As the gaming industry has grown and gained new ground in mainstream commerce, so has the marketability of accessory products. What was once a segment of the industry populated only by a few enthusiast developers has since expanded into a full-spectrum field of low-to-high end manufacturers. While this change has given consumers a larger selection of products, it has also stifled or distracted from the companies whose foundations were built upon the principles of delivering quality products to people who, like them, simply love video games. These companies still continue to thrive, but few seem to penetrate the market like mainline manufacturers. Occasionally, however, a company can break into the market with a solid, straightforward product, and the right ideals. One such company is Astro Gaming, who have developed a stellar reputation through their association with Major League Gaming.

We met with Brett Lovelady, CEO of Astro Gaming, on IGN Gear’s Tech Fetish Podcast and learned a bit about the company. Astro Gaming stemmed from a product design firm, Astro Studios, which has worked on everything from sports watches for Nike, to the Xbox 360 for Microsoft. While the firm was closely tied to the gaming space, Lovelady informed us that Astro Gaming was developed in order to cut out the middleman; to bring Astro’s designs directly to the consumers. The company’s inaugural product was the Astro A40 Audio System, a surround sound headset designed specifically for gaming. While we are a bit late to the party for a review, we were given a sample of the A40 Audio System for evaluation. Does it live up to its reputation as the competitive gamer’s choice or company’s admirable intentions?

The answer, as you would expect, is not clear-cut. There are many things to like about the A40 Audio System, but it’s not without its faults. But before we get into that, lets go over what the A40 System actually encompasses, which, as it turns out, isn’t as simple as a headset and cable. While the A40 headphones can be purchased individually, the A40 Audio System incorporates the headphones and a dedicated mixer system. With the complete system, users can integrate the A40s with nearly every platform, including PC, Xbox 360, PS3, and a host of other media devices. The A40 Audio System’s mixer, dubbed the A40 Mixamp, accepts optical audio connections as the primary input source from consoles and home theater systems. Additionally, the A40 Mixamp accepts stereo RCA connections, 1/8″ audio cables, and digital coaxial inputs, which can serve as primary sources in the absence of optical digital or as simultaneous secondary sources.

The only way to achieve full Dolby Digital performance with the A40 headset is with digital optical connections, which can only be used with the A40 Mixamp. Both the A40 Headset and the A40 Mixamp can be purchased individually, $199.99 and $129.99 respectively, or they can be purchased in a bundle as the A40 Audio System, which retails for $249.99. Obviously the bundle is the better value, but it is still a hearty amount of cash compared to some products. So the question becomes whom exactly is the A40 aimed toward, and what do you get, performance wise, for your $249.99 investment?
First off, anyone considering spending $249.99 on a headphone system has to be in one of two camps: the highly competitive, hardcore gaming market, or the mature gamer market with more expendable income. In either demographic, the consumer is undoubtedly looking for performance and functionality, with a splash style.

For the most part, the A40 Audio System delivers to both markets fairly well. The design and construction of the A40 Audio System takes a minimalist approach that avoids aesthetic gimics like elaborate multicolor finishes and LED illumination. The headset itself features a light frame with multiple swiveling mechanisms for increased versatility. As you would expect, the headband can be extended to accommodate noggins of nearly every shape and size, but the extension mechanism is reinforced by a small metal tube that shields the connection wires and prevents users from inadvertently breaking the ear cups off from the main frame. The ear cups themselves utilize a highly padded, but extremely breathable material that wraps fully around even the largest of ears. The extra air passage that the padding allows does result in a significant loss in exterior noise reduction. On the flip side, Astro’s choice in padding also doesn’t insolate a whole lot of noise either. Those around you will be able to hear the audio emitting from your headset after reaching volume level. The lack of noise reduction, from interior or exterior sources, could be a problem for those looking to eliminate noise from their late night gaming sessions, but for others this might not be much of an issue. Those looking for complete sound elimination should be steered elsewhere, but for those looking for a significant reduction in their after-hours noise, the A40s should do just fine.

But really, the A40s are designed specifically for those who do their gaming in more public settings, perhaps at LAN parties, with small groups, or even during league play, for this demographic the A40s offer some very specific benefits. Those who err toward the more hardcore end of the spectrum stand to benefit from several key features: the A40 Audio System’s interchangeable ear plates, high-performance microphone, and daisy-chainable communication system. First off, the A40 Headset uses magnetized ear plates on the outside of both ear cups that can be swapped out at any time. The benefit of this is to allow users to add a custom flair to their headset by using a number of graphical plates made available through Astro Gaming, or by hand-finishing them themselves. The swappable ear plates also serve as a means of accessing the A40′s snap in microphone port. Both sides feature a port for the mic, which allows for players to pick which side as a matter of preference. The mic port not in use can be concealed or both can be covered for microphone-less use by ear plates provided by Astro.

As we mentioned, the snap-on microphone is incredibly high-performance. It is flexible and built for the road, but it is also highly directional. The microphone picks up only the sound of a user’s voice, and is so powerful that it must be placed inordinately far from the speaker’s mouth. But the A40 microphone’s strength is also one of its weaknesses. The sound is so clear and resounding that many of the Xbox Live players that we played with complained that it was too loud over the other users. We often found ourselves having to move the microphone several inches away from our mouths in order to balance it with players speaking through other sources. One other simple solution that seems to have been overlooked by the Astro Gaming crew was means of controlling the microphone volume outside of console or PC-based settings. Neither the inline wire nor the A40 Mixamp incorporate volume controls for the microphone output.

For communication volumes other than your own output, the A40 Mixamp offers a dedicated knob for balancing voice communications and in-game effects. The dedicated communications mixer gives a much broader mix range than the standard console or PC-based microphone. Perhaps the most standout communication feature of the A40 Audio System is the A40 Mixamp’s daisy-chain feature. The A40 Mixamp uses a looped audio signal for personal use, but when multiple A40 owners are gathered together for group play, each system’s can be connected to form a closed voice communications circuit. In other words, when each user’s A40 Mixamp is lined up and connected, they can communicate directly with one another on a physical connection. The daisy-chain feature eliminates the delay and signal degradation of using software-based communication clients.

While the daisy-chain feature will only effect competitive players with teammates with A40 systems, it’s certainly a cool addition to the system. Another cool feature of the system is the potential for secondary audio inputs that mentioned earlier. Users can connect anything from MP3 players to PC’s iTunes library to the A40 Mixamp through a number of input methods. The audio is then filtered into the headset output, and like the daisy-chain feature, gives significantly better audio quality than software-based output. As for the audio performance of the headset itself, the A40s are superb. The sound field is rich and three-dimensional, and we were able to effectively locate sources of sound (often sneaking up behind us in Call of Duty 4), and eliminate them. The natural equalization of the headset is a bit subdued in the lower end of the spectrum, but highs and mids are crisp and vibrant. Those looking for a little extra low-end response can tweak the output by altering the EQ on other parts of their audio chain (PC EQ, receiver EQ, etc.).

Overall, the A40 Audio System from Astro Gaming represents the pinnacle of personal gaming audio. Although it is designed for the pros, nearly everyone in the intermediate or hardcore range can stand to benefit from its features, design, and construction. The price might be a bit steep for some, but for those willing to drop the cash, it’s a sound investment. And, for a company that is so clearly committed to advancing the platform rather than simply capitalizing on it, it’s an investment that will satisfy your conscience as well. — Scott Lowe (9.5 out of 10 overall)

See the original review here.

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Because you need yet another headphone review. Okay, maybe you don’t, but you’re getting it anyway. Call it concessions to the manufacturer. Also, the topic is timely as some of you might be in the market, it being Xmas and all.

First things first. Why headphones?

For most people, the television is good enough. For others, they’ve invested their geek cash in a finely-tuned surround sound system. Maybe you live alone. Maybe volume isn’t an issue for you. Maybe you just don’t give a jolly good damn about whether or not your hobby encroaches upon the lives of your significant other, children, cabanna boy, live-in mother-in-law or your neighbors.

I can only give you my reasons. Reason, really. My wife loathes the sound of my games. Halo, Gears, anything that’s loud and obnoxious with gun reports and explosions makes her want to trash my hdtv and gouge out my ears with a screwdriver. Yeah, I made that up. She’s not really violent. But she does get cranky, and you wouldn’t like her when she’s cranky.

There’s an added bonus, obviously. If I game elsewhere, I get to take my surround sound with me. And by else where, I mean places like the Chitown Lan or the in-Laws. Awfully convenient to actually hear the game at the lan when all the music game nerds are trying to crush your soul with the same three songs over and over and over and over and over again. Just sayin’.

I’ve owned the Tritton AX360s, but I currently roll the Astros. I gave up the Trittons for a number of reasons. First, they just didn’t sound great. Good, but not great. The AX360s also suffered by not having true bass, instead opting for a rumble feature, and the inline volume control just wasn’t all that great.

And then there was that whole issue with the mic. The mics on the AX360s short out. It’s not a matter of if, but when. I don’t know anyone who has a pair who hasn’t had a mic crap out on them. Tritton’s customer service is pretty good, however, and they’re quick to provide you with a replacement.

I can only imagine the company was highly motivated to redesign the mic as Tritton is not very big, and Mike, the customer service guy, is probably damned tired of getting calls/service requests about mics.

Anyway. Enough of the past. Don’t buy the old ones. Save for another five or six weeks and upgrade to either the Tritton AX Pros or the Astro A40s. Preamble finished, let’s get to the scrap.

AX Pro vs. A40

We’ve reviewed both these headsets already. Tank’s review of the Trittons is here, and NeksOne’s review of the Astros is here. I’ll try not to retread too much of Nek’s and Tank’s ground, but in case you’re A.D.D. or link adverse, I’ll hit the high notes.

Tritton AX Pros

These are an upgrade in every way over the previous, lower-end model.

The sound quality seems vastly improved. The bass is awesome and the overall speaker sound is crisp, clear and full. The old Trittons tended to get tinny and distort, and the rumble was kind of lame, really. I turn the rumble off on my controller. Why the hell do I want it on my head?

It appears the mic is going to be a helluva lot more reliable (it’s not flexible and uses a standard 3.5mm plug). And the way it works is much better this time, as well. Instead of plugging into the side of the cans, the Xbox mic plugs into the in-line volume control and gives you an individual volume control for the mic, allowing you to finally get some real boost to the mic sound.

Comfort is also and improvement, as the Pros are significantly lighter than the 360s. That said, they squeezed my head a bit. And they are rigid to the point where when you take them off, it’s like you’ve removed a helmet. There’s no flexibility in the form of them, which makes me think it’ll be a really bad idea to accidentally sit or step on these bad boys.

The two AC adapter situation is a big deal to me. In my living room, which doubles as my mancave as I don’t have an office to absorb and convert into a bastion of nerddom. In and around my HDTV, I have this list of shit plugged in: router, cable modem, Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit, an Xbox 360, a PlayStation 3, a 600-watt Pioneer receiver, a Motorola HDDVR and the HDTV itself.

The last thing I want to do is plug in not one, but two AC adapters to power one tiny freaking headset. They did take advantage of the added power by adding internal LEDs to illuminate the double T Tritton logo. Tell me again why I need lights on the side of my head? I’m not, in fact, the Master Chief, and gaming is not spelunking.

Sure, they cost more, but it’s still less than the Astros and I’m betting you can find these cheaper at Frys or TigerDirect.

The Astro A40s

Not sure where to even start here. I own the Astros. Paid a fuckton of money for them. Sorry, Astro guys, but $250 is a lot of scratch for a headset. You can get a 360 for less than that. At the time I bought them, there was only the Tritton AX 360s and whatever the hell Turtle Beach has on the market, and my AX 360s weren’t getting the job done.

The Astros were like headset porn, all wrapped up in strippers and bacon. Had to have them. Fortunately, they deliver. From the first moment you see the frickin boxes, you’ll be smitten. Of course, that also means that part of the high price is wrapped up in these pretty damn boxes you’ll put in the top of your closet and never see again.

The Astros sound amazing, but honestly I’m not sure which of the two headsets sounds better. Obviously, the discrete sound of each channel has to be better in the Trittons, but my ears are shot from too many years of heavy metal concerts. I can’t tell a lot of difference between real surround speakers and the simulated Dolby Headphone surround of the Astros. Both sound good. If anything to me, the Astros are crisper, but lack the Trittons’ bass.

One feature I love about the Astros is the ability to move the mic to whichever side you prefer, or to remove it entirely. Both sets of cans feature removable covers, but you get the idea the Astros had a plan for this from the beginning, whereas with the Trittons, it’s just something they do but serves no real purpose.

The Astros also win in the lighter/more comfortable category. Not much to elaborate on here. The ‘Stros weigh less and feel better on my head. Might be different for someone with a differently shaped melon.

Though the new Trittons handle game sound and voice volume really well, I still love the A40 MixAmp (the sound processor for the Astros). I love the ability to change the voice vs. game volume mix with the turn of the dial. I love that I can plug my Zune into the MixAmp and play Seek and Destroy through the headset while I’m in matchmaking and still hear the game and my teammates.

Furthermore, and this was something that always pissed me off about my old Trittons, I can use my Astros with anything that takes a normal headphone plug. I can use my Astros with my Zune. With the Trittons, I could only use them with their amp. The new Trittons come with an adapter that lets you use them with your PC, but nothing so simple as your MP3 player.

Final Verdict

Let’s be honest. I spent $250 on the Astros. I sure as hell didn’t want to like the Trittons, but I did. That said, I still wouldn’t trade my Astros for the Trittons.

In the end, the things I dislike about both systems are all the damn cords. With the Trittons, you have the two AC adapters, the 12’ cable and the connector going from the in-line controller to the 360 controller. With the Astros, you’ve got basically what amounts to a much longer toslink cable in place of the Trittons 12’ connector cable, in addition to the cable to the cans and the cable to the controller. You might also have the usb power cable, if you don’t buy the optional rechargeable battery pack.

All the cables amount to a damn mess no matter which set you’re rolling.

Which brings up another topic of conversation. Tritton is getting ready to unveil their wireless headset, and it’ll rock the Dolby Headset tech that’s featured in the Astros. If the sound quality for the Tritton Wireless headset is as good or close to as good as the Astros, I’m trading in my Astros. Of course, that’s with the understanding that there’s a mic involved that works with my 360 controller.

Comfort: Astros

Sound: Tie (Astros sound crisper, Trittons have much better bass and spatial differentiation)

Style: Probably a matter of taste

Price: Trittons

X-Factor: The Astros come with that badass hardcase for transporting your gear. The old Trittons came with a felt bag. The new ones… nada, zero, zilcho.

Winner by a slim margin: The Astros

But…

The margin is slim. In cases like this, the actual decision making often comes down to money. You can get the Trittons for damn near $100 less than the Astros. I’m saying if you don’t have the cash for the cooler set of cans, feel good about getting the Trittons. Just be ready for us to make fun of you for wearing something metallic brown on your dome.

We can add other headphones to this discussion. There are other options. You can use standard headsets from Sony or Sennheiser or any number of companies, and go ghetto with your mic. Biorod has a decent pair of Sonys and wraps his cheapass stock, white 360 headset ‘round his neck when we’re gaming. I assume that’s what guys like Caesar do when they’re using their Senns.

Not going to comment about the Turtle Beach cans because I’ve never used them. I’ve read a slew of negative reviews about them, which I’m prepared to discount if Turtle Beach finds it in its heart to mail me a set for review. Doesn’t mean I won’t tell it how it is, but I’d be happy to give them equal time. I will say I’m biased against them as all their stuff looks like cheap crap. That said, I covet down deep in the cockles a fine pair of wireless cans that work properly with my 360 set-up.

Past that, why can’t someone integrate the tech from the wireless Xbox headset into one of these gaming rigs. How hard would that be? That’s something I’d definitely pony up for.

We’ll be back whenever Tritton sends me their wireless cans for evaluation. Maybe we’ll even try to get something outta Turtle Beach.

See the original review here.

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