Dec 24, 1:05 pm
When the question was asked in the forums about recommendations for an Xbox 360 headset, I had to write a blog about my favorite headset- the Astro A40 Audio System. I have been through A LOT of headsets as a gamer and I have now found my love, the A40! Whether you’re playing a video game on console or PC, watching a movie, or listening to music, these bad boys are your answer to optimal sound and voice.
The Astro Website for the A40 Audio System describes them as:
* “Everything you need to game like a pro.”
* “The Astro A40 Audio System combines crystal-clear voice communication with pinpoint-accurate 5.1 Dolby Digital and Dolby Headphone surround utilizing the most user-configurable headset on the planet.”
* “In addition to the A40 Headset’s removable speaker tags (which are high-quality collectibles in their own right), you’ll find a completely user-configurable microphone boom. It attaches to either side—or removes completely for solo gaming and music sessions.”
* “The A40 Audio System includes the external A40 MixAmp, providing Xbox and Xbox 360 users with combined voice and game sound—ideal for tournament play and discrete “midnight gaming” sessions. A discrete game/voice balance control enables you to find the ideal in-game setting.”
* “PC Gamers benefit as well, by offloading surround decoding and voice communication duties to the A40 system. Combine multiple A40 MixAmps and you’ll be provided a private, hands-free, full-duplex voice communication channel—much higher-quality than VoIP systems, with zero network and system lag.”
* “Every A40 MixAmp is daisy-chainable, and each comes complete with everything you need to connect the built-in voice communication feature of multiple MixAmps.”
* “The A40 Audio System gives in-person teams the competitive edge by selectable/mutable Xbox Live communication while maintaining a dedicated, private chat channel when daisy-chained.”
* “The A40 Headset comes with a quick-disconnect cable and multiple ends: an A40 MixAmp cable (also compatible with portable audio players), and a standard dual-jack PC connector with in-line volume and mute control.”
* “Inject your games with your own soundtrack. Connect your mp3 player through the mixer itself with the included cable. Free up valuable system resources, and put your music within arm’s reach.”
If you have competed at a Major League Gaming event you may have notice the Amps at all the tables. Well this was an awesome move by MLG to team up with Astro because it makes using a headset so much easier than before. At MLG 07 I brought my Turtle Beach X1 headset which turned out to be a pain in the *** to hook up, so I said screw it and played without it. This year, MLG 08, they set up each station with 5 Astro Amps; one for each player and one for the coach. All I can say is AMAZING! Talk about day and night. It was as though our team was in a whole other world when all hooked up, which by the way only took 10 seconds to setup.
Before we played, Mischief would hold up her iPod ear piece to the Astro headphone and it was like we were listening to a 5.1 stereo system. It was awesome! Brooke started getting in to the music and stood up to dance, as we all did. People started to stare, wondering what the heck we were doing. Yet if they had the headset on too they would be dancing with us. That’s how awesome these headsets are!
When the gaming is done and it’s time to get up, the ease of disconnecting everything is great. Plus, another nice thing about these headsets is that when you’re finished using them you can put them around your neck COMFORTABLY. Each ear piece turns, allowing them to lay flat around your neck…extra kudos for ASTRO!
The mic and ear plate are super easy to remove too…
So are you sold yet? Check out Astrogaming.com for more information!
