsets do better than most in my opinion is their spatial audio, whether it be watching an action movie or playing games like COD you really get a very clear sense of where the sound is coming from. My JBL Quantum 800 is my go to PS5 headset for this reason. Footsteps in FPS games are extremely clear as to which direction you need to be looking in. This is down to JBL’s QuantumSURROUND and what this does according to JBL themselves is it “uses advanced algorithms to simulate stunning multi-channel audio to create an incredibly realistic spatial soundstage for cinematic levels of immersion and a true audio edge over the competition”. I can 100% confirm that while I'm not smart enough to understand the science behind it, I have ears and can hear, and it makes a big difference over almost every headset I've tested. If you haven't tried a truly spatial headset before then do yourself a favour and try it. It really adds a level of immersion to your gameplay.
One of the best new features of the Quantum 610 over the 600 and even the 800 is that you can now play and charge at the same time. Previously to charge you had to have the headset powered off so this is a huge plus for me and something not enough headsets do in my opinion. Another big improvement over the 600 is the battery life with a massive 40 hours compared to the Quantum 600 only having 14.
Comparing the Quantum 610 to its bigger brother the Quantum 800 for a moment and while the 800 has more bells and whistles such as ANC and Bluetooth with dual connectivity etc. Aside from these bells and whistles there's not a lot the 800 does better than the 610. There may be a slight drop in microphone quality, but it's very, very minor if at all. But otherwise they look and sound almost identical which is a big step up on the previous Quantum 600 headset.
The JBL Quantum 610 is a fantastic headset, it ticks every box and actually doesn't have a lot of downfalls at all. The fantastic soundstage created with QuantumSURROUND, the high end level of comfort, clarity of the mic as well as the improved battery life really does add up to being a really great headset.
Thanks to JBL we have a JBL Quantum 610 to give away, simply join our Discord and enter the code word "Quantum" in the giveaways channel and you're in the draw. A winner will be drawn on Sunday 22nd May 2022 and will be contacted directly via the discord channel. Good luck.
