Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsOne stop shop for high end sound on the PS4. (Updated 12/27/15)
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2015
I'm not a competitive gamer. I don't COD, or DOTE, or whatever. I play single player games. RPGs, action-adventures. I've goofed off in Rocket League, and shot lasers in the name of Lord Vader in Star Wars Battlefront Beta. I don't twitch stream, though i'll sometimes upload my favorite highlights to Youtube. I don't drink Mountain Dew or eat Doritos and collect epic pwn points. I'm not going to a tournament anytime soon. I'm mediocre at best.
But I like these headphones! I can hear nasty creatures around corners in Bloodborne, so i'm angling the camera and poking my head out scooby-doo style before I take an axe to the face.
They have a broad sound stage, thanks to them being open ear. This helps bring a more accurate Dolby surround sound experience than stuffy closed headsets like the Sony Gold Wireless Headphones. This also allows air to reach your ears so they aren't hot and fatigued after watching a movie or a long game session. However, it also means you can hear outside noise. For those who game in a busy environment, you'll want to pick up the closed back mod when it releases.
They are wired which means they don't buzz and hiss. Trust me when I say that the Astro A50's have a super annoying buzz in the right ear cup. Forum flame wars have erupted over this, but Astro admits their wireless transmitter is pretty close to the ear-cup and there's not much to be done. Another competitor in the wireless product range are the Turtle Beach 800 Elites, but they hiss like a snake. Do yourself a favor and wire up your sound equipment, the convenience of wireless is not all that convenient, especially when those non-replaceable batteries break down after a year.
When I talk through the microphone, someone hears me on the other side just fine. A+. Mics are a hot button issue for people, but we're not recording an album here. Sony compresses that sound to high heaven, as does Teamspeak and Mumble for PC users. However, those discrete mics on the Sony Wireless and Turtle Beach Elites sound like you're gaming in a trash can. Get a set with a stick boomy mic thing. (The Astro A40 TR's let you remove them too!)
"Well these are $250 headphones what the frick?!" - Yeah well no. They are like $120 headphones and $130 external amp with Dolby surround sound support. They act as a quality sound card for your PS4 and PC, as well as a lot of useful ports. You could just buy audiophile grade audiotechnicas and plug them into your AVR but you're going to get (great, admittedly) stereo sound and no microphone support.
Also, somebody on a forum somewhere will probably tell you that you overpaid for the Astro's because it's a gamer brand, tell you of another headphone brand with a funkier name and then order mod mic on it from another company, zap it with juju lasers and do the rain dance around it and it should get you way better sound for you PS4 for half the price. Just because it wasn't made in Germany and has glossy gamer plastic, doesn't mean it isn't great quality. Every major publication has reviewed them and found their audio capabilities excellent. These are the same groups of people who scoff that if you own Beats. Not everyone wants neutral/flat sounding studio level sound, and the same goes for the Astro A40's.
So are these headphones worth $250? Well no, but the headphones and the amp are worth $250. Keep in mind you are investing in what is an ecosystem. And also you're part of an audio dynasty. The A40's have been around for a long time (gaming-wise). Sonically these are tuned like the ones from five years ago. When it comes to sound, having equipment maintain an audio signature over the years is a badge of honor. It means you got something "right" and you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
These are great for blu-ray movies, youtube cat videos, dying to father gascoigne, being endlessly disappointed by a hyped up Ubisoft game, and apologizing profusely for your poor Rocket League skills. There's nothing wrong with wanting really great audio and paying for it. As someone who grew up crying like a baby as Aeris was laid to rest in the waters while her music blared out my bulb styled CRT TV, I say nay sir. never again sir.
Five blood echoes out of five.
* * *
UPDATED (12/27 - No Score Change)
Alright so I've had these guys for a few months now and wanted to further talk about the sound of the Astro A40s. As I've noted there are many claims on the internet of the A40s being a gamer brand and to not trust gaming brand headphones. I'm a pretty open person and always willing to consider differing opinions.
* Test Headphones: Astro A40 TR ($120ish without amp, open back), Sennheiser HD555 (open back), Philips Fidelio X2 ($250, open back)
* Tested on: PC with Astro Mixamp, preset on balanced, surround sound enabled.
* Game: Witcher 3, White Orchard area around the village.
Astro A40 Impressions: First of all, it's clear to me that the Astro A40s are not balanced headphones. When walking around White Orchard, which is the first time you ride into on your horse in Witcher 3, you'll notice that the A40s have a bit of a subdued mids and highs. The wind feels heavy and prominent in the headphones, the water surrounding the village has kind of a soupy dark splashing sound. You'll hear the faint sound of birds in the background, and some village chatter that's a little difficult to make out. The water flowing has a bit of a rumble to it when you're near the river next to the bridge to the village. I actually think the A40s slightly muffled mids paints a better picture of a village ruined by the horrors of war. The sound can be described as dark, which clearly tells me that Astro has tuned these for the more popular genres of games that emphasize those kinds of sounds (Shooters). Compared to the other two headphones, the A40's were a little disappointing in being spacious sounding. These truly need the surround sound turned on to get the most out of creating a larger sound stage. They however do a better job of closed back headphones (The ATH-M50X for example)
Sennheiser HD555: If the A40s sound gave White Orchard a sound that painted a more woeful area, these went the opposite direction. The sound of of nature comes through here at the expense of other sounds. The birds chirping are much more noticeable, the wind is light and airy as it comes through the bushes of the villages, you can hear kids singing more noticeably. The water is splashy, light and kind of milky sounding. This is at the expense of low end sounds, so the blacksmith banging on his anvil has no impact. The HD555 can make some things sound fake, exposing flaws in the sound implementation that you didn't want exposed. If you turn these headphones up louder, they can sound too bright, and are grating to the ear at those higher volumes. A40s are much less aggravating at higher volumes. These however are more spacious sounding than the A40s and have a broader sound stage. Which means you could potentially turn off the surround sound to still get a sense of depth of the area.
Philips Fidelio X2s: These are what I considered the most balanced for gaming out of the two headphones described above. They still paint a picture of a colorful village like the HD555, with birds humming in the background (The birds on here just sound very pleasant), a light milky sounding river, the rustle of a light wind through the trees and both kids and adults discussions come through very well in the background. All of the sounds maintained a level of authenticity and nothing fake sounding, however like the HD555, they could get a little too bright at higher volumes, though not as severe as the Sennheisers. They also have a very broad sound stage and sometimes made the surround sound option seem inauthentic and processed, compared to stereo. These clearly sounded the best out of the two, and were much more detailed. These sound good enough for certain people that I think it can change their gaming experience for certain types of game genres and would be considered if money is no expense.
Those were my impressions of the A40's vs two midfi headphones, with the X2s generally well respected in the audiophile community as one of the best mid range headphones, and considered one of the better gaming headphones out there.The X2s have no microphone so you'd need to add on the expense of a blue yeti or a mod-mic or the v-moda boom microphone. Then you'd need to understand that these are *more than twice the price of the A40 headphones (not the amp combination)*. The A40's are also more comfortable than the X2's for longer gaming sessions, with little to not clamping pressure, larger earcups and softer earcups. They are also lighter and breathable. However the X2's are made with a lot of metal and the A40s with a lot of plastic.
So that's it. The A40 TRs are still fantastic gaming headphones, that lean on the surround sound for a broader sound stage, and have opportunities to have balanced mids and highs. I would not change my score, due to the convenience, comfort and general performance of the headphones at their price point. My opinion on these headphones hasn't changed, and I would generally dismiss legions of audiophiles fans looking down on you for using these headphones for gaming. Almost all headphones in the A40's price range aren't going to destroy the A40s. Obviously when you spend more you get more.
My little "but" moment is for those who have the money to spend - The X2s make a large enough difference for those who play adventure games that getting the amp and going straight for those would be a better option, but again, a more expensive option.
