Astro A40 2011 Edition Gaming Headset Review

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Astro A40 2011 Edition Gaming Headset Review

Written by Michael Rohde Thursday, 26 May 2011 13:48

The hardest part about reviewing Astro’s A40 2011 Edition Gaming Headset and MixAmp was remembering all of the features that come with it -- because there are SO many. I’ll go ahead and give it a shot:

hard shell travelling case
removable boom mic
optical cable
rechargeable battery, which you can recharge while using it
you can swap out the rechargeable battery with regular batteries
a clip so that the wireless module travels with you if you need to move around
you can switch on or off the thumping extra bass (which I always keep on)
mute switches
a master volume control and a volume control for chat
foam inserts to block out external noise
different ear pads that you can switch around, one has a hole for the boom mic while another doesn’t, to help block noise from coming in or going out
Dolby 7.1 surround sound
works on PCs and game consoles, I use it on my Xbox 360 and recorded a podcast with it

Really, seriously, the list could go on and on. There’s a reason why the A40 and MixAmp cost what they do: because you get what you pay for. Before I put the Astro headset on, I was very skeptical about “surround sound” on a headset. But somehow, someway, they do it. When two characters are talking in a game, you don’t hear the sound coming directly into your ears, instead, you hear the sound directly above your head. Or when there’s ambient noise, you can literally hear it in the back left (or whichever direction the noise is coming from), and then as you turn your character, the sound swivels around with you. It’s absolutely amazing. The tactical advantage this provides during multiplayer sessions is tremendous. Simply put, the Astro A40 lives up to its claim of Dolby 7.1 surround sound.

I’ve reviewed other wireless headsets before, which I thought sounded pretty good at the time, but they sometimes exhibited crackling or popping noises. I specifically looked for any kind of snaps or pops when I used the A40 wireless. There was absolutely no difference in quality between being wireless and being plugged in. No pops, cracks or whistles of any kind. Again, the A40 performed admirably.

As for comfort, it’s tough to beat it. The cushioned pads are very comfortable. You can wear these for hours on end and not get sore.

As for blocking out noise, I wore these during my daily commute and it blocked out most of the train screeches. When I used to wear my Apple ear buds, I had to turn up the volume extremely loud to hear the music or just suffer through not hearing the music much of the time while on the train. With the A40s, this was not an issue.

Even the feel of the A40 gaming headset is high class. The module that you attach to the headphones has a soft, rubber feel to it that won’t allow it to slip out of your hand; it’s not a greasy, plastic feel. When you handle it, you feel like you're handling something of value, which you are.

Overall, the Astro A40 Gaming Headset with MixAmp is a worthwhile investment for the hardcore gamer. There’s very good reason they are the official headset of Major League Gaming. They have the quality that serious gamers desire. Here’s a link to Astro’s site, where you can purchase them for $249.