The current crop of gaming headsets runs the gamut in terms of pricing. Spend pennies, and you’ll surely have a mind cramp after just a few hours into that marathon online session. Spend a butt-load, and odds are that the definition of The Law of Diminishing Returns will become abundantly clear in a matter of minutes.

At an MSRP of $249.95, Astro Gaming’s A40 Audio System, for some, may ponder the question, “how much better can it be?” A good question that we’ll answer for you shortly. But let’s first get to the hard data on why the A40 Audio System costs as much as a Wii.

There are various configurations and price points of gaming headsets on the market. The major division is between wireless and wired, with the former normally being less-featured to keep the price outside of the stratosphere (i.e. more than the frugal gamer types are willing to spend). The A40 Audio System is part of the wired lineup, and is the apogee of said lineup in terms of completeness and features. The A40 Audio System is like a decked-out Bimmer in fact, with every bell and whistle that you ever wanted in a gaming headset, and a few that you probably didn’t think of, but are noteworthy. On the more basic side, the A40 Audio System features a separate amplifier section which not only handles internal Dolby encoding, but also allows the custom mixing of game and voice chat data (thus the moniker Mixamp). The headset has its standard items too, such as 40mm drivers (made from alloy, which is less common than impregnated paper, but not as esoteric as, say, electrostatic transducers), a heavily padded headband, over-the-ear cups and adjustability for heads from egg to melon.

The A40 Audio System’s goodies don’t stop at the nuts-and-bolts of it all. Atop the impressive list of standard features, the Mixamp contains a separate circuit designed for communication with other amps connected to it. Astro’s patent-pending “daisychain” system may not be that big of a deal to Joe Gamer, but to Joe Clan Gamer, a clear, lag-free comm. line could be the difference between a slash in the ‘W’ column and a wet teabag. This separate communications line for daisy-chained Mixamp’s of the A40 Audio System also rules out proximity-chat detection, provided that the stock Xbox 360 chat line is disabled (the A40 Audio System can run both if desired). Score another one for serious multiplayer gamers.

Whether the aforementioned chitter-chatter is going through a daisy’d Mixamp or the 360 itself, the device used to send said blabber is about as nice as you’ll find this side of NASA. Not only is the A40 Audio System’s mic boom noise-canceling and super hand-malleable, but it also connects via a standard 1/8” jack, and, you guessed it: the headset has both a left and right receptacle. We realize that mic earcup flippage isn’t going to make or break your decision on a gaming headset, but it does illustrate the level of thought that Astro has put into designing the A40 Audio System for true game enthusiasts. Not gamers will appreciate that the mic can be removed altogether– no need looking like a fighter pilot just because you are watching Stealth with a headset on.

A quick jaunt through Astro’s website will make you realize that this “upstart” headset manufacturer isn’t upstart at all. You may not have heard of Astro before, but odds are, if you’re reading this, you interact with one of their designs at least once a day. Yes, Astro handled the Xbox 360’s design, not to mention the designs of beautiful gear by Alienware, Compaq and even for the high-end furniture gurus at Herman Miller. It should go without saying, then, but we’ll say it anyways– you won’t find a better designed 3rd-party peripheral for your Xbox 360 than the A40 Audio System. In fact, you won’t even have to open the packaging to know that you’ve bought something aesthetically-spectacular. Package design is an industrial art in and of itself, and the A40 Audio System proves that with sleek, black and orange hinged boxes with ghost graphics depicting gaming scenarios. Seriously, if a Cartier necklace costing ten-large came in the A40 Audio System’s packaging, you’d be ecstatic. Strip away the sexy packaging and you’re met with more packaging; this time the casing for the A40 Audio System’s phones. The ovoid hard-shell case is slick enough to make any turtle green with envy. Ok, so turtles are already green….so how about greener? Bottom line: the case is not a throw-away. Even the Mixamp comes with a case that is nicer than whatever currently ensconces your iPhone. Last layer away– removable, Steinway-black “speaker tags”, or earcup covers, stare you in the face. These end-caps will surely become custom billboards for gaming’s elite clans. We just can’t stop playing with them, as the four small magnets suck the caps to the earcup backs as if by the supernatural powers of the Amazing Kreskin.

If you can afford them, your ears will thank you.

The Mixamp is no slouch either, looking like a retro 60’s device– perhaps a prop on Get Smart– but in that good, “look what we can do with plastic now” sort of way. The Mixamp’s shell is covered in rubberized plastic to-boot; none of that el-cheapo, flashing-riddled ABS look here. The rest of the A40 Audio System kit is top-shelf too, from the highly rubberized cables to the peach-fuzz-soft earcup materials. If there was one negative in the quality and design, it would be with the headset’s length adjustability. The range might not be enough for those with longer mooks, and the action along the tubular earcup posts is pretty chunky. For $250 out the door, you’re not going to get Stax quality, but for a game-specific peripheral, the A40 Audio System is the new design benchmark.

Unless you completely subscribe to the “function follows form” mantra, using the impeccable styling of the A40 Audio System merely as a conversation piece at your next art open house ain’t gonna’ cut it. Thus, the important question is: “Does the A40 Audio System perform as good as it looks?” Nearly. The aluminum drivers don’t quite extend down to grasp the truly low frequencies, and unfortunately come out sounding a bit colored, especially on the top end. The A40 Audio System’s sonic capabilities are still near the top of the gaming headset world, however, so we may be expecting a bit too much sonically: hoping the aural would somehow match the visual. Aside from the very small gripe in bass extension and tonal coloration, the A40 Audio System performed its Dolby and game/voice duties via the Mixamp with aplomb. The amp’s compact size makes it a pint-sized powerhouse for the serious gaming enthusiast. The four AA batteries it takes is a downside for those that need the range (USB can power the Mixamp), but the rechargeable battery option which is due out soon will make those alkaline nightmares go bye-byes (the rechargeable is worth the twenty dollar asking price). Feature-wise, the Mixamp is quite the pound-for-pound brute too. How often do you find a pre-amp the size of a mid-80’s garage door opener housing both coaxial and optical digital inputs? How about…never.

Two fifty is a big chunk of change in a day and age where gasoline approaches the cost-per-gallon of Starbucks coffee. But if you are more than a casual gamer, and are looking for a complete solution for your gaming and personal audio needs, Astro’s A40 Audio System is where it’s at.

The A40 Audio System’s combination of versatility, style and performance is tough to find from the third-party market for sure. Throw the patents-pending-level features of the A40 Audio System on top of this tasty sundae, and the answer to your questions about which high end audio solution to purchase should resonate loud-and-clear.

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As we mentioned in a recent PC Gaming Headset roundup, a good headset is a gamer’s best friend. A great number of online multiplayer games on the PC have integrated voice chat, and gamers frequently use products like Ventrilo or Teamspeak for those that don’t. If you’re not talking with your friends and teammates (or enemies), you’re missing out on half the fun. Plus, a good headset serves double duty as a good pair of headphones, allowing you to hear the game sounds more clearly in a noisy environment or to play at a decent volume without disturbing the neighbors (or your family).

Of course, the quality of headsets vary widely, and it has been our experience that you just can’t get a good experience with that $20 special from your local office supply store. We were certainly interested when Astro Gaming announced their A40 Audio System, a headset and mixer/amplifier (sold separately or together) that promised exceptional design and quality for PC and Xbox 360 gamers. Astro Gaming is an offshoot of Astro Studios, the same design firm that worked on the Xbox 360′s sleek enclosure and controller, along with products from Apple, Herman Miller, Sony, Virgin, and more.

In fact, right from the unboxing you get the impression that you’re in for something a cut above the competition. We haven’t seen this much care put into the packaging design since the last time we opened a higher-end iPod or Zune box. Yes, the A40 Audio System is sleek and has an impressive feature set, as should to justify its premium price. But does it deliver the quality you’d expect from a $250 headset-and-amp combo? Let’s find out.

The A40 Audio System is comprised of two parts (headset and MixAmp), sold separately or together in a price-reduced bundle. The combined system costs $249. The headset by itself is $199 and the MixAmp is $129, so buying them together is a significant difference in price. Let’s start with the headset.

Fresh out of the (frankly, kind of impressive) box, you’ll notice the headset comes in a hard protective case so you can throw it in a bag on your way to the LAN party or tournament and not worry about damage.

The headset proper is a good-sized circumaural (over the ears) type, with a detachable boom microphone. The headset comes in black or white, and is extremely comfortable over long periods of use. The size adjustment mechanism is one of the best we’ve used, and the earpieces turn 90 degrees to lay flat “DJ style” when you hang them around your neck.

The sides of the earpieces have little detachable plates that snap on magnetically, and the headset comes with three of them—one with a hole in it for the detachable mic, and two without for a cleaner appearance. With these snap-on plates you can move the mic to the left or right, or get rid of the “mic hole” if you plan on only using the A40 as headphones. There are little foam rubber inserts that can rest under these side panels to help deaden outside noise and prevent some of the headphone sound from bothering those around you (on a plane or in a very quiet room).

The headset cord stops short about a foot from the left earpiece with the microphone mute switch; you attach one of two cords to this connector. One cord ends in the 1/8-inch stereo headset and microphone jacks typical to PCs and the other is a single 1/8-inch 4-pole jack meant to plug into the A40 MixAmp, should you get that as well. Astro throws in a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch adaptor if you’re going to plug them into a stereo.

Overall, the design and implementation of these headphones is the best we’ve seen. They’re among the most comfortable, easy-fitting, secure, and appealing PC headsets we have ever tested. Of course, it’s almost one of the most expensive.

The A40 MixAmp

Perhaps the more interesting part of the A40 system is the MixAmp, a headphone amplifier and mixer companion product. Open the box and you see the MixAmp in the middle, surrounded by an absolute flurry of cables.

You get a stereo 1/8-inch jack to left/right RCA cable connection, for hooking the MixAmp to your PC (or really, any audio source). There are two cables terminating in stereo 1/8-inch jacks, a half-meter one for hooking up your MP3 player and a two-meter long one for plugging the MixAmp to your PC’s microphone input. There’s a thick USB-to-mini USB cable for providing the unit with power, a one meter 2.5mm stereo jack for plugging in your Xbox 360 controller, a dual stereo jack to 4-pole plug adaptor so you can hook up any non-Astro PC headset to the MixAmp, and a long 4 meter RCA to RCA-passthrough cable so you can plug the MixAmp into a source like the Nintendo Wii or other stereo output.

You also get a nice little carry case for the MixAmp. On the top of the MixAmp unit are two dials and two buttons. The big dial is volume, the small one is the mic/sound mixing level. The left button is power, the right toggles Dolby decoding.

Did we say Dolby decoding? Yes, the MixAmp performs Dolby Digital decoding from either optical TOSLink or Coax input, Dolby Pro Logic II from any analog cable, and spits out Dolby Headphone. Just plug your PC or game console into the optical or coax connection and press the Dolby button, and you’ll get that full 5.1 experience translated into Dolby Headphone virtualization. We tried it on multiple connections and with several games and movies, and it works great.

On the backside of the unit is a wide array of inputs. The front side is a little simpler, featuring just two plugs. One is for your headset, the other is a 2.5mm plug labeled “controller.” You connect the 2.5mm cable from this to the headset jack on the bottom of your Xbox or Xbox 360 controller and you can use the MixAmp and headset as an Xbox Live headset. But Xbox Live headsets just transmit the voice channel—your game audio comes out of your TV speakers or other sound system. Well, with the MixAmp plugged into your Xbox/Xbox 360′s audio output, it will mix the Xbox Live chatter with the game sounds. The small dial on top lets you adjust the mix from “no voice, all game” on the left to “no game, all voice” on the right.

The MixAmp is a powered headphone amplifier at heart, so it needs juice. It runs off the USB connection, or four AA batteries. Astro sells a $20 rechargeable battery pack that trickle-charges when you plug the unit into a USB port. It takes a long time to charge—like leave it overnight—but the charge lasts a good while. And yes, it charges when plugged into your Xbox 360′s USB ports, even when the 360 is turned off.

Last but not least, the red part of the bottom of the MixAmp snaps out to reveal a pair of jacks and plugs. You can use these to daisy-chain multiple units together, so if you’re playing a local game on a LAN, the daisy-chained units will perform all audio decoding instead of going through your PC. The result is a private “channel” of sorts, with much higher sound quality because there’s no compression going on.

Final Thoughts

Okay, so the design and feature set is killer. The A40 headset and mixamp together are everything we want in a PC/console headset, from Dobly Digital and Dolby Headphone to a stylish design and comfortable fit. None of that matters if the sound quality isn’t equally excellent.

Fortunately, it is. The headphones are equal to the best we’ve heard in a consumer headset—far better than many “gaming” headsets and light years beyond the general purpose inexpensive headsets you get at most computer or office supply shops. To put it in perspective, they’re on par with the $100—150 Grado or Sennheiser headphones you’d buy at an audio shop. We feel Sennheiser’s high-end PC headsets have marked the high point for microphone quality until now—the A40 headset’s mic is of similar quality.

It’s hard not to love Astro Gaming’s premiere product. The headset and MixAmp are simply excellent, high-quality gear with slick design, a great feature set, and fantastic sound quality. If there’s a downside, it’s the price. Sold separately, each of these items represents quite a premium over other products, and even together, $250 for gaming headset goodness is a hard pill to swallow. We have often warned about the fleecing of gamers here at ExtremeTech, lamenting the vast number of products that are slightly modified from normal consumer gear, given a “gamer” visual makeover, and marked up to unreasonable prices. In this case, we can honestly say that you’re not paying big bucks for just a marginal difference in quality. This is one high-priced gamer product that, for once, gives you what you pay for.

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