Astro A40 TR-X Edition Headset [Review]

I have owned several different Astro Headsets over the years, and I’m a huge fan of their products. I can remember the order in which I purchased them. The very first headset I’ve ever owned would be the Astro A30’s that came with a MIXAMP. I used these headsets until the wheels fell off. I use the MixAmp that came with those headsets to this day. ASTRO GAMING has created excellent products over the years. The Astro A40 TR’s are nothing short of that expectation. What makes this headset something astonishing is the fact that its parts are interchangeable. From the detachable mic and tags, the detachable magnetic ear cushion, along with interchangeable ear cushions. If you run into any issues with the headset you can order replacement parts or MOD Kits from Astro’s store.

Sounds Quality:

The acoustics that these headsets provide is something you would expect from a unit that has noise cancelation. However, Astro uses a different technology to make sure no external noise penetrates the headsets. They call it noise-isolation, which functions from the magnetic ear cushions and from the designer magnetic tags. In my opinion, this technology works better than noise cancelation. Noise Cancelation at times allows bits and pieces of audio through, while this technology does not let any sound through. With the A40 TR-X unit the way the sound is differentiated when walking around and hearing gunfire coming from the left or the right, you can clearly define the distance and the exact direction the battle was occurring. This becomes enhanced when using a MixAmp especially the TR MixAmp Pro. The TR Pro allows all your audio to be digital even the audio going out of your stream.

MIC Quality:

Sound quality is extremely important but how people hear you, is just as important. The Mic is just as clear as the sound coming into the headset. There are times where people I am chatting with will be like “SAGMTH turn your mic down!”. Ok, this is the thing my mic is already low, so I have to lower it more in the PlayStation party chat settings just to balance the sound out. It has now become a habit to check my MIC settings every time I enter a game chat or a party chat. Clarity is what is important, and it does not fall short in that department. I have a few times where my Stream Snowball MIC was acting up and I had to switch to my Astro MIC. I asked my viewers if they could hear me and if the sound was clear. The response was what I was expecting, “Very Clear”. They did say it was low, which was easy to resolve. I turned the MIC down in my PS4 settings. What helps keep the mic clear is the bio directional noise canceling feature. This technology helps isolate the user’s voice and no other audio sound. One of the things I really like is the ability to switch the MIC from the left side to the right side. Most of the time you are limited with other headsets to the side you can have it on. The tags can also be moved, depending on the side you pick for your MIC..

Design:

What a headset looks like is important when shopping around, you want your gaming headset to look cool as much as you want it to have amazing audio. Astro does not fall short in that department at all at. Their line of different headsets, have always been something to look. ASTRO GAMING is known for their stylish looking headsets. The color scheme used is only a part of that stylish look. It’s all the other cool features that truly make them something not just to look at but to use. If you are not a fan of cloth for the ear covers and the headband you can purchase MOD KITS changing them to leather. Speaker tags that not only look cool but play a distinct role in helping with lowering surrounding noise levels. They create a seal around the outer part of the headset trapping all internal sound in your ear, also preventing external audio from being heard. Not to mention that you can get them in whatever design you want. Astro has a custom creator on their website allowing owners to customize tags. The head size adjuster that has a curled-up speaker wire hidden in them, making the wire look like springs is truly a genius design. The way it curls up and stretches out whenever you adjust them to your comfort setting. It has just the correct amount of wire to make it expand to fit any size head. That pressure that is just right on your head, tight but not too tight enough making it uncomfortable. You don’t have to adjust and readjust to make it just right on your head.

MIXAMP OLD/NEW:

A MixAmp is not an absolute needed device, but it is nice to own. The headsets function phenomenally without it, but it does improve the sound quality. It’s also allows easy volume control, as well as focusing sound on voice or game audio. As I mentioned I have the old MA3 MixAmp from my A30’s, I used them with my A40 TR headsets. Honestly, it was part of my streaming and gaming setup already. Using them was a normal thing whenever streaming or gaming. As old as that device is, it did not take away from the quality of the audio in any way. I truly feel it enhanced my experience and made the volume control easier. The MA3 being old did cause some static feedback at times, but that also never caused any issues with in-ear audio or the MIC audio. However, after a while, it was difficult to continue using the old Amp and it forced me to purchase the new TR Amp. The static every time I touched to turn the volume up or down, or even to increase or decrease game audio over voice audio.

I decided to purchase the TR MixAmp Pro separately, once receiving the Amp, the experience was so much better than using my old unit. I would have never guessed how much of a difference having that would have made, but it did. The audio is all digital, the only analog connection is the two mini midi ports in the front that connect to the headset and your PC line in mini midi audio jack. The new Amp allows you to fully control your audio. It gives you different audio options, such as using the device for Streaming, Tournaments, or even just for at home use. All my settings are preset directly on the MixAmp. I no longer had to turn my MIC volume down in the PlayStation chat settings. Another amazing setting this device has is the ability to further control your MIC. You have a fan running to stay cool in your gaming area, you can adjust the gain on the amp to ensure people will not hear the fan. Not to mention the sound volume can be turned up or down directly on the device. I no longer have the issue static every time I touch the Amp. Please, don’t get me wrong I still love my old A30’s MIXAMP, they have been good to me over the years. They will always have a place on my mantle for aesthetic purposes.

Final Thoughts:

It’s the little details in things that make a headset what they are, Astro found a way in their little details to make the A40 TR’s one of the best headsets on the market. Given, I am a huge fan of Astro’s, but it’s the excellence in their product that has made me a fan. I have purchased Astro headsets time and time again, having the chance to write about them is an added bonus. I have been a loyal customer for years now and every headset I have owned over the years has only improved. They have truly perfected their products over the years. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for the future. They are worth the hefty price tag (coming in at $149.99), even without the TR MixAmp Pro. If you are looking for a comfortable headset with top-notch audio, these are the headsets to get. If you are willing to drop an extra some extra cash, I highly recommend picking up the TR MixAmp Pro that goes with them. If not, these headsets work like a champ on their own. All of the features are still built into the headset, the TR amp only enhances that technology.