In the never ending search for quality gaming headphones, I’ve had my share of experience with various styles from a handful of manufacturers. However, I recently had the opportunity to get my hands and ears on Astro Gaming’s A40 Wireless System, which has without question, blown away the competition.
The system, which retails for $279.95, comes with the A40 headphones, headphone tags, the MixAmp 5.8 transmitter and receiver, an optical cable, a play/charge USB cable, Xbox Chat Cable and a nifty carrying case.
The real meat of the package is the MixAmp 5.8 GHz system which does all sorts of wonderful little things. The TX base unit connects to either a PS3 or Xbox 360 via an Optical cable for digital surround sound. There is also an optical output for those who wish to also connect it to keep their consoles connected to a home theater system. The receiver has two USB ports that will support future accessories and AUX input for use only with the PS3 Chat Cable. Getting started is pretty simple once connected to the console. The top portion of the receiver has the power button and another to toggle the Dolby audio on and off. The power button also serves as the pairing (or syncing) button for the RX receiver, which is what connects to the headphones.
The RX receiver connects to the headphones with an AUX jack and includes a large dial for volume control, a bass booster button, a power button and a very handy and smaller dial for adjusting the volume for in-game sound and voice (chat). There’s also a mini USB port for use with the charge cable if you are using the optional rechargeable battery ($19.95, which I recommend for hours of use); otherwise 3 AAA batteries will do the job. Both the RX and TX units are fairly well built with a glossy, hard plastic on the top and a nice rubbery finish on the bottom that make it easy to grip and will help gamers who have sweaty hands.
With both units turned on and synced, the A40 system is ready to get going. It should be noted that the MixAmp 5.8 can actually be used with any headphones, and don’t necessarily need to be used with the A40s, though I noticed better sound quality in comparison to a standard pair of headphones; but we’ll get back to the headset in a moment.
By simply pressing the Dolby button on the TX receiver, gamers will get quality 7.1 surround sound that makes any game that much more enjoyable. Taking games like Mortal Kombat, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Crysis 2 for a spin, I noticed excellent clarity in dialogue and accurate reproduction of the sound stage for each game. I was able to identify enemies and bullets coming from very specific directions, while Fatalities in MK sounded extra gory with every slice and dice. For the sake of non-gaming, I also jumped on Netflix and through on a couple of scenes from the recent Star Trek movie, along with Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the original Fast and the Furious. The system was able to produce impressive sound from every direction, and although the bass is lacking slightly, the Bass Expander from the TX receiver certainly helped (as will using the A40 headphones).
For gamers who plan on hosting multiplayer games in the same room, the TX base station can actually support up to 4 RX receivers (which can also be purchased separately for $59.95), which is a great feature. Boasting 5.8 GHz wireless technology, I never once noticed any interference with the system, whether I was 10 feet away, or downstairs. I even had clear sound while cleaning out the garage while listening to music from the Xbox 360. Fortunately, Astro Gaming also includes a clip that attaches to the back of the RX receiver so that gamers can attach it to their belts and be able to walk around with it.
Pairing up the MixAmp 5.8, as previously mentioned, with the A40 headset is really where it’s at. For starters, the A40 has a very stylish look, enhanced by extremely comfortable ear cushions and headrest. The headphones are pretty flexible and expandable and make it easy to forget you’re wearing anything at all. One of my favorite features of the A40 is the ability to detach the boom mic and place it on any side of the headphones. Both left and right sides have the mic input so users will be allowed to choose which side to plug it into; when not in use, the mic can also be rotated upward to keep it out of the way. Speaking of the mic, I used it in both multiplayer games online and even on my PC with Skype and found that the quality was great; coming in clearly and without much background noise.
The A40 also comes with removable speaker tags that attach to the out-facing portion of the earphones, which attach effortlessly through magnets that don’t interfere with sound. Three come in a package, with one of them having the opening for the mic. The other two have no opening and are better used when not utilizing the mic. The tags are actually customizable and users can pick up a set of special edition tags such as for Metal Gear Solid 4 and Penny Arcade (to name a few) and have some very nice stylized art. There’s no extra charge for the system when choosing one of Astro’s already-available styles. Of course, gamers can get creative and customize their own, choosing from a host of available logos, with the ability to add text, or by uploading their own designs through Astro Gaming’s website.
Included with the A40 headphones are an AUX jack for use with the RX receiver, a separate 2M cable for use with a PC that has a mic and headphone jack and Y-cable that takes the mic and headphone connections and combines them into one. The headphone’s attached cable also has a mute switch for the mic. The cable that attaches to the RX receiver however, also works just fine with a PC as I was able to use that single cable for listening to music and using the mic. The Xbox Chat Cable plugs into an Xbox 360 controller and into the RX receiver for chat capabilities as well, while the separate USB Chat Cable can be purchased for the PS3 for $9.95. I would also note that the headphones do a fine job of canceling out noise, but there are two cushioned inserts that can be added to reduce even more noise.
Having taken the A40 Wireless System through its paces for a few weeks, it’s clear that Astro Gaming has created this system with a lot of care and patience. They have seriously thought about everything in terms of connections and accessibility and with impressive sound quality, a sturdy build, plenty of customization options and even a surprise (and well built) carrying case that I never expected inside the stylish product boxes, the A40 Wireless System gets a huge thumbs up. Any serious gamer will do themselves a favor by picking this official Major League Gaming system up.
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