Is the immersion worth the price?
Immersive gaming is the best way to experience Triple-A titles. So, you could either cough up some dough on the best surround speaker system or invest in a top-notch gaming headset.
Some games are best played in isolation. Particularly if you want to remove background noises, and submerge in the epic boss music of Dark Souls.
If this is your goal, then the obvious move is to get a headset that will deliver. However, great equipment comes at a higher price. Browsing options, the ASTRO Gaming A40 TR entered my radar, and I immediately took it out for a spin. With its audio and immersion capabilities, can it justify its price tag?
- Tuned for Gaming with ASTRO Audio: optimized by ASTRO audio engineers and pro gamers, featuring Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound
- Superior Fit & Finish: premium materials and construction, highly adjustable and lightweight
- Mod Kit Ready: go from an open-back to a closed-back noise isolating headset with swappable Mod Kit components (sold separately)
- ASTRO Command Center: customize every MixAmp Pro input and output, create custom EQ settings
- Native Xbox One Compatibility: voice chat enabled with no chat adapter required. Frequency response 20 to 20,000 Hz, Headband pressure 2.6N
- All current ASTRO Gaming products designed for Xbox One will offer continuous compatibility on Xbox: Series X.
ASTRO A40 TR Gaming Headset + MixAmp for PS4
PS4 gamers don’t fret because there is a version for you. The headset’s capabilities and features are the same. The frame design is identical to the Xbox One version. Both are comfortable to wear, and very sturdy. Read on to know what the A40 TR is capable of.
What’s in the box?
This package includes
- A40 TR Headset
- Detachable Microphone
- ASTRO Speaker Tags
- MixAmp Pro TR
With additional cables
- 2m A40 TR Inline Mute Cable
- 3m TOSlink Optical Cable
- 3m Micro-USB Cable
- 0.5m Digital Daisy Chain Cable
Build and design
When I laid my eyes on the A40 TR, its sleek build and sharp curves just screamed pro-gamer.
Although the build quality seems robust, it’s mainly made of plastic. That is not the material I would have favored for a high-end headset, but there it is.
The A40TR is bulkier than most headsets. It is not as heavy at it seems, weighing just 13.3 ounces and measuring 8 x 3.7 x 7.8 inches. If you are into customization, you will like the fact that the Mod Kits (sold separately) will allow you to change headband, and earcups padding and covers, to match your style and set-up.
- Tuned for Gaming with ASTRO Audio: optimized by ASTRO audio engineers and pro gamers, featuring Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound
- Superior Fit & Finish: premium materials and construction, highly adjustable and lightweight
- Mod Kit Ready: go from an open-back to a closed-back noise isolating headset with swappable Mod Kit components (sold separately)
- ASTRO Command Center: customize every MixAmp Pro input and output, create custom EQ settings
- Native Xbox One Compatibility: voice chat enabled with no chat adapter required. Frequency response 20 to 20,000 Hz, Headband pressure 2.6N
- All current ASTRO Gaming products designed for Xbox One will offer continuous compatibility on Xbox: Series X.
Headband
The headband is super comfy. It is well padded and will not press your head annoyingly. If you are tired of headsets falling forward or slipping down, the support on the sides of the headband has a sliding mechanism that locks your adjustments in place.
Earcups
The earcups of the A40TR are not prone to heating when worn for an extended amount of time. It is also cushioned well, so it lays smoothly around your ears. The amount of isolation that they provide is awesome; I could hear every footstep and sound hint when playing Apex Legends.
Controls and mixer
The MixAmp Pro is a box that will provide additional buttons and dials. From this device, you could activate the Dolby Surround for better gaming experience.
To further customize your audio experience, additional software is available for creating your sound profiles.
Sound quality
I’ve been a headset user for such a long time, and with different brands under my belt, I can say that the ASTRO A40 TR is one of the best. I tested it with music and games, and this headset did not fail me.
The A40 TR satisfied me during my music binge. It did justice to different musical genres.
I played a lot of bass-enriched audio and was not disappointed. Moving on to pop, vocals were clear and sharp, coupled with balanced mid-tones.
For gaming, the A40 TR works like a charm. During my testing, I played FPS games with plenty of shooting and explosions to know if it can deliver the sound that I want.
Blast sounds deliver jolt, while enemy footsteps are easily discernable. I can verify that my PUBG experience was good with this headset.
The MixAmp Pro does a fabulous job at rendering an all-around audio experience. I played some Resident Evil:7 using this headset, and I tell you the scare factor was doubled by the A40 TR surround.
Microphone quality
I love the fact that the microphone can switch places, hats off to this feature. However, given that it is detachable, be careful when removing to prevent damage.
Sound quality-wise the microphone is decent. Though it is not as outstanding as the headset, it still does its job well. I tested its quality by having the squad over Discord. They could hear me well but noted that I sounded a little nasally.
Astro A40 TR vs Competitors
Final verdict
The ASTRO A40 TR impressed me. I know how we can be particular with immersion, and this headset will not let you down.
Overall it is a comfortable headset when you plan to have an extended gaming session. The sound quality is exceptional, and if you could get over the amount that you will blow on this headset, then it is definitely a good buy.
- Tuned for Gaming with ASTRO Audio: optimized by ASTRO audio engineers and pro gamers, featuring Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound
- Superior Fit & Finish: premium materials and construction, highly adjustable and lightweight
- Mod Kit Ready: go from an open-back to a closed-back noise isolating headset with swappable Mod Kit components (sold separately)
- ASTRO Command Center: customize every MixAmp Pro input and output, create custom EQ settings
- Native Xbox One Compatibility: voice chat enabled with no chat adapter required. Frequency response 20 to 20,000 Hz, Headband pressure 2.6N
- All current ASTRO Gaming products designed for Xbox One will offer continuous compatibility on Xbox: Series X.
I’ve had mine since 2015 maybe even later and only had to replace the headband for $10US. If you sound that way on the mic, you may have been stuffed up, it works that well and I love when on the mixer it doesn’t pick yelling from other people even at close range. It’s plastic so it can weigh less on my head and after 8 hours. I can be thankful for that, glad you liked it. I’ve had to tighten the screws as the ear piece gets loose and wants to spin. Little maintenance has made this $250US headset keep going and I connect it to the TV so I can play Switch and still Xbox party chat or listen to something privately on Netflix etc.