Hardwired: ASTRO A40 TR Headset Review

Playing video games have been a form of entertainment for the masses for quite a while. With competitive gaming on the rise and the advances in technology, gaming headsets have been a must for a large population of gamers. The addition of a gaming headset keeps you in the action, while providing a form of communication with your friends or colleagues. Varying in price and quality, there are hundreds of different headsets to choose from. From the run-of-the-mill microphone and headset to the high-end bad boys with all the bells and whistles, you could literally get anything! Which is the best option for you?

Well, if you are looking for something on the high-end, I present you with the ASTRO A40 TR Headset. As the name suggests, the A40 TR Headset is a premium wired gaming headset produced by ASTRO and is marketed towards professional gamers and gaming enthusiasts. This headset has a lot to offer the user. I came across this headset after it was recommended to me by one of my closest friends. I was having a lot of trouble with a previous set of headsets that I had and nothing seemed to be able to fix my issue. I would have a headset for around six months to a year and they would kick the dust. After I got this headset, I am glad I changed and I am happy with my purchase.

Sound Quality: The sound quality of this headset is marketed as premium to go along with the other aesthetics of the headset. When speaking through the microphone, my voice comes across very clearly and I rarely run into an issue with connectivity. I never notice the microphone not picking up my voice and my voice never seems too loud (a common issue with other headsets I have used). The microphone will still pick up background noise, but very rarely and they are never too loud to be a nuisance to the person on the other end. The sound quality on the headphones are also very good. Whether it is your buddies giving you the latest callouts or that cutscene that you are just in love with, the audio comes across so crisp and sounds so good.
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Versatility: This is where the term ‘premier’ comes into play when dealing with this headset. The ASTRO A40 TR Headset is advertised towards the Xbox market. It is touted to be for the Xbox One and comes with a special adapter exclusively for that. The A40 TR Headset includes a MixAmp M80 adapter that pair perfectly with the Xbox One controller for easy installation. The MixAmp is crucial to receive the full benefits of this headset, allowing gamers to switch between three different sound settings to optimize your gaming to your liking. The adapter also provides a volume dial to precisely achieve the perfect sound level for you gaming set-up. While this is good and all, it is only part of what this headset can do. The headset also comes with various cords and adapters to hook it up to your PC for any gaming or movie watching that might go down there. It also was engineered to work with VR capable machines. The headset can fit perfectly over the Oculus, HTC Vive, and even the PS VR. This headset can be used for almost anything.
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Design: Just looking at the box, you can tell that this headset is a step above most of the competitors. Opening the box reveals to you a magnificent headset along with the various adapters and cords. First off, I will say that the headset sits perfectly on my head and the adjustable earphones seem extremely sturdy. This is already a step in the right direction as I feel that some other headsets break very easily at the earphone adjuster. The padding on the headphones are extremely comfortable and help for some of those longer gaming sessions. The headsets also have a cool aspect for all the creative people that love customizing all your accessories. Each headphone has a replaceable panel that can be switched out with any of the available designs that you like. The cord that connects the ASTRO headset to the Xbox controller is approximately three feet in length. This provides a comfortable buffer zone when setting your controller down, but still wearing the headset.
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The ASTRO A40 TR Headset is one of the highest-end headsets on the market and you can definitely tell the difference between it and another lower-end headset on the market. I have been gaming for most of my life and it is one of my favorite recreational activities; therefore, I take my gaming set-up rather serious. I have used various different headsets throughout the years and I would honestly say that the ASTRO A40 TR Headset is my favorite headset to date. If something would happen to my current headset, I would be more than happy to purchase another one, but again the quality does come at a price. The only drawback that I found with this headset is the high price. Being priced at $200 USD makes it a luxury for some and I completely understand not wanting to spend the money on a headset when you could buy a brand-new gaming system for an extra hundred bucks. If you have the extra money and are looking for one of the best headsets on the market, do yourself a favor and pick up one of these headsets today. You will not regret the decision.
 
Are you interested? Purchase this headset right here!
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Final Verdict: Recommended But Not for Everyone

By Brett Wolfe