Audio and Video

TechInsights Teardown: JBL Quantum wireless earbuds

20 January 2023
The charging case as part of the JBL Quantum wireless earbuds. Source: TechInsights

The headset market has been wildly popular for many decades and with the advent of advanced wireless headsets, it has only heated up even more with all the leaders coming out with versions of wireless buds.

JBL released its Quantum wireless earbuds in early 2022 with an included USB-C dongle that fits into the charging case. The earbuds are compatible with all Bluetooth enabled devices such as smartphones and tablets.

The wireless earbuds contain four different boards for each component of the earbuds. The following is a partial deep dive into the Quantum wireless earbuds from TechInsights.

Summary

  • Bluetooth 5.2 ICs
  • Touch gestures
  • Proximity sensors

Price: $150.00

Availability: Worldwide

Target market: Consumer

Release date: April 2022

The main board of the charging case include Bluetooth components and other audio ICs. Source: TechInsightsThe main board of the charging case include Bluetooth components and other audio ICs. Source: TechInsights

Charging case main board

The main board of the JBL Quantum earbuds includes a Bluetooth headset charging IC from Silergy and a microcontroller from Fremont Micro Devices. Other electronic components include On Semiconductor’s 250 mA LDO regulator and Analog Devices’ voltage detector.

(Learn more about Bluetooth chips on Globalspec.com)

The left earbud board contains MEMS devices as well as audio electronic components for the Quantum earbuds. Source: TechInsightsThe left earbud board contains MEMS devices as well as audio electronic components for the Quantum earbuds. Source: TechInsights

Left earbud board

The electronic components found on the left earbud board of the Quantum headset includes:

  • Torex Semiconductor’s 300 mA LDO regulator
  • Nisshinbo Micro Devices’ LDO regulator
  • A Bluetooth 5.3 audio system-on-chip from Airoha Technology
  • MEMS microphone

(Learn more about audio ICs on Globalspec.com)

The right earbud board contains the exact same electronics components as the left side. Source: TechInsights The right earbud board contains the exact same electronics components as the left side. Source: TechInsights

Right earbud board

The electronic components found in the right earbud board are the exact same as the left earbud board with the LDO regulators, MEMS devices and Bluetooth ICs as the other board.

The major components of the JBL Quantum wireless earbuds. Source: TechInsights The major components of the JBL Quantum wireless earbuds. Source: TechInsights

Manufacturing cost breakdown

  • $7.34 — Integrated circuits
  • $6.43 — USB transmitter subsystem
  • $5.14 — Modules, discretes and connectors
  • $2.98 — Non-electronic parts
  • $1.93 — Component insertion
  • $1.85 — Final assembly and test
  • $1.05 — Substrates
  • $0.92 — Battery subsystem
  • $0.55 – Card test

To contact the author of this article, email GlobalSpecEditors@globalspec.com


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