Astros are overpriced, but they do sound much better overall than the Golds. If sound quality is the main concern, a gaming headset is the last thing one should ever buy. Especially from Astro.
The main differences between the Astro A40 and Astro A50 are: The Astro A50 is wireless, whereas the Astro A40 is wired. The Astro A40 has a detachable microphone, whereas the Astro A50 has a fixed microphone. The Astro A50 is generally about $50 more expensive than Astro A40.
Although this unit is "wireless", if you intend to use this with your XBOX 360 or other gaming console, you will need to use their remote MixAmp, and run a cable from your game controller to the amp, which then feeds from a different cable out to your headset.
Configuring the Xbox One settings.– These settings will allow you to take advantage of the ASTRO MixAmp Pro's Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound encoding and have you ready to use your A40 or A30 Audio System with your Xbox One.
Yes you can, but you loose all the surround sound. They will work just like normal stereo headphones. Get the mixamp and some other headphones.
The 1.5m PC Splitter, otherwise known as the Long Y Splitter, is designed to connect an ASTRO headset to a PC without the MixAmp Pro. This cable comes included with all standalone Headsets.
Astro Gaming A40TR – Audio QualityIt doesn't matter whether it's music, movies or games, the headset delivers a standout performance every time. Listening to music is a real delight on the A40 TR; the headset offers a well-balanced sound that's capable of handling different genres very well.
Best Buy: Astro Gaming A40 Wired Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC and Mac Black/Gray 3AS42-PSU9N-381.
Any headset or headphones will work with the Mixamp.
About the MixAmp Pro TRThe ASTRO MixAmp Pro TR is the heart of the ASTRO Audio experience. Featuring Dolby Digital Surround Sound processing, it delivers lag-free and interference-free game sound and voice communication to the A40 TR Headset.
A: Yes! You can use the A10 Headset with any device that has a 3.5mm audio jack. The MixAmp Pro TR's Headphone Jack is located on the front of the MixAmp Pro TR. Q: Is the mic detachable?
Without a doubt, the latest and most popular trend in gaming accessories has to be the wireless headset. The A40 Wireless System includes a pair of Astro A40 headphones and the MixAmp 5.8, which wirelessly transmits and receives the digital signal from your game console.
I can't tell what DAC chip is used, but due to the simple fact that it takes in digital audio signals and outputs analog ones, the Astro Mixamp is a DAC by definition-albeit one that also has a DSP feature in Dolby Headphone.
The best gaming headsets you can buy today
- SteelSeries Arctis 7P/7X. The best gaming headset overall.
- HyperX Cloud Stinger. Big sound on a budget.
- Razer Blackshark V2. Razer's best headset yet.
- Logitech G Pro X.
- SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless.
- Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero.
- HyperX Cloud Alpha.
- SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC.
We heartily recommend the Astro A50 to any gamer who wants a powerful, versatile headset. It offers excellent sound fidelity and mixing, and being able to use it on a PC, Mac, Xbox 360 or PS3 makes it worth the money.
How to set up the Astro Gaming Mixamp for PC and console audio
- Connect one end of the optical audio cable to the port on the rear of the console.
- Connect the other end to the optical port on the Mixamp.
- Connect the micro USB cable to its port on the Mixamp.
Insert the MixAmp TR USB Power cable to a USB port on your PC. If you're also using a optical cable, hook up the optical cable to the optical port on your computer. Put your MixAmp Pro Into PC Mode. To do this, hold down the power button on the MixAmp TR for 3-5 seconds.
Astro prides itself on putting audio first, and the A50 has always had exceptional 7.1 Dolby Digital audio quality and all-around design. The new A50 still has the built-in MixAmp that makes balancing game and chat audio incredibly easy. The new A50 is keeping the design that works and improving the parts that need it.
Astro's premium headset/MixAmp combo, the A40 TR and MixAmp Pro TR, are on sale for $150 from the normal $249.99 on Xbox One and $199.99 on PS4. Regardless if you go with the Xbox One or PS4 model, they will work fine on PC, as they both have USB sound card functionality.
To update the MixAmp Pro TR firmware, connect it to a PC or MAC that has the ASTRO Command Center installed from this download link Once the MixAmp Pro TR is updated, you can begin customizing your settings.
How to update firmware on MixAmp TR
- Download the ASTRO Command Center.
- Once connected, check to make sure the MixAMp TR is in PC Mode (Power button should be illuminating White).
- Once your MixAmp TR shows that it is connected, the ASTRO Command Center will prompt you to update the MixAmp TR to the latest version of the firmware.
Check to make sure your mute switch is not enabled on the Inline Mute Cable by clicking the microphone icon located on the back of the Inline Mute Cable. The center of the MixAmp's LEDs will indicate that the headset is muted by illuminating red, and will illuminate white when unmuted.
Connect your A40's to your MixAmp by plugging the Inline mute cable into the headset, and the other end of the cable into the port on the MixAmp with the headset icon. You are now ready to use your A40's on the Xbox One.
1.1.Connect directly to controller (mono)
- Grab the Xbox controller.
- Insert the headset socket into the headset socket on the controller, see figure on the right.
- Start the Xbox One.
- Go to Settings and select Devices and accessories.
- Select the appropriate controller and apply your desired sound settings.
