I have always been impressed with the quality of JBL products. I have several bluetooth speakers from JBL and have always raved about them. So, I was excited to see if these headphones measured up. And going by my spoiler of a title, I was impressed.
The Quantum 400 is the mid-range option in a new series of seven gaming headsets, providing comfort to your wallet as well as your ears. The 400 has a nice clean design with colour changing logos proudly shining out. But as you never see the lights while in use, it is the very cushy memory foam that snugly surrounds your ears that is a secondary but more important feature you notice.
I work with headphones most of the day and so I tested them for a solid duration. By the day’s end I did not have any regrets. No sore ears or scalp. The earpieces are big enough not to sit on my ears at all as other brands can do.
These are wired headphones. There are two detachable cords provided; the 3.5mm cable has a length of 1.2 meters and the USB type-C to type-A cable has a length of 3 meters. The Quantum 400 headphones will deaden your environment’s sound with active noise cancelling, but the textured JBL paracord-wrapped cables will generate some rubbing sounds.
If you don’t want to ignore your friend who’s in the room with you or miss a phone call from someone special, you can cleverly bring back your background noise. The Quantum 400 gives feedback from the mic, so by lowering the mic to unmute it, and adjusting how much ambient noise you wish to hear via the headset’s software, you can hear your environment once more.
I have many headsets that I switch between depending on what type of entertainment I wish to enjoy. I have some much more expensive ones for movies and music. Although, after downloading the free software package (the JBL QuantumENGINE) I was able to close the performance gap by changing the default EQ.
These headphones, though, are really designed for gaming. And they are much better for that than any I currently own. They have a really great focus and tightness on mid to high range sound. That clarity helps with quick decisions and makes for an immersive experience. I played some Alien: Isolation for some intense jump scares. And then again in Dead By Daylight. I was really impressed by just how clear the 400 was with its Quantum Surround and DTS:X v2. It was the easiest time I have ever had with skill checks!
The JBL Quantum 400 has a game-chat balance dial which is genius. They are certified for DISCORD, compatible with TeamSpeak and Skype. They are so very easy to setup, I just plugged them into my USB port and away I went.
The Quantum 400 headphones from JBL for me are a wake-up call. I need some new gaming headphones. These headphones will now be my new benchmark.
– Nick Holder
