JBL Quantum Stream Speak: One-minute assessment
The true spotlight of the JBL Quantum Stream Speak are its design and have set, which punch above its budget-friendly value level.
It’s tremendous compact and really fashionable, with a sturdy stand that includes steel parts to appear and feel premium. It’s extremely straightforward to regulate and place too, because of a small, foam-footed base and a sensible swivel mechanism that enables the microphone to be rotated by a full 360 levels.
The outstanding LED ring indicator is a brilliant inclusion and one thing that you just wouldn’t essentially count on at this value level, offering a handy and straightforward strategy to test whether or not the microphone is muted and even alter some fundamental settings on the fly.
That stated, the recording high quality is a let-down out of the field. Its default configuration sounds very jagged and does a poor job of slicing out background noise. Fortunately, the appropriate JBL Quantum Engine software program offers you every little thing that you just want for higher recordings. With a couple of settings tweaked, specifically the EQ profile and noise discount stage, it’s good for chatting with buddies or dialing into conferences – however nonetheless not clear sufficient to rank among the many best microphones for streaming.
If you happen to’re enthusiastic about choosing up a streaming microphone on a funds, there are alternatives on the market that appear and feel considerably worse, however sound noticeably higher such because the AKG Ara. If you happen to can look forward to a sale, you may recurrently discover outdated favorites just like the Blue Snowball for not that rather more than the worth of the JBL Quantum Stream Speak which gives way more bang on your buck.
JBL Quantum Stream Speak: Value and availability
- Prices $49.95 / £39.99
- Out there by way of Amazon and JBL
- Straightforward to seek out within the US and UK
The JBL Quantum Stream Speak is available from each Amazon and JBL within the US and UK. It prices $49.95 / £39.99, making this the most affordable entry within the JBL Quantum Stream line proper now. At this value, it’s worth possibility general for basic use, particularly in the event you’re in search of a extra inexpensive selection that does not take up numerous area in your desk.
That stated, these searching for a microphone for content material creation could be higher off ready for a sale and spending a little bit extra on one thing just like the HyperX DuoCast – which routinely drops right down to across the $60 / £40 mark and gives greater high quality recordings.
JBL Quantum Stream Speak: Specs
| Value | $49.95 / £39.99 |
| Polar sample | Tremendous cardioid |
| Pattern price | 44.1kHz / 48kHz / 96kHz |
| Bit price | 16 / 24 bits |
| Frequency vary | 50 Hz – 12 kHz |
| Impedance | 16 ohms / 32 ohms |
JBL Quantum Stream Speak: Design and options
- Fashionable and compact
- Feels premium
- Good set of options
The JBL Quantum Stream Speak may be very fashionable for a microphone of its value. It’s compact, with a round plastic base full with a small foam ring to assist maintain it in place in your desk.
It has a easy stalk-like design, with a cylindrical steel column and a small plastic capsule linked by a ball joint that enables it to be rotated a full 360 levels. Additionally becoming a member of the column and capsule is a brief wire with an orange and black braided that introduces delicate splash of colour.
On the finish of the capsule is a translucent ring illuminated by an LED. It is a brilliant inexperienced by default, turning purple when the microphone is muted. The choice to dim and even flip off this gentle could be appreciated, nevertheless it’s not notably intrusive both method.
On the bottom, you will discover a grey JBL brand and an adjustment dial. It is a good dimension and can be utilized to regulate the monitoring headphone quantity if you’re linked to a 3.5mm headphone jack on the rear. It will also be pressed right down to rapidly mute the microphone, or held for a couple of seconds to regulate the microphone acquire – indicated by the mic’s LED turning purple. It’s all very intuitive and one of many largest causes to contemplate the JBL Quantum Stream Speak.
Whereas the microphone itself is a single unit, there’s a detachable USB-C cable. It is a good 6ft size and feels high-quality, matching the orange and black aesthetic of the wire discovered on the mic.
Whereas I very very similar to the built-in stand setup, you must keep in mind that this microphone can’t be mounted to a growth arm not like different funds picks, so just isn’t appropriate if that’s your most popular setup.
JBL Quantum Stream Speak: Efficiency
- Audio high quality isn’t nice out of the field
- Sounds significantly better if you tweak the EQ
- Noise discount additionally helps
Once you first plug the JBL Quantum Stream Speak into a pc, a popup mechanically seems asking whether or not you’d set up the appropriate JBL Quantum Engine Software program – a handy characteristic that saves you from having to dig round on a assist web site to seek out it. I might extremely advocate putting in it, as I discovered that tweaking the microphone’s settings is sort of important.
Out of the field, I used to be unimpressed with its efficiency – recordings sounded uneven with a flat, virtually nasal high quality to them. Booting up Discord for a fast name, background noise was very noticeable, as was any motion of the floor on which the mic was positioned. It is a little unusual, because the JBL Quantum Stream Speak makes use of a super-cardioid pickup sample that ought to, in idea, actually assist it hone in on simply your voice.
Nonetheless, you may obtain first rate sound with the JBL Quantum Engine Software program in hand. For me, the candy spot was enabling the “Vivid” EQ profile, which bumps up the extent of just about each frequency, and turning up each the noise gate and noise discount settings to medium. Listening again to recordings made with Audacity, my voice sounded a little bit sharp however in any other case greater than ideally suited for informal chatting. With a couple of extra tweaks, I’m positive I might get it to sound even higher.
JBL notes that the microphone is appropriate with the PlayStation and Nintendo Change too. Plugging it into my PS5, it offered considerably higher sound than the built-in microphone of the DualSense Wireless Controller however is less than par with any of the mics on the best PS5 headsets. Nonetheless, the choice to make use of this mannequin together with your console is appreciated and will increase its utility considerably.
That stated, that is additionally marketed as a streaming microphone and I’m hesitant to advocate it for that objective. If you happen to’re in a position to spend a little bit extra, yow will discover fashions that sound higher out of the field.
That is doubly true in the event you’re purchasing over a sale interval, the place the likes of the enduring Blue Snowball routinely have their costs slashed to only $20 / £20 or so extra. Nonetheless, in case your funds actually can’t lengthen past the $49.95 / £39.99 mark and also you simply want one thing fast, this could nearly suffice till you’re in a position to improve.
Ought to I purchase the JBL Quantum Stream Speak?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally contemplate…
Need to weigh up your choices? Listed here are two gaming microphones to contemplate alongside the JBL Quantum Stream Speak.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | JBL Quantum Stream Speak | AKG Ara | HyperX DuoCast |
| Value | $49.95 / £39.99 | $42 / £51 | $99 / £65 |
| Polar sample | Tremendous cardioid | Cardioid, omnidirectional | Cardioid, omnidirectional |
| Pattern price | 44.1kHz / 48kHz / 96kHz | 96kHz | 96kHz |
| Bit price | 16 / 24 bit | 24-bit | 16 / 24 bit |
| Frequency vary | 50 Hz – 12 kHz | 20Hz – 20kHz | 20Hz – 20kHz |
| Impedance | 16 ohms / 32 ohms | 16 ohms | 32 ohms |
How I examined the JBL Quantum Stream Speak
- Used for over every week
- Tried with PC and console
- Examined with calls and native recording
I used the JBL Quantum Stream Speak as my each day driver for over every week. Throughout that point I examined it with each PC and console with a spread of duties together with making calls to buddies, recording audio information domestically, and attending digital conferences for work. I made positive to totally take a look at the appropriate JBL Quantum Engine software program, experimenting with its options to seek out one of the best setup.
All through my time with the microphone, I in contrast my expertise with my hands-on testing of different fashions all throughout the worth spectrum starting from the likes of the Blue Snowball to the Blue Yeti and SteelSeries Alias.
First reviewed January 2025.