Are you in search of a budget model in the market? Maybe you are a student who is on the lookout for decent headphones that can take care of your studies and gaming as well. Perhaps, you are a working professional who is searching for a model that meets your requirements.
We have got just the model for you. Today, we are going to be reading on the two finest units from JBL. JBL is popular manufacture that has been around since 1970. They were initially into the manufacture of their L100 Century loudspeakers.
That model sold more than 1 million units in the market. Today, they are producing several devices like automobile speakers, cinema speakers, and home use speakers. You can find headphones too that are doing brisk business.
It probably has to do with the fact that their products are reliable and durable. In the review, we are discussing about the JBL Free WFH Wired Over-Ear Headset with Detachable Microphone vs the JBL Quantum 100 – Wired Over-Ear Gaming Headphones.
The JBL Free WFH headphone is an amazing model. It comes infused with amazing features and provides you with awesome sound clarity. It is quite lightweight and durable too. The audio performance of the unit is exceptional.
The microphone is detachable, enabling you to remove it as and when you want to. It is suitable for playing games and work purposes as well. Coming at a price point of under $50, this model is a brand for a value product.
Likewise, the JBL Quantum 100 headphone is a spectacular unit. The sound performance comes with directional ability. That is wonderful for using when you are playing games like COD and so on.
It comes with a microphone that is just about audible for communication. Though we cannot do it great, it does the job. For the price point of under $40, that is the best you can get. We are not sure about the durability of the model either.
It seems a bit fragile and slightly awkward in the construction. It might sometimes end up breaking if handed over to a 20-year-old gamer. Though you can find other stunning headphones from JBL, these are budget models.
Yes, the feature list might not be too impressive. But you may want to realize that these are under $50 models. So, comparing them with top-end models from the same brand, like JBL Quantum 400, JBL Quantum ONE, and JBL Quantum 800 Wireless, may not be fair.
It does not come with RGB lighting and a dedicated companion app. Aside from their sound quality, the performance is fairly acceptable. But they are a sublime choice when you are in search of a model that won’t cause a dent in your budget.
Let us read the review to find out more about the models. We have given the winner at the end of the post.
JBL Free WFH | JBL Quantum 100 |
PROS | PROS |
The model comes with an elegant design. The unit has an exquisite build quality. It comes with excellent sound performance. It has a microphone that can be detached. The headset is priced at an affordable rate. | The design is good and premium on par with other models. The build quality of the unit is quite comfortable. It has a natural balance of sound. It comes with a detachable microphone. The product is a brand for value. |
CONS | CONS |
The quality of the microphone was not very convincing. | The microphone look & build quality is average. |
JBL Free WFH vs JBL Quantum 100: Design & Comfort
The JBL Free WFH headphone is a lightweight model. It comes embedded with extremely lightweight material. You can wear the unit for several hours when playing games or even for communicating with friends and classmates.
However, they are not portable. The earcups can be folded, and the microphone is detachable. Sadly, the headphone cannot be folded inwards. It does not come with a protective carrying case, which can cause it to become damaged if not cared for well.
Similarly, the JBL Quantum 100 headphone is an elegant-looking model designed from PU leather. It gives the model a premium look and is quite light to wear for long hours. Some of the top-end models in the brand are like the JBL Quantum ONE and JBL Quantum 400.
It does not come with RGB lighting. It appears like a standard set when you remove the boom microphone from them. That is fine, considering the price point of the model. It is priced under $50.
The clamping force of the Quantum 100 is similar to the Free WFH model. It is quite low, meaning that it can fall off sometimes if you wear them for exercising. At times, when you move around in the room briskly, it can begin to pinch your ears as well.
We were not sure about the feeling. You can, however, wear them for a prolonged period of time without much hassle. But the headband pads are quite comfortable, ensuring that you can wear them for lengthy hours.
It is quite plush. The control scheme found on the headphone is intuitive, and you can find limited functions present on them. Some of them include the onboard controls, microphone mute button, and a volume scroll wheel.
You can note that the volume scroll wheel can be stopped at the minimum and maximum increments. Additionally, the microphone mute button is quite noisy. This feature enables you to beware that you have made some kind of input using it.
When you are keen to use a headphone that comes infused with a spectacular-looking control scheme, then you may consider the Logitech Zone Wired. It comes embedded with a wide range of built-in functions and video conferencing apps like Microsoft Teams.
Besides, they come infused with astonishing features and are fairly priced. Overall, the design & comfort features of the Free WFH and the JBL Quantum headphones were pleasant. You could find them light and easy to use on your head.
JBL Free WFH vs JBL Quantum 100: Build Quality
The JBL Free WFH wired headphone build quality is just quite acceptable. You cannot call them robust and sturdy. That is because the material used in producing them is only plastic only. This aspect makes creaking noises when you tend to bend them a lot.
They can withstand some minor damage, but that is about it. You may not want to keep removing the microphone and placing it back often. Some users found them to be breakable. Nothing to be concerned about, but we are just letting you know.
We also noticed that the headband looks a bit weird. They come with sufficient padding in them. Of course, the braided cable offered on them is sturdy and can last a lifetime. It also comes with a sublime feeling to it.
The JBL Quantum 100 wired headphone has an alright build quality to it. The model is similar to the make of the Free WFH unit. They do not stay on your head for quite a while. It is because of their tight fit.
Unless you shake your head aggressively, it does not come off from it. The cable cannot be detached from the headphone. It would help if you were careful when using them. When you are moving around instantly, the cable can cause the headphone to come off easily.
Overall, the build quality of the headphones is acceptable. That is about it. Because they are designed from plastic, they can, at the most can last for a few years. However, if you use them carefully, they can go for several years.
JBL Free WFH vs JBL Quantum 100: Audio Performance
The audio performance of any headphone is the most crucial aspect of any model. Irrespective of the price point, the music performance of the JBL was something that they shined. It is probably because they used their loudspeaker experience in the headphone.
The JBL Free WFH wired headphone does not have a well-balanced sound profile. You can notice a large bump in the mid-bass to the low-mid range. There is a level of sub-par frequency response consistency.
The mid-range of the headphone sounds across the audible spectrum. It can be heard quite differently according to the model position and fit. The unit is particular in the bass and treble frequencies.
Some of you may like the phenomenal bass because of the emphasis that can be added to the gaming effects. That is because of the poor frequency response consistency. A slight frequency can be heard in the bass on a few occasions.
The JBL Quantum 100 wired headphone has a good mid-accuracy. It sounds just about alright, and you can hear the vocals and the tunes nicely. The treble accuracy is quite poor, and you can find that it has a steep dip in the low-treble range.
It also depends on the positioning and the fitting of your head. So, some of the listening experience depends mostly on that aspect of it. It comes with exceptional stereo imaging. These headphones have a disappointing passive soundstage.
The weighted harmonic distortion performance is nice. It can perform adequately with audio leakage. This feature can affect the mid and low-treble range generating a sound that is lost underneath the background noise that occurs in a most crowded street.
JBL Free WFH vs JBL Quantum 100: Microphone Performance
The JBL Free WFH headphones are a decent choice for making phone calls. The microphone quality is quite amazing. Though the basic call management controls are lacking, the detachable microphone does a good job at it.
When you want to log into a Zoom call, then you can do so with ease. You can make use of advanced noise-canceling technology. The microphone also comes with voice control for mute. Users can use the detachable microphone if they are ready to focus on the work.
Your voice is heard quite excellently well. It also comes free from distortion and clear from any of background noise. The JBL Quantum 100 headphone provides you with decent microphone capability.
The recording quality of the boom microphone is quite good. Your voice sounds clear and elegant. The voice is free of distortion. It is able to isolate speech from ambient noise. Your voice can be clear and quite understood at the other end of the line.
Though our tester was not entirely convinced about it, their voice quality was stunning. Besides, the recording quality of the microphone was audible and good. The voice quality is magnificent, especially when you want to play games.
You can use it for listening to music and performing other activities with it as well. However, you might want to ensure that the background music is not much for communicating with others.
JBL Free WFH vs JBL Quantum 100: Compatibility
The JBL Free WFH headphone has decent compatibility. They are not compatible with the unit’s engine app. This is a wired model with no support for any Bluetooth connections. It comes with a braided 1/8” TRRS cable that provides full audio and microphone compatibility.
You can use it for gaming setups. There should be no issues when playing games and communicating with teammates. You can find support for full audio and microphone on the Xbox One.
It does not come with a dock. Its audio performance is good, and you can easily keep track of the enemies on most of the FPS games and other consoles, including PC, Mac, Xbox, and the PS4.
The JBL Quantum 100 headphones do not come with a battery. Besides, they are not compatible with the engine app. It is a wired device and does not support Bluetooth connections.
It has a braided 1/8” TRRS cable that can offer you with full audio and microphone compatibility. You can make use of the unit for gaming setups. There must be no issues when playing games and also communicating with your teammates.
There is support for full audio and microphone with the Xbox One console. Please do note that the model does not come with a dock. The sound quality is exceptional. You can easily track your enemies in FPS games and other consoles like PC, Mac, Xbox, and the PS4.
JBL Free WFH vs JBL Quantum 100: Price
The JBL Free WFH Wired over-ear headset with a detachable microphone is priced under $40. The JBL signature sound is delivered through the 40mm drivers. It is able to provide you with exceptional music and call ability.
It offers you advanced noise-canceling technology enabling you to use the voice control for the mute feature. This feature is often not found on most budget models. Besides, users can use the detachable microphone.
The ear cushions come PU-wrapped with memory foam, and they are extremely lightweight. The JBL Quantum 100 – Wired Over-Ear Gaming Headphones is priced under $30. Using the model, you can enjoy the FPS games thoroughly.
It works splendidly on several devices like PC, laptop, smartphone, MacBook, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. It can provide immense accuracy in the sound features for a competitive edge. The headset has a detachable boom microphone having echo canceling technology.
JBL Free WFH vs JBL Quantum 100: Verdict
We have ended the comparison review between the JBL Free WFH Wired Over-Ear Headset with Detachable Microphone vs the JBL Quantum 100 – Wired Over-Ear Gaming Headphones. We hope that you enjoyed reading the review.
The JBL Free WFH headphone is a stunning model that comes with everything that you want. We were quite impressed with the number of features present in it for the price range. Besides, you could find that they are quite lightweight.
The audio performance is quite breathtaking, and so is the bass quality found on the headset. We only found the microphone quality a bit dampener; otherwise, it is a splendid model to consider for your regular activities.
Likewise, the JBL Quantum 100 headphones are a good device. It is a value for money product. When you search for a headphone that is priced under $50 in the market, then it has to be this unit.
They are comfortable to use; you can wear them for prolonged hours and then sound well too. However, if you can stretch your budget to $60, then you can also consider using the JBL Quantum 200 headphones.
It is fine when it comes to neutral sound. The tracks provide you with ample sound effects. Sadly, they do not come with a consistent fitting in them. They can vary on the occasions when worn for various situations.
It is a splendid choice for wired gaming. The wired connection lets you make use of the lag-free audio, and you can communicate with teammates as well. The unit is a breeze when using them while gaming.
Our winner in this comparison review between JBL Free WFH vs JBL Quantum 100 headphones is the JBL Free WFH headphone. The lightweight feature of the JBL Free WFH model makes them extremely popular among most users, and we too liked that.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.