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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
If sound quality for music is your priority, the Audio Technica ATH M30X is a strong contender with its higher sound quality benchmark, making it well-suited for an immersive music experience. However, if your budget is tight and you're looking for a budget-friendly option with a very good build for gaming and a microphone for calls, the JBL Quantum 100 offers a boom mic and a high gaming score, making it highly suitable for gamers and online meetings. Keep in mind that neither option is wireless or has active noise cancelling, but for travellers, the ATH M30X offers better noise isolation. Both are closed-back, over-ear headphones with similar weight, so comfort may be comparable, but the JBL offers higher comfort in calls and gaming scenarios. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Audio Technica ATH M30X
- Good for air travel
Advantages of the JBL Quantum 100
- Very good for gaming
Key differences
Music
7.6
7.0
The Audio Technica ATH M30X and JBL Quantum 100 are both good for music, though the Audio Technica ATH M30X is somewhat better.
Gaming
6.6
8.5
The JBL Quantum 100 is very good for gaming, while the Audio Technica ATH M30X is only fair.
Phone Calls
4.3
5.5
The JBL Quantum 100 and Audio Technica ATH M30X are both poor for phone calls, though the JBL Quantum 100 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.9
4.5
The Audio Technica ATH M30X is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
TV and Video
7.9
7.1
The Audio Technica ATH M30X and JBL Quantum 100 are both good for TV and video, though the Audio Technica ATH M30X is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
6.0
5.3
The Audio Technica ATH M30X is only fair for noise reduction, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
Cost
$89
$20
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Audio Technica ATH M30X has a price of $89 and the JBL Quantum 100 costs $20.
Build Quality
7.2
6.5
The Audio Technica ATH M30X has good build quality, while the JBL Quantum 100 has only fair build quality.
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How the Audio Technica ATH M30X and the JBL Quantum 100 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audio Technica ATH M30X | JBL Quantum 100 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$89 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audio Technica | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2014 | May 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.7/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.4/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.6/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.9/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 4/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 10/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 7.2/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 220 Grams | 220 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Boom | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Audio Technica ATH M30X
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Soundguys
Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"The Audio-Technica ATH-M30x is a great choice for anybody that needs a decent set of over-ear studio monitors. While the frequency response is not totally spot on, it works for basically every situation reasonably well. The sound quality and reasonably good comfort promote its candidacy as a great pick for $69 USD."
JBL Quantum 100
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CNN Underscored
Wes Davis | July 2023
"I appreciate a functional piece of tech as much as I do gear on the bleeding edge, and the JBL Quantum 100 certainly falls in the former category. The sound is reasonably good, the built-in microphone is surprisingly reliable and it has a thoughtful design for the price. It lacks the convenience of Bluetooth, sure, but sometimes it’s nice not to have to worry about the finicky nature of wireless communication and go with good old hard-wired tech."
Get a great deal on the Audio Technica ATH M30X or the JBL Quantum 100
About Audio Technica
Audio Technica is a 60-year-old, Japan-based, professional audio equipment manufacturer. They started off making phonograph cartridges and have expanded their scope of products ever since to include extremely popular models of microphones and headphones. They have been the official audio equipment supplier of several editions of the Summer and Winter Olympics and every edition of the Grammy Awards since 1998.
About JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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