JBL Quantum 810 headset review: Excellence once again

They might just be a noise-canceling version of the JBL Quantum 610, but that’s nothing to be ashamed of, as the Quantum 810 still impresses.

One of our favorite headsets we’ve managed to review for the tech side of Dexerto, the JBL Quantum 610s, really impressed us with its surround sound, wireless connectivity, and overall comfort during long periods of wearing them.

Well, the 810s are pretty much the same headset, but with active noise canceling. However, like a song on repeat, you really can’t get tired of high quality, can you?

• Connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Driver diameter: 50mm
• Frequency response: 20Hz – 20 kHz
• Compatibility:
  • Wireless: Windows, macOS, PlayStation, Switch
  • Wired: Anything with a headphone jack
• Features: Lift-to-mute microphone, 7.1 surround sound, dual audio control
• Price: £150/$200
• Where to buy: JBL Direct UK & JBL Direct US

What’s in the box: Quantum 810 headset, 3,5mm to 3.5mm combo jack, wireless dongle, carry bag, USB-C cable

Design and set up

Dexerto

As with the 610, getting the JBL 810s going is no problem whatsoever. Immediately after turning on the headset with the dongle connected, we were off and had them available to listen through – even with the Quantum software uninstalled.

While we still aren’t a massive fan of having to use yet another piece of software to get the full amount of features, it’s lightweight enough to not bog any system down while it idles in the background.

The main issue we found with these is the same claustrophobic earcups that we found on the other versions. While the headset is comfortable for long durations, it felt even more so here as the headset alters itself for active noise canceling.

The buttons and dials all work as you’d expect, while we found the microphone to be a tad irritating after coming from a regular pair of headphones and the Rodecaster Pro 2. Something about it constantly being in our periphery is something we hounded the budget Razer headset for.

For a more premium device, there’s very little difference between it and the 610, especially once you have both side-by-side.

Getting this to work on the Steam Deck did require us to use the included Bluetooth (not available on the 610), while on Switch we went the route of using the 3.5mm cable due to the console’s lackluster connection. For Xbox, we were forced to do the same as Microsoft still insists on having their own proprietary connection.

For those on PS5 and PS4, you should just be able to use the dongle without any hassle, something that we want to see more of from the Xbox side of things.

Audio quality

Dexerto

These sounded pretty much like the 610s, with a definite loudness and heavy bass. While not the perfect mix, the bass often overpowers everything else. When testing on highs, we did find them to still have a muffled quality. However, like with the Quantum 610 headset, swapping to 7.1 surround sound soon fixed a lot of issues.

One thing to note here is that the Active Noise Cancelling is really good. When combined with how loud these things can get and the added dampening of sound from the outside, a small explosion could have gone off and we’d be none the wiser.

Microphone quality

These low-quality, Discord-certified microphones need to stop being so attached to the headset. The Quantum 810s would be a magnificent pair of headphones for gaming and entertainment if they didn’t have the microphone so firmly attached.

Though, you have to give JBL credit for genuinely believing in their own hardware to this degree.

It’s a tinny, chat-only microphone. While it’ll serve its purpose, will Discord just verify anything that gets its little logo onto a box?

Is the JBL Quantum 810 good for gaming?

Yes, an absolute yes. Like its alternative, the 610, the Quantum 810 brings a full-bodied sound to each game, and the surround sound it does have is superb.

In our usual testing grounds, Destiny 2 and Counter-Strike, we found them to still give that advantage of at least being able to turn to face the person gunning us down. Audio design for competitive games pops with Quantum’s surround sound, with game worlds becoming more engrossing as we progressed.

While on Xbox and Steam Deck, we couldn’t experience the games the way we wanted to – the Quantum Engine’s surround sound doesn’t work over the cable – we did find that they were still excellent to have on us in a pinch.

What we did find them best at were single-player experiences. We’ve been playing some older games for other projects and being able to fully immerse ourselves in these worlds, with an added boost of the 3D audio, really helped get us into the swing of things.

Also, being able to ignore the world around us as we dived off of rooftops in Assassin’s Creed, with an eagle screeching into our ears, will never get old.

Should you buy it?

If you can stretch your budget to $200, we’d recommend these over the Quantum 610s. The addition of noise canceling and the option for Bluetooth makes these a more complete package than the cheaper counterpart.

JBL’s Quantum 810 headset impressed us so much, we’ve decided to retire the 610 in favor of it. Yes, one of our top recommended headsets has been usurped… by its own sibling. Not because the 610 is worse in any capacity, but just, being able to turn the world off with noise canceling is always a good option to have on hand.

8/10

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