Bluetooth headphones of all kinds are booming, and not just since yesterday. Of course, not only smartphone heavyweights like Apple or Samsung have noticed this, but also third-party manufacturers. The US audio specialist JBL is now trying to cut off part of the huge cake with its in-house in-ears Quantum TWS. But do you get premium quality for the premium price? We tested it for you.
In today’s rather overloaded headphone market, you have to set yourself apart to even have a chance of being noticed. The Quantum TWS do this in terms of connectivity, for example, because in addition to Bluetooth, they also offer a USB-C dongle that enables a 2.4 GHz connection. This is interesting for us gamers, among other things, in terms of latency. But always in order.
First impressions
As just mentioned, the dark gray charging case not only contains the earplugs themselves, but also the USB-C dongle. A good decision, because otherwise the risk of loss would be much greater if the plug did not have a fixed place. As usual, there are various silicone attachments so that you can find the right size for your ears. The case is charged via USB-C – however, there is no possibility of wireless charging. Visually, the JBL models do not resemble the bright white competing product with the apple in terms of color, but the rest of the design is quite similar, albeit a bit more angular. If you start the operation, you also quickly notice that the operation is different than the market leader. Here you tap directly on the earbuds at the top, where the JBL logo is located. This basically works without any problems and can also be changed via the app. Of course, it takes a certain amount of time to get used to it so that the various commands can be used without much thought. So there’s a simple tap on one side to start or pause playback, and on the other side to switch between noise canceling and transparency mode. Of course, double and triple tap commands are also available. However, as I said, this can all be adjusted if desired.
The processing of the Quantum TWS is just as high-quality as it looks, and there are also no failures in terms of connectivity and operation. The test persons therefore offer a really good first impression. With Bluetooth 5.2 you are up to date, and the earplugs are IPX4 certified. Splash water or use in the rain is not a problem.
