We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a headset that works with basically everything you own and keeps the mic out of your way when you're not talking, choose JBL Quantum 200; if you need a PC-first headset with virtual surround and software you can tune, choose NZXT Relay.
• JBL Quantum 200 — biggest strength: A 3.5mm jack that covers PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile, Mac and VR, plus a flip-up boom mic with auto on/off and mute.
• JBL Quantum 200 — biggest trade-off: It's a plain stereo headset. There's no virtual surround of its own and no companion software to tune anything.
• NZXT Relay — biggest strength: DTS Headphone:X 7.1 spatial audio, a Hi-Res Audio certified 20 Hz–40 kHz frequency range, and EQ/surround/mic-monitoring control through NZXT CAM.
• NZXT Relay — biggest trade-off: It's built around PC. There's no console or mobile story in the specs, and it weighs more than the JBL.
• Who each pick is for: JBL Quantum 200 → the multi-device gamer who wants one headset for console, PC and handheld. NZXT Relay → the desktop player who wants positional audio and software control.
The Quantum 200 is the simpler of the two, and that's the point. It's a wired over-ear headset with 50mm dynamic drivers, a 32-ohm impedance and a 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency range. That's a normal, well-understood stereo tuning — nothing exotic, but the 50mm driver size is what gives it the body you want for explosions and engine noise. JBL calls its tuning QuantumSOUND Signature, and the pitch is a sound curve aimed at games rather than flat reference listening.
The feature that actually changes how you use it day to day is the mic. It's a voice-focus directional boom that flips up, and when it flips up it mutes and switches off automatically. If you've ever been the person in a Discord call who forgot to mute, or the person whose mic is permanently parked in front of their face while they eat, that mechanical behavior is genuinely useful. It's not software you have to remember; it's a hinge.
Then there's connectivity, and this is where the JBL pulls ahead for a lot of people. The 3.5mm jack works with PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobile, Mac and VR, and JBL includes a PC splitter cable in the box so you can separate headphone and mic into the two jacks some desktops still use. It's also designed to work with Windows Sonic spatial sound, the native surround built into Windows 10 and Xbox One — so you can get a virtual surround effect without installing anything, as long as your platform supports it.
Build-wise it's a 245 g over-ear design with a lightweight headband and memory foam ear cushions, finished in black, with a 1-year manufacturer warranty. The headband and pads are the parts that matter over a four-hour session, and memory foam plus a light frame is the right combination for that.
Buy it if you game across more than one device, you want a mic you can physically get out of the way, or you want a headset that just plugs in and works with zero setup. Skip it if you're chasing virtual 7.1 positional audio or you like the idea of tweaking an EQ curve yourself — the Quantum 200 gives you neither, and its noise control is listed as none.
The Relay is the more ambitious headset, and it shows in the spec sheet. The frequency range runs 20 Hz–40 kHz — double the top end of the JBL — and it carries Hi-Res Audio certification from the Japan Audio Society. That matters most if you also listen to music or watch content on the same headset and want detail up top rather than a bass-forward game curve. NZXT describes the drivers as sonically accurate with a neutral profile, which is a different philosophy from JBL's: the Relay is trying to reproduce what's there, not to flatter it.
The headline gaming feature is DTS Headphone:X, which delivers 7.1 virtual surround and 3D spatial audio so you can pick out directional cues like footsteps, distant conversation and where an explosion came from. For competitive shooters, that's the whole argument for this headset, and it's the thing the JBL only gets indirectly through Windows Sonic — and only if your platform offers it.
The Relay also has NZXT CAM software behind it. You can pick preset sound modes or build your own EQ, adjust surround, and turn on mic monitoring so you can hear your own voice at a sane level instead of shouting. Mic monitoring sounds like a minor feature until you've used it; it's the difference between a natural speaking volume and a strained one on long calls. The microphone itself is detachable, so when you're just listening, you can pull it off entirely and the headset becomes a plain pair of headphones.
Comfort comes from a lightweight, adjustable frame that NZXT says distributes weight evenly, with rounded over-ear cups in plastic. It's 320 g, so it's noticeably heavier on paper than the 245 g JBL — worth knowing if you're sensitive to clamp and weight over long sessions. It ships with a user manual, and the warranty is 2 years, double the JBL's.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for multi-device use → JBL Quantum 200. PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile, Mac and VR on one 3.5mm jack, with a PC splitter included.
• Best for positional audio → NZXT Relay. DTS Headphone:X 7.1 and 3D spatial audio are built in, not dependent on your platform's surround support.
• Best for easy muting → JBL Quantum 200. The flip-up boom mic mutes and powers off automatically — a physical action, not a software toggle.
• Best for sound customization → NZXT Relay. NZXT CAM gives you EQ presets, custom tuning, surround adjustment and mic monitoring.
• Best for music and media as well as games → NZXT Relay. The 20 Hz–40 kHz range and Hi-Res Audio certification point at detail, not just game-tuned bass.
• Best for longer sessions and lighter wear → JBL Quantum 200. 245 g versus 320 g, with memory foam cushions and a lightweight headband.
• Best for a cleaner setup when not talking → NZXT Relay. The microphone detaches completely instead of just flipping up.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity → JBL Quantum 200. No software, no drivers, no configuration.
If I were buying for myself, I'd pick the NZXT Relay, and the reason is narrow: I play at a desk, and DTS Headphone:X plus CAM tuning is the difference between hearing that someone is behind me and guessing. The wider frequency range and detachable mic seal it for me.
But I'd hand the JBL Quantum 200 to almost anyone else. If your gaming spreads across a console, a handheld and a PC, or you want a headset that works the second you plug it in, the JBL's platform coverage and flip-up mic are simply more useful than surround processing you may not be able to use. Neither is the "better" headset in the abstract — they're built for two different desks.
FAQ
Correct. The Relay has DTS Headphone:X 7.1 built in. The JBL Quantum 200 is stereo, though it's designed for full compatibility with Windows Sonic spatial sound if your platform supports it.
On paper, the JBL Quantum 200 — it's 245 g against the Relay's 320 g, with memory foam ear cushions and a lightweight headband. The Relay counters with an adjustable frame that distributes weight evenly, so it's worth weighing how sensitive you are to headset weight.
It depends what you want. The JBL's voice-focus boom mic flips up and auto-mutes when raised, which is great for quick muting. The NZXT Relay's mic is fully detachable and supports mic monitoring through NZXT CAM, which is more flexible if you also use the headset without a mic. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since that's often what tips the call.
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