Listen in Style: ASTRO’s A40 Headset (Review)

We’ve reviewed many headsets over the years, but this is the first time we’ve taken a look at ASTRO’s lineup. The company needs no introduction as it’s long been one of the biggest names in the field of gaming headsets, being the official headset for Major League Gaming as well as being a constant presence at events including E3, Comic Con, and others.

Does the ASTRO A40 headset live up to the ASTRO name? Find out in our review after the jump.

First of all, ASTRO offers the A40 in a variety of styles including their signature ASTRO, MLG, Penny Arcade, Metal Gear Solid 4, and mutli-colored BXR lines. These essentially differ in their visual appearance, including the images found on the detachable speaker tags. What are speaker tags, you ask? They’re plastic shells that attach to each headphone via a magnet that allow for customization given that you can get them custom-made with whatever image you’d like on them. We pointed out the nifty Okamiden speaker tags at last year’s Comic Con, but here’s a shot of the Asura’s Wrath speaker tags that were on hand this year as an example.

We’re looking at the green BXR A40 headset for our review, but aside from some minor cosmetic differences, they’re all the same.

In terms of what’s in the box, you get the headset along with a set of speaker tags, a nice canvas case, an instruction manual, and various cabling you’ll need to hook up the headset to different devices (along with a ¼” connector). There’s a detachable microphone that connects to either side underneath the speaker tag, and a speaker tag with a hole in it is provided so that you can attach the microphone and place your speaker tag over the top. This is a very clever design choice as it allows you to attach the microphone to whichever side you prefer while still retaining the sleek and stylish look of the headset with your custom speaker tag. There are also optional foam padding pieces to place between the headphones and the speaker tags for further noise isolation. Even the thick, shoe box-esque box that the headset comes in is impressive to look at.

As far as the headsets construction is concerned, it’s sturdy, sleek, and comfortable. I don’t think I’ve ever worn a headset as comfortable as this one with its soft foam cushioning for each ear as well as the top of the head, and is adjustable so that it hugs your head while not applying too much pressure. I’ve worn these for hours without any discomfort. I love the black metal casing for the wiring which is cool to the touch, adding a neat modern design element to the headset. There’s also a quick disconnect (QD) cabling system with an in-line mute switch for quickly switching between devices (a PC and console cable are included).

You’re not going to hear any complaints from me about the sound, either. While these headsets are intended for professional gaming, allowing you to communicate with teammates while hearing each and every sound and direction it’s coming from, when it comes to the music in your games or even listening to music at your computer, you’re not going to be disappointed. The sound isolation is quite impressive, and the range on the headset will have you grooving with the deep bass and crying with the glass-shattering highs that the headset can effectively reproduce. Just don’t forget that you need to buy or upgrade to the A40 Audio System with the MixAmp or Wireless MixAmp (for wireless sets) to use the headset on Xbox Live/PlayStation online or to use Dolby 7.1.

Every headset or earphone review we’ve done really boils down to design. I love the look of this headset with its metal elements and comfortable padding, but what really gets me excited about this headset are the speaker tags. I suppose it’s kind of a silly thing to be excited about, but after seeing so many cool custom speaker tags at industry events, I’m really sold on these. Now if only game companies would give these out as pre-order bonuses or something!

With an MSRP $199.95 ($249.95 with the MixAmp), the ASTRO A40 is most closely matched to the Tritton AX Pro (now $169.99) as far as other headsets we’ve covered on the site.  There’s also the ASTRO A30s ($129.95) which line up with Tritton’s AX 720 headset.  While the AX 720 was my go-to headset in the past, I may be replacing it with the ASTRO A40 due to their more comfortable fit and slightly more vibrant sound.

Head over to ASTRO’s website to check out their full line-up of A40 headsets and let us know what you think. Are speaker tags a true innovation or just a gimmick?