In 2024, I was surprised to see JBL Quantum, a brand known for gaming audio, release a product not explicitly targeted at gamers. Enter the JBL Quantum Stream Wireless USB-C, a wireless lavalier microphone designed for content creators using Android or the latest iPhone devices to record their videos.
Yes, content creators, not gamers, though there’s nothing stopping you from using the Quantum Stream Wireless USB-C for a wireless mic setup on Twitch. At $150, this new mic competes in a crowded market of wireless lav mics, many of which are much cheaper.
As a tech content creator who shoots everything on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, I was keen to try this mic out. Full disclosure: I already own a Rode Wireless Go II, so I’m not new to wireless mics. The Quantum Stream Wireless USB-C (let’s call it the Stream Wireless for brevity) lacks some of the features of the Rode device but costs about half as much and is more portable and convenient. But is it worth your money and attention?
Design and Build
I was immediately impressed with the tiny package I pulled out of the box. The Stream Wireless comes in a carry case similar to any true wireless earbuds—in fact, the case is identical to the ones the JBL Tune family of earbuds uses. It’s a smooth plastic egg with JBL branding on the front and a USB-C port on the back. Three diagonal LED indicators on the front show the remaining charge in the case.
Open it, and instead of earbuds, you find the wireless lav mic and a USB-C dongle. The lav mic is about the thickness of an adult thumb but shorter, approximately 1.5 inches long. It has a spring-loaded clip on the back to easily attach to your shirt, jacket, or collar—preferably not too far below your chin. It weighs just 11.2g, so you’ll barely notice it when wearing it. On top of the mic is the speaker grill plus a status LED; on the side is a mute button, and lastly, on the front is a status LED indicator to show your connection and battery status.
JBL also includes a furry windshield or ‘dead cat,’ which serves to reduce wind noise when you’re out vlogging and is good at reducing unwanted plosives. It attaches easily to the mic, but the case can’t close while this is on.
The USB-C dongle comes in a typical T-shape design we see a lot with gaming headsets. It’s designed with smartphones in mind, though you can use it with PCs, laptops, and other devices with a USB-C port. It sits flush, keeping your overall smartphone footprint small. The dongle has an indicator LED that flashes white when disconnected from the mic but settles into a solid white when recording is active. I appreciate that the dongle also has USB-C power passthrough, so you can charge your phone while recording.
The overall design is perfect thanks to its tiny footprint, making it easy to carry in your pocket and ready to go while you’re out and about. It’s such an easy mic to plug in, clip on, and start recording, removing all the friction for anyone shooting on the go.
Features and Performance
The Quantum Stream Wireless USB-C uses 2.4GHz low latency wireless and offers a maximum range of 100 meters, which is plenty for most use cases. It’s compatible with Android smartphones and tablets and works with Apple iPads and the new iPhone 15 with USB-C. In my testing, my iPhone 15 Pro Max immediately recognized the mic, and the connection was solid.
The mic uses an omnidirectional pickup pattern, though since it’s designed to sit on your shirt collar, the pickup circle is tighter to focus more on your voice than the environment around you. It also supports adjustable environmental noise canceling to better isolate your voice.
The mic can record a maximum bit depth of 16-bit at a 48kHz sample rate with noise canceling off, but this drops to 16kHz when noise canceling is on. It has a frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz, and the audio is crisp, clean, and warm. I like how my voice sounds straight out of the microphone.
It’s plug-and-play, so most devices will immediately recognize the Quantum Stream Wireless USB-C without issue. You’ll want to get the JBL Headphones app for Android or iOS to adjust the noise canceling and mic gain. Unsurprisingly, the mic is also supported in the JBL Quantum Engine software for Windows, perfect for those who want to use the mic with their PC or laptop.
As for battery life, JBL promises up to 6 hours of continuous recording, which is plenty for most users. More professional mics like DJI and Rode offer longer recording times but cost double. The case for the mic offers an additional 18 hours, so you won’t need to charge this often. If you’re in a hurry, the mic can give you an hour of recording with just 15 minutes of charging.
The overall sound quality from the Quantum Stream Wireless is rich with good body and reproduction of my natural tone. The difference from my iPhone microphone, which sounded a bit echoey and hollow, was noticeable, while the JBL mic sounded more intimate and powerful.
As with all mics, proximity to your mouth is key; the closer you can clip it to your mouth, the richer and warmer the audio will be. Many content creators on TikTok either hold the mic up to their mouth by clipping it to a utensil or just holding it in their hands. While this isn’t the intended use of a lavalier microphone, it’s hard to argue with the boosted audio such methods produce.
However, if you are streaming or vlogging in the streets, you’ll most likely need both your hands free, so clipping it to your person as intended is the way to go. You still get excellent sound out of the mic, and after recording a few videos with this, I can’t go back to my iPhone’s audio. The effective range of the mic lets you traverse the length of a football pitch while still capturing clean, undistorted audio.
Verdict
The obvious difference between the JBL Quantum Stream Wireless USB-C and my Rode Wireless Go II, boils down to sheer convenience and ease of use. It’s just so easy to plug and start shooting with the JBL mic. So even though it has one less receiver and many of the features Rode offers, the tradeoff is worthwhile for us amateur content creators.
But at $150, the Quantum Stream Wireless is far from the cheapest of its kind. A quick look on Amazon reveals dozens of similar mics for a fraction of the price, many of which include two mics in the package. Here, the value proposition comes under serious scrutiny. There’s no doubt that JBL has a winner for its first product, but will that be enough to sway the very budget-conscious smartphone content creator?
It would be an easier pill to swallow if the Quantum Stream Wireless came in at under $100. That said, this is an excellent addition to any budding content creator’s arsenal of tools—it’s most definitely become part of my EDC.
JBL Australia kindly provided the Quantum Stream Wireless USB-C to PowerUp for the purpose of this review
