Quantum leap from 610 to 810 headset

JBL’s Quantum 810 wireless headset is the most recent entry into its long list of gaming headsets. Patch Bowen tries it out.

The Quantum 810 wireless headset is the successor to JBL’s 610, another midrange model. The 810 boasts new features like active noise cancellation (ANC), hi-res 50mm audio drivers, a more premium build quality and, for those who want to show-off a little, vibrant RGB lights on the outside of the earcups.

It’s a complete headset that performs well for its mid-range price. But it comes with the same caveat I highlighted when reviewing JBL’s flagship headset, the Quantum ONE. It’s not great for console gamers.

Several features don’t work on consoles. Neither the Playstation, Xbox nor Switch is compatible with the superior 7.1 surround-sound audio that the 810s can produce on PC. And it’s worse for Xbox and Switch users as they are forced to plug the headset in to use it. This means neither the ANC nor the chat/game volume wheel work with these consoles, not to mention it can no longer be categorised as a ‘‘wireless’’ headset.

I tested the Quantum 810s with my gaming PC, and it’s here where the 810 is at its best. For PC gamers, JBL has a winner on its hands.

For console players, the features are limited, and $400 for a headset that can’t do much is overpriced.

At $400, the 810s are on the pricier side. Comparatively, the Logitech G G733 Lightspeed costs $330, and the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro costs $320. However, neither boasts noise-cancelling capabilities.

If you’re a PC user, at $400, the Quantum 810 wireless headset is reasonably priced. It isn’t worth it if you’re a console user.

The Quantum 810’s have a familiar design. I found it very difficult to tell the difference between the 810 and its predecessor, the JBL 610 wireless headset. That is until I turned them on, and the RGB lights came alive.

The 810s have the same ovalshaped earcups lined with comfortable, soft cushioning. The headband is identical with its plastic frame and memory foam padding. And the foldable microphone is here as well.

JBL has introduced some changes to the design, but they’re relatively minor. The 810s are slightly heavier than their predecessors because of the thicker, more premium-esque plastic inside the headband, and now the earcups have customisable RGB lighting on the outside.

Overall, it’s a nice design, and it didn’t bother me that JBL didn’t introduce more noticeable design changes.

I did have some problems with the clamp force, though. The earcups are easily adjustable via a slider system. However, the new, more robust plastic did make it feel like the headset was squashing my head. This was, at times, uncomfortable after prolonged use.

The earcups house numerous controls. On the left, there’s a volume wheel; ANC on/off switch, mute microphone button and a wheel for balancing in-game and party chat audio. I loved this feature.

The 810 has separate sound cards for audio and microphone signals. Compatible with Discord, you’re able to individually adjust the audio coming from games and the audio coming from your party chat, so you can easily hear both.

On the right earcup, there’s an on/off switch, Bluetooth connection button, USB-C charging port and 3.5mm headphone jack.

The microphone is a foldable mic located on the left earcup. It’s not removable but tucks out of the way when folded. Also, when you fold it up, it automatically mutes itself, a feature all headsets should have from now on. It works well.

Quantum 810 wireless headset

Pros

■ Good quality audio

■ Game-chat mixer wheel

■ Long-lasting battery

■ A good option for PC users

Cons

■ Consoles not compatible with premium features

■ Clamp force can be a bit much at times

Although advertised as compatible with Playstation and Xbox devices, the capabilities are severely limited.

Neither of the consoles is compatible with surround sound as QuantumSURROUND is a feature of the JBL QuantumEngine and, therefore, only available on the PC.

If you’re plugging the headset in, ANC won’t work. For Xbox consoles this is a major red flag as you can only connect the 810 to Xbox via a wired connection. This means no surround sound, no ANC, and the chat/game wheel won’t work.

PlayStation devices have it a little better as they can use either wired or 2.4GHz connections. This means the game/chat wheel will work, but still no surround-sound support.

Also, Apple users can use either of the three connectivity modes, but audio can only be received via a stereo audio signal.