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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HifiMan Edition XS is a premium choice with excellent overall sound quality and soundstage rendering it great for immersive music experiences and TV, however, it's less suitable for exercise and doesn't have a microphone for calls. On the other hand, the JBL Quantum 100 is more budget-friendly, has a very good microphone, and better scores for gaming and podcasts, but offers less impressive sound quality and soundstage, and lacks active noise cancelling. Choose the HifiMan Edition XS for top-tier audio performance in quieter environments or the JBL Quantum 100 for a versatile and cost-effective option suitable for gaming and communication. 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 HifiMan Edition XS
- Very good for music
- Best in class for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Quantum 100
- Very good for gaming
Key differences
Music
8.8
7.0
The HifiMan Edition XS is very good for music, while the JBL Quantum 100 is good.
Gaming
7.4
8.5
The JBL Quantum 100 is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
4.5
The HifiMan Edition XS is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
TV and Video
9.5
7.1
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the JBL Quantum 100 is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
5.3
The JBL Quantum 100 and HifiMan Edition XS are both poor for noise reduction, though the JBL Quantum 100 is somewhat better.
Cost
$269
$40
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The HifiMan Edition XS has a price of $269 and the JBL Quantum 100 costs $40.
Build Quality
8.5
6.5
The HifiMan Edition XS has very good build quality, while the JBL Quantum 100 has only fair build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.0
5.5
The JBL Quantum 100 and HifiMan Edition XS are both poor for phone calls.
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How the HifiMan Edition XS and the JBL Quantum 100 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Edition XS | JBL Quantum 100 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$269 | $40 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | May 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.9/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.5/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 4/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 10/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 421 Grams | 220 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Boom | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HifiMan Edition XS
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonesty
Eric D Hieger | January 2023
"The Edition XS easily compete with headphones in their price range with a very high price-to-performance ratio. The XS are an amazing value and offer performance not far off from headphones more than twice their cost. These will be a mind-blowing revelation for enthusiasts and music lovers who have only heard standard big-brand mainstream headphones."
JBL Quantum 100
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Dig into reviews and images
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 HifiMan Edition XS or the JBL Quantum 100
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
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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Why trust us
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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
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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