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Updated April 10, 2024·
If you're seeking a premium listening experience with the convenience of wireless earbuds and appreciate high-quality sound and build, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX could be worth the investment. They offer excellent overall sound, active noise canceling, and are sweatproof, making them versatile for daily use, travel, and exercising. However, they're pricier and may not be the best for calls or gaming due to latency despite having low latency codecs. On the other hand, the JBL Quantum 100 headphones are more budget-friendly and, while they lack wireless capabilities and active noise canceling, they excel in mic quality and are well-suited for gaming and TV due to their over-ear design and low latency when wired. They aren't as portable or suitable for physical activity, and their sound quality isn't on par with the Bang & Olufsen. Ultimately, your choice should reflect the importance you place on portability, use case, and sound quality versus price and specific features like active noise canceling and microphone clarity. 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 Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX
Excellent for gaming
Very good for TV and video
Very good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Advantages of the JBL Quantum 100
The JBL Quantum 100 has no clear advantages over the Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX.
Key differences
Music
7.9/10
7.0/10
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX and JBL Quantum 100 are both good for music, though the Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX is somewhat better.
Gaming
9.3/10
8.5/10
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX is excellent for gaming, while the JBL Quantum 100 is very good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.1/10
4.5/10
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
TV and Video
8.9/10
7.1/10
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Quantum 100 is good.
Noise Reduction
8.3/10
5.3/10
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
Battery
6.5 Hours
N/A
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX has 6.5 hours of battery life. The JBL Quantum 100 does not have a battery.
Cost
$399
$20
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX has a price of $399 and the JBL Quantum 100 costs $20.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.5/10
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX has best in class build quality, while the JBL Quantum 100 has only fair build quality.
"If you’ve wanted truly wireless headphones, but couldn’t pick them up because they sound terrible, these will be the headphones that win you over. If you’re the kind of person who would consider spending $400 on headphones, these are the right truly wireless headphones for you."
"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 Bang and Olufsen Beoplay EX or the JBL Quantum 100
About Bang and Olufsen
Bang and Olufsen is an almost century-old electronic goods manufacturer based in Denmark with a very special focus on design. Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen created the first AC radio in 1925 and went on to develop televisions, telephones and, of course, headphones and loudspeakers. Today, they are partnered with several companies, like Audi, BMW and Aston Martin, to provide very high-quality audio solutions.
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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