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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a console-first wireless headset with a detachable boom mic and JBL's own tuning, choose JBL Quantum 360X; if you need a PS5-focused wireless headset with 7.1 surround sound, a 45-hour battery and a dongle that just works, choose syndesmos PS5.
• JBL Quantum 360X — biggest strength: lossless 2.4GHz wireless plus a detachable directional boom mic and 40mm JBL QuantumSOUND drivers, in a light 252 g frame. Biggest trade-off: no dedicated surround processing of its own — it leans on Windows Sonic on supported systems, and the battery tops out at 22 hours.
• syndesmos PS5 — biggest strength: true 7.1 surround sound from 50mm drivers, up to 45 hours of battery, and a 5-minute charge that gives roughly 2 hours of play. Biggest trade-off: it's wired-only unless you use the dongle or Bluetooth, and it relies on passive noise cancellation rather than active noise control.
• Pick JBL Quantum 360X if you game across Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Switch and Bluetooth devices and you care about a clean mic and a light fit.
• Pick syndesmos PS5 if PS5 is your main machine and you want positional surround audio plus marathon battery life.
• Both are over-ear, both are 32 ohm, both ship with a one-year warranty. The real split is surround processing, battery, and how you connect.
The Quantum 360X is built around two ideas: freedom from cables and a mic that actually carries your voice. The 2.4GHz wireless link is described as gaming-grade and lossless, which matters most in shooters where a half-second of latency or a dropped packet is the difference between hearing a flank and walking into it. Bluetooth 5.2 is on board too, so the same headset can jump to a phone or tablet between matches without you swapping hardware.
The audio side is the JBL QuantumSOUND Signature, driven by 40mm dynamic drivers with a 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency range, 32 ohm impedance and 115 dB sensitivity. Translation for a buyer: it's an efficient, easy-to-drive headset that gets loud without needing a DAC or amp, and JBL is tuning for cinematic impact — footsteps up close, explosions big. What it does not have is its own surround decoder. The listing frames it as compatible with Windows Sonic Surround Sound, so the spatial processing comes from the platform, not the headset. On a console or PC that supports it, that's fine. If you want the headset itself to do the 7.1 lifting, this isn't that product.
Battery is rated up to 22 hours with a 2-hour charge, and there's play-and-charge plus speed charge as fallbacks, so a long weekend of sessions is realistic if you top up overnight. The detachable directional boom mic includes a mute function — genuinely useful when you want to go silent mid-match without digging through menus. In the box you get a USB audio adapter, a Type-C to Type-A charging cable and a windshield foam for the mic.
Buy it if you want one wireless headset that covers Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC, Mac and Bluetooth devices, you value a detachable boom mic you can pull off for solo play, and you like a light over-ear at 252 g. Skip it if your priority is headset-side surround processing or you want battery numbers in the 40-plus-hour range.
The syndesmos PS5 (model Captain 370) is aimed squarely at one console and one problem: getting into a PS5 game fast with good positional audio. You plug the 2.4GHz USB dongle into the PS5 and you're connected — no pairing dance. The same dongle covers PC and Switch, and Bluetooth 5.3 handles phones and tablets. There's also a 3.5mm jack, so wired use is on the table when you want zero wireless variables.
The headline feature is 7.1 surround sound delivered through 50mm dynamic drivers. Larger drivers generally move more air and give a wider stage, and the listing explicitly ties the tuning to directional cues — footsteps, voices, action cues and in-game detail — with the note that it's designed to work alongside PS5 audio settings in supported games. That combination is exactly what a competitive player wants: the ability to place a sound left, right, behind or above without guessing. Surround on this one comes from the headset, not from a platform toggle.
Battery is the other headline: up to 45 hours on a charge, plus a 5-minute top-up that returns about 2 hours of play. That's the kind of spec that means you charge it on Sunday and forget about it. Comfort is handled with protein leather cushions over memory foam, an adjustable headband and rotating ear cups — the rotating cups help it sit flat around your neck between rounds and adapt to different head shapes. The enclosure is ABS and polycarbonate, finished in white, and it's an over-ear with round earcups.
The mic is a noise-canceling boom that targets keyboard clatter, fan noise and background chatter, and when you unplug the boom the built-in mic keeps it usable for quick calls. Noise control overall is passive, achieved through the cushion seal rather than active circuitry — so it dulls the room, it doesn't erase it.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best surround sound experience → syndesmos PS5. 7.1 surround from 50mm drivers, processed in the headset, versus platform-dependent Windows Sonic on the JBL.
• Best for Xbox, Switch, PC and Mac multi-platform play → JBL Quantum 360X. It's explicitly positioned for Xbox and also works with PlayStation, Switch, PC and Mac, with Bluetooth 5.2 for phones and tablets.
• Best battery life → syndesmos PS5. Up to 45 hours with a 5-minute fast charge, roughly double the JBL's 22-hour rating.
• Best mic for team chat → JBL Quantum 360X, in my opinion. A detachable directional voice-focus boom with a dedicated mute button is a cleaner setup than a noise-canceling boom you'd typically remove for calls.
• Lightest on your head → JBL Quantum 360X at 252 g, with a plastic-and-fabric build that stays comfortable for long sessions.
• Best for marathon PS5 sessions → syndesmos PS5. Memory foam with protein leather, rotating ear cups and an adjustable headband are all aimed at extended wear.
• Best for quiet-room focus → syndesmos PS5. Passive noise cancellation via the cushion seal; the JBL has no noise control at all.
• Best for wired flexibility → syndesmos PS5. It offers 2.4GHz, Bluetooth and a 3.5mm wired option; the JBL is wireless-only over RF and Bluetooth.
If I were buying for myself and my main console was a PS5, I'd take the syndesmos PS5. In my opinion the combination of headset-side 7.1 surround, 50mm drivers and a 45-hour battery with a 5-minute fast charge is the more useful package for a console player who wants surround sound and hates charging cables. I'd pick the JBL Quantum 360X instead if I gamed across several platforms, wanted the lighter 252 g frame, or valued a detachable boom mic with a mute button over surround processing. Neither is a bad buy — they just solve different problems. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing that can tip a close call.
FAQ
how to get surround sound headphones
how to test surround sound headphones
Play a game or clip with clearly directional cues — footsteps circling you, an object passing left to right, a voice behind you — and check whether you can place each sound without looking. On the syndesmos PS5, also make sure your PS5 audio settings match what the game supports, since the headset is designed to work alongside those settings.
how to make surround sound headphones
If a headset's surround isn't coming through, check the connection first: the syndesmos PS5 needs its 2.4GHz dongle plugged in and the correct output selected, and the JBL Quantum 360X needs a platform-level spatial format like Windows Sonic enabled. Confirm the game itself supports surround or spatial audio, because many only output stereo.
how to fix surround sound headphones
Start with the basics: reseat the dongle or cable, confirm the headset is the selected output device, and verify the spatial audio setting is actually on for that device. If channels still sound swapped or flat, test on a second device — if it behaves the same there, the issue is the source settings rather than the headset.
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