I thought I had finally reached the end of my quest for the best headphones last year when I received the JBL Quantum 800. It’s funny; I had never heard of JBL as a brand before, but when I went to San Francisco to try out GTFO, and the hotel had a JBL alarm clock, I was genuinely impressed—that inclusion was how I knew the hotel had class.
Although, perhaps my bar was set a little too high, since now, anything less just won’t cut it—this was my experience with the EKSA E910 headset that I reviewed recently. Unfortunately, this was also my experience with the JBL Quantum 350 Wireless Headset—a solid gaming headset, but not solid enough to compete with what I already have.
The JBL Quantum 350 Wireless Headset is a solid entry-level gaming headset. It’s got a sleek, minimalistic design that is in line with all JBL’s products. The headband is lightweight and cushioned at the top, while the earcups are fitted with a polyurethane memory-foam for maximum comfort. They’re definitely no contender against the Quantum 800’s earcups, but they were comfortable enough that, during my testing, I never really noticed them.
Although, I will say—and this is mostly in comparison to the Quantum 800—the simple design is a bit of a letdown as it makes the Quantum 350 feel a bit flat. Furthermore, much like the EKSA E910, the lightweight frame makes the Quantum 350 feel a bit flimsy and brittle. Weighing in at 252 grams, they feel like a fall off the desk would break them, and I never wanted to stretch them out too far for fear they would crack.
But in the sound department, the JBL Quantum 350 delivers the quality you can expect from JBL. Delivering a 20Hz–20kHz frequency response with a sensitivity of 115dB SPL @1kHz—they’re on par with the Quantum 800. Furthermore, through the QuantumENGINE app, you can fully customize your listening experience, adjusting the bass or treble to your liking.
“The JBL Quantum 350 Wireless Headset is a solid entry-level gaming headset.”
One other solid feature the JBL Quantum 350’s has access to through the QuantumENGINE app is the JBL QuantumSURROUND, and while, unlike the Quantum 800, it doesn’t feature DTS Headphone X; it still offers an added level of immersion that can completely change your gaming experience. While testing with a harrowing dive into Elden Ring, even with the spatial sound turned off, I could hear every little detail of The Lands Between.
Players of Elden Ring will note this is a genuine boon to survival. When I approached one of the land’s many bosses, and the tense, operatic music began to swell, the action was only intensified as I could hear every instrument and singer with crystal clarity. However, with some small padding and no ANC, there was still a bit of a divide between my Tarnished and reality.
Another feature is a bit of a double-edged sword is the microphone. It’s a pretty solid device, in line with the Quantum 800; with a frequency response of 100Hz – 10kHz, and a sensitivity of 42dBV/Pa @1kHz. While testing it with some terrifying games of Phasmophobia, I was always clear and in communication with my ghost hunting buddy. What’s also great about it is it can detach from the JBL Quantum 350’s ear cup, so it never really feels in the way if you just want a no-frills listening experience.
However, the Quantum 350 has a bit of a bugbear that I have yet to reconcile with—that being its reliance on a wireless dongle. While, yes, I can’t argue that the 2.4GHz connection is pretty great at offering a truly lossless wireless experience, and it’s easy enough to just plug into the USB slot of your PlayStation, or even Switch dock and connect to the headset; I just hate the idea of “wireless” headphones needing to be tethered to a device of any kind.
Like I said, these are pretty solid headphones in terms of sound quality; and with a detachable mic, you could easily take these on the bus, or for a walk and not look like a complete weirdo while listening to music. But with no way to connect to a device via Bluetooth; and unlike the Quantum 800, these don’t feature a 3.5 mm audio jack, it just felt like using the Quantum 350 had to be done under specific circumstances—and for someone who doesn’t PC game all that often, I was also missing a variety of features.
However, like I stated at the start of this review—and much like with the EKSA e910—the JBL Quantum 350 Wireless Headset is a solid entry-level headset for any gamer looking to enhance their gaming experience. Priced at $149.98 CAD (though currently sold out on the JBL website at time of writing), this is an inexpensive headset that offers high-level quality, at low-level entry. While they didn’t blow me away, they definitely impressed me enough to recommend.