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Updated April 11, 2024·
If budget is a major concern, the JBL Quantum 100 headphones would be the better option as they are considerably less expensive and provide good sound quality for gaming and TV, plus they have a boom mic which is ideal for clear communication in calls. However, they are less comfortable, have lower build quality, and are not suitable for use during exercise or travel due to poor noise isolation and portability. On the other hand, the Sennheiser IE600 earbuds, while more costly, offer superior sound quality, especially for music and TV, and come with a detachable cable and a robust build. They are also more portable and provide better noise isolation, though they might not be the best for gaming and have no microphone, which could affect call 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 JBL Quantum 100
Very good for gaming
Advantages of the Sennheiser IE600
Very good for music
Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
7.0/10
8.3/10
The Sennheiser IE600 is very good for music, while the JBL Quantum 100 is good.
Gaming
8.5/10
6.7/10
The JBL Quantum 100 is very good for gaming, while the Sennheiser IE600 is only fair.
Phone Calls
5.5/10
3.5/10
The JBL Quantum 100 and Sennheiser IE600 are both poor for phone calls, though the JBL Quantum 100 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.5/10
5.4/10
The Sennheiser IE600 and JBL Quantum 100 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Sennheiser IE600 is somewhat better.
TV and Video
7.1/10
9.3/10
The Sennheiser IE600 is excellent for TV and video, while the JBL Quantum 100 is good.
Noise Reduction
5.3/10
7.0/10
The Sennheiser IE600 is good for noise reduction, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
Cost
$40
$600
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The JBL Quantum 100 has a price of $40 and the Sennheiser IE600 costs $600.
Build Quality
6.5/10
9.0/10
The Sennheiser IE600 has excellent build quality, while the JBL Quantum 100 has only fair build quality.
"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."
"If you've got the bucks, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a nice, upscale set of in-ear monitors made of a lightweight metal with an unusual texture. It comes with a suite of extras, and performs well at virtually every task."
Get a great deal on the JBL Quantum 100 or the Sennheiser IE600
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.
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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
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.
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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.