Astro A40 Gaming Headset
Astro MixAmp

-Price: 
$199.95 For the Headset (Best Choice For PC Gamers)
Includes: Headset with quick disconnect, Speaker Tags, Speaker Tag Competition Foam Inserts,
Quick Disconnect 4-Pole Connector Cable (for MixAmp, PC, MP3 Player), Quick
Disconnect to Dual-Jack Connecter Cable With Volume Control (For PC), 3.5mm to 1/4”
Adapter, and A40 Audio System Travel Case.

$129.95 For the MixAmp (Works With Other Headsets. Sennheiser, Turtle Beach HPX, Etc.)
Includes: MixAmp with Daisy-chain Connecter, RCA-to-RCA Piggyback Cable, 2.5mm-to-2.5mm 
Xbox Live Controller Cable, USB-to-USB Mini 'B' cable.

$249.95 for the Astro Headset/ MixAmp Combo (Best Choice For Console Gamers)
Includes: Everything That is Included in each of the packages listed above.

http://www.AstroGaming.com

NOTE: Astro does not sell their products in stores in order to keep their prices competitive and 
affordable. The only places you will be able to buy Astro Gaming products is from the Astro
Gaming website, a Major League Gaming (MLG) event near you, and their Amazon page. 
(I don't recommend Amazon because the choices are limited and priced higher.)

Gaming headsets are increasingly becoming popular. Some people get them because they want 
to play late at night or their sound system just isn't up to par. Others get them because they need
high quality sound in a noisy tournament environment. Whatever the case may be, a quality
headset will give you a nice edge, whether you play competitively or not.

When you get your hands on an Astro Audio System you will notice how brilliant the
packaging looks. It has a shiny yet settle look to it. It doesn't feel like a billboard when I'm
looking at it unlike how other companies tend to package their headsets.



The only thing I disliked about the MixAmp box was how you get your MixAmp and its
contents out. The MixAmp I have is the new and updated 2010 version (more on that later). I
was confused about how to get the contents out of the MixAmp box and then later realized that
all the wires were underneath the MixAmp itself. The MixAmp had a really snug fit to the point 
where I felt I was going to damage the box when I was pulling it out. Older versions of the 
MixAmp packaging did not have this problem, they were pretty straight forward. I had no 
problems opening the headset box though, as soon as you open it you are greeted with 
your Astro A40 hard travel case which houses your A40 headset right inside.

So lets get down to the headset itself. There are two color schemes available, all black or 
black and white.


(the cushioning on the ear cups in this picture is not acurate)

I personally went with the all black version of the A40s. They Just look more professional and 
has a cool stealthy look to it. The headset is light and very comfortable to wear for extended 
periods of time. The cushioning on the ear cups and headband is thick and very soft. The felt 
fabric that covers the cushioning feels good and its just a little rougher than a microfiber cloth.


(notice the thicker cushioning?)

The quick disconnect cable was a good idea but wear and tear is always in the back of my 
mind every time I disconnect and reconnect. Atleast I dont have to worry about leaving the 
headset on the floor when I have to leave the room. I can quickly disconnect the A40s, throw 
them around my shoulders and swivel the ear cups inward for a comfortable fit.



While wearing the A40s I noticed that the bass isn't really there. I mean, they have great sound 
and you will hear bass but it wont be super punchy. When listening to music or in-game sounds 
like explosions I felt like I needed to crank up the volume and even then, the bass was okay. 
Everything else felt spot on to me. I could tell from exactly wich direction the sound was coming 
from and even calculate the distance in my head. 

Something that I found useless was the Competition Foam Inserts wich go in between your ear 
cups and your speaker tags. Sopposedly when you have them on, it drops 6 decibles of outside 
sound going in to your ears. I felt no difference with them on or off. Then again, I was testing 
this in my room while I had the television on at a high volume. Maybe they would work better at
a noisy tournament where sound is mushy and coming from everywhere rather than directly from 
my television. 

The boom mic that comes with the A40s can be attached to either side of the headset. I 
appreciate this alot because I like my mics on the right side and past headsets I've had have 
been on the left side only. The A40s do feature voice monitoring so you will know when you are 
talking louder than you really have to. One thing about the mic is that it really doesn't like to stay 
in place when you bend it towards or away from you. Keeping it in the straight position will 
work fine though, it will pick your voice up no problem. 

Gamers on the go will appreciate the hard travel case that comes with the A40s. It even has 
space in there to fit your MixAmp. If you are buying the headset by itself you will be able to 
easily take the headset and the wires you need with you. But if you are carrying your headset 
and MixAmp, good luck fitting all the wires you need in there because you wont be able to. It 
is a well made case none the less, and I always store my A40s in it after every use.

If you are the type of person that likes their products customized Astro Gaming has a solution 
for you. You can design your own speaker tags or choose from pre-made ones. I myself have 
the MLG Orlando speaker tags. I have seen custom-made speaker tags done through the Astro 
website and I have to say that they are good quality but it all depends on your design. I wouldn't 
worry too much about speaker tags though because "It's just for decerations, thats it and thats 
all man, we do it for decorations". Custom and additional speaker tags will run you about $20 - 
$25 extra. You do get to choose wich default speaker tags are included with your headset though.