Steggy
04-08-2010, 07:02 PM
Hey guys. Here is the in depth review of the Astro A30 audio system. Hope you guys enjoy!
Be sure to thumbs up/comment/subscribe to the youtube video. These videos take a long time to make and the views/comments/ratings will really help me out so I can create more reviews.
Astro A30 Audio System
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af313/MLGSteggy/Headset%20Pictures/a30.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtu-hkPjc-8)
The Astro A30 is the latest headset from Astro Gaming, who has brought you the Astro A40, the official licensed headset of MLG. The Astro A30 is designed for gamers on the go, who want to gain the competitive edge no matter where they are. The Astro A30 headset sells for 150 dollars, while the A30 system which includes the Astro Mixamp is priced at 230 dollars.
Looking at the design, you can see a lot of changes that Astro has made with the Astro A30. Number one is the sheer size. The Astro A30 is about half the size of the A40, it honestly feels tiny in my hands. The A30 is also a closed, supra aural headset, as opposed to the A40’s circumaural open headset. The mic design has also changed. While the Astro A40 has the option of having your boom mic on either side, the A30 mic port is at a fixed location on the headset; but the Astro A30 also has an inline microphone built right into the cord. So if you are an iPhone/Droid/Blackberry Storm owner, you can use this headset as a headphone when you are out and about, and if you get a call, you can segway into it with the inline microphone and multifunction button on the A30’s quick disconnect cord. The Astro A40 system had a lot of features, and Astro has packed even more into the A30. But what Astro also focused on the A30 was sound. Astro wanted this headset to be your go to headset for music/phone calls/gaming/movies, and they try to incorporate a balanced sound in the headset.
As far as comfort goes, for a supra aural headset, the Astro A30 is super comfortable. The material used for the ear pads is as soft and plush as the ear pads of the Audio Technica AD700. I would still say I prefer the circumaural of the A40’s, but only because they’re kinder to me on hotter days than the A30’s are, but the A30’s are very comfortable. For build quality, the a30’s build quality has improved since the a40. The plastic body is a tough hard plastic, and Astro has foregone the exposed cables/coiled design. Instead, you have an adjusting system like Sennheisers.
So far what I can accumulate from the A30 headset is that it has proven to be comfortable and built durable; but what about the microphone? This is the A30’s weak point. Because of the positioning of the microphone, your voice is easily distorted, either by it being too close, and the mic becomes blown out when you speak, and it can pick up you breathing out your nose, or it is too far away, not picking up all of your voice. You really have to spend some time getting it in a sweet spot so you don’t have the blown out sound but still come in clearly and consistently.
What’s weaker than the A30’s boom microphone is its inline microphone. It picks up noises from it rubbing against my shirt easily, but my voice…not so much. Playing back recordings of me talking through it, it makes me sound like I have a lisp and that I’m 14. One of the problems is that the quick disconnect puck is connected to the A30 so the microphone is facing directly inwards and touching your shirt, making responsiveness weak. If you try twisting it to be in a proper position, it goes right back to it because it is its natural position.
Now onto the most important aspect of the headset, the sound; like I mentioned in my mini review of the headset, Astro has delivered what was promised. The low end has definitely been improved coming from the A40’s to the A30’s. The low end is pretty clean, as far as the oomph of the bass goes, I’d put it in between the AD700 and the HD595. It’s definitely a big improvement over the A40.
For the other parts of the audio spectrum I still find the highs to be somewhat veiled. The A30’s have remained to not pick up on some of the subtle details in the highs in some of the tracks that I listened to; one example would be the background synthesizer in the chorus of Fireflies by Owl City. But additions like those in tracks are very subtle, so I don’t want you thinking it’s a lot worse than it actually, because the sound clarity is quite nice, it just has its flaws, like every headphone/headset. But you’ll like this headset if you listen to rock or rap. The tracks were full of life with the guitars when listening to A Day to Remember, and the bass was definitely thumping when playing Flobots and Ke$ha (yes, I listened to Ke$ha). It is like Astro says; it is a good all around headset/headphone with its balanced sound.
But now let’s get into gaming. Like I said in my mini review, I believe that the best kinds of headsets are those with a full range of sound. Some people argue that a weakness like light bass is good for gaming because there would be less drowning out or booming from lower registry explosions can allow you to hear the higher registries like gunfire or footsteps. My point of view is that you never know when you’re going to need to hear a sound in the lower registries, or any registry for that matter. If you have a headset that is really weak in certain areas, well if you’re in a situation when you need to hear those areas, then you're up a certain creek without a paddle(no, not beaver creek you halo 2 grizzlies out there). Anyways, I’m totally satisfied with the A30’s for gaming. The supra aural closed design allows you to block out a lot of ambient noise, but doesn’t quite give you a seal like IEM’s or PC350’s do, so you won’t have a “plugged” feeling when you speak. The balanced sound makes for a good immersive experience without anything being totally overpowering. Footsteps were clear as a bell, and positioning was very easy, thanks to both the A30 headset and the Astro Mixamp.
What I like about the A30 and A40 system is just the package deal you get. I’m not going to lie that the price of the complete systems are far from cheap, but you really are given quite a nice setup. Right when you open up your shipping box, it’s like you have been invited to the Centurion Club. They take a lot of care in their packaging/documentation, and just everything you get with it. With the Astro A30 headset, you get multiple accessories included; one is speaker tags. While these are just a cosmetic feature, so I’m not going to go on for a full page about them like other reviewers have done in the past, I will admit that it is kind of a nice way to personalize your headset and make it truly your own, and isn’t such a bad idea if you have 20 guys with Astros at a LAN, personalized speaker tags make life a little easier. You also get a hard cloth shell travel case for your Astros. With the headsets that come out that are detachable, or foldable, all for the ease of travel, I would much rather have it include a travel case, since you can always fit the accessories in with it. Then with the A30’s, you get 3 different types of quick disconnect cables. There is one for the Astro Mixamp, one with a multi function button for use with your smart phone, and one that is meant for normal stereo PC connection. All of these fit into the travel case and you’re ready to travel with them.
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af313/MLGSteggy/Headset%20Pictures/mixamp.jpg
And while the A40 isn’t exactly my highest rated headset, the Mixamp in my mind has always been a winner. The Mixamp gives you the ability to balance game and chat volume when gaming so gameplay will never drown out your teammates again, and the Mixamp of course provides you with Dolby Headphone virtual 5.1, which gives you the directional positioning of 5.1 while still keeping the clarity you get from a stereo headphone. Plus, without the Astro Mixamp, none of the popular PC headsets would be usable at MLG events, so you have to give them props for that.
Now, besides the microphone, there are still a few gripes I have about the A30 headset. One of the things I would like to see at some point with the Astro systems would be an included optical cable. While headsets like the Tritton AX720 and the Turtle Beach X41 include an optical cable with their systems, Astro provides these optionally at an additional charge. I will admit that the cable they have is very nicely made. It has nylon braided sleeving with sturdy jacks on the end, and is really nice, but a 1 cent rail thin optical cable will offer the same audio quality as the nylon braided 20 dollar ones, having it included would just be nice, since so many people ask themselves the question “Do I need this” because it is under optional accessories.
Be sure to thumbs up/comment/subscribe to the youtube video. These videos take a long time to make and the views/comments/ratings will really help me out so I can create more reviews.
Astro A30 Audio System
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af313/MLGSteggy/Headset%20Pictures/a30.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtu-hkPjc-8)
The Astro A30 is the latest headset from Astro Gaming, who has brought you the Astro A40, the official licensed headset of MLG. The Astro A30 is designed for gamers on the go, who want to gain the competitive edge no matter where they are. The Astro A30 headset sells for 150 dollars, while the A30 system which includes the Astro Mixamp is priced at 230 dollars.
Looking at the design, you can see a lot of changes that Astro has made with the Astro A30. Number one is the sheer size. The Astro A30 is about half the size of the A40, it honestly feels tiny in my hands. The A30 is also a closed, supra aural headset, as opposed to the A40’s circumaural open headset. The mic design has also changed. While the Astro A40 has the option of having your boom mic on either side, the A30 mic port is at a fixed location on the headset; but the Astro A30 also has an inline microphone built right into the cord. So if you are an iPhone/Droid/Blackberry Storm owner, you can use this headset as a headphone when you are out and about, and if you get a call, you can segway into it with the inline microphone and multifunction button on the A30’s quick disconnect cord. The Astro A40 system had a lot of features, and Astro has packed even more into the A30. But what Astro also focused on the A30 was sound. Astro wanted this headset to be your go to headset for music/phone calls/gaming/movies, and they try to incorporate a balanced sound in the headset.
As far as comfort goes, for a supra aural headset, the Astro A30 is super comfortable. The material used for the ear pads is as soft and plush as the ear pads of the Audio Technica AD700. I would still say I prefer the circumaural of the A40’s, but only because they’re kinder to me on hotter days than the A30’s are, but the A30’s are very comfortable. For build quality, the a30’s build quality has improved since the a40. The plastic body is a tough hard plastic, and Astro has foregone the exposed cables/coiled design. Instead, you have an adjusting system like Sennheisers.
So far what I can accumulate from the A30 headset is that it has proven to be comfortable and built durable; but what about the microphone? This is the A30’s weak point. Because of the positioning of the microphone, your voice is easily distorted, either by it being too close, and the mic becomes blown out when you speak, and it can pick up you breathing out your nose, or it is too far away, not picking up all of your voice. You really have to spend some time getting it in a sweet spot so you don’t have the blown out sound but still come in clearly and consistently.
What’s weaker than the A30’s boom microphone is its inline microphone. It picks up noises from it rubbing against my shirt easily, but my voice…not so much. Playing back recordings of me talking through it, it makes me sound like I have a lisp and that I’m 14. One of the problems is that the quick disconnect puck is connected to the A30 so the microphone is facing directly inwards and touching your shirt, making responsiveness weak. If you try twisting it to be in a proper position, it goes right back to it because it is its natural position.
Now onto the most important aspect of the headset, the sound; like I mentioned in my mini review of the headset, Astro has delivered what was promised. The low end has definitely been improved coming from the A40’s to the A30’s. The low end is pretty clean, as far as the oomph of the bass goes, I’d put it in between the AD700 and the HD595. It’s definitely a big improvement over the A40.
For the other parts of the audio spectrum I still find the highs to be somewhat veiled. The A30’s have remained to not pick up on some of the subtle details in the highs in some of the tracks that I listened to; one example would be the background synthesizer in the chorus of Fireflies by Owl City. But additions like those in tracks are very subtle, so I don’t want you thinking it’s a lot worse than it actually, because the sound clarity is quite nice, it just has its flaws, like every headphone/headset. But you’ll like this headset if you listen to rock or rap. The tracks were full of life with the guitars when listening to A Day to Remember, and the bass was definitely thumping when playing Flobots and Ke$ha (yes, I listened to Ke$ha). It is like Astro says; it is a good all around headset/headphone with its balanced sound.
But now let’s get into gaming. Like I said in my mini review, I believe that the best kinds of headsets are those with a full range of sound. Some people argue that a weakness like light bass is good for gaming because there would be less drowning out or booming from lower registry explosions can allow you to hear the higher registries like gunfire or footsteps. My point of view is that you never know when you’re going to need to hear a sound in the lower registries, or any registry for that matter. If you have a headset that is really weak in certain areas, well if you’re in a situation when you need to hear those areas, then you're up a certain creek without a paddle(no, not beaver creek you halo 2 grizzlies out there). Anyways, I’m totally satisfied with the A30’s for gaming. The supra aural closed design allows you to block out a lot of ambient noise, but doesn’t quite give you a seal like IEM’s or PC350’s do, so you won’t have a “plugged” feeling when you speak. The balanced sound makes for a good immersive experience without anything being totally overpowering. Footsteps were clear as a bell, and positioning was very easy, thanks to both the A30 headset and the Astro Mixamp.
What I like about the A30 and A40 system is just the package deal you get. I’m not going to lie that the price of the complete systems are far from cheap, but you really are given quite a nice setup. Right when you open up your shipping box, it’s like you have been invited to the Centurion Club. They take a lot of care in their packaging/documentation, and just everything you get with it. With the Astro A30 headset, you get multiple accessories included; one is speaker tags. While these are just a cosmetic feature, so I’m not going to go on for a full page about them like other reviewers have done in the past, I will admit that it is kind of a nice way to personalize your headset and make it truly your own, and isn’t such a bad idea if you have 20 guys with Astros at a LAN, personalized speaker tags make life a little easier. You also get a hard cloth shell travel case for your Astros. With the headsets that come out that are detachable, or foldable, all for the ease of travel, I would much rather have it include a travel case, since you can always fit the accessories in with it. Then with the A30’s, you get 3 different types of quick disconnect cables. There is one for the Astro Mixamp, one with a multi function button for use with your smart phone, and one that is meant for normal stereo PC connection. All of these fit into the travel case and you’re ready to travel with them.
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af313/MLGSteggy/Headset%20Pictures/mixamp.jpg
And while the A40 isn’t exactly my highest rated headset, the Mixamp in my mind has always been a winner. The Mixamp gives you the ability to balance game and chat volume when gaming so gameplay will never drown out your teammates again, and the Mixamp of course provides you with Dolby Headphone virtual 5.1, which gives you the directional positioning of 5.1 while still keeping the clarity you get from a stereo headphone. Plus, without the Astro Mixamp, none of the popular PC headsets would be usable at MLG events, so you have to give them props for that.
Now, besides the microphone, there are still a few gripes I have about the A30 headset. One of the things I would like to see at some point with the Astro systems would be an included optical cable. While headsets like the Tritton AX720 and the Turtle Beach X41 include an optical cable with their systems, Astro provides these optionally at an additional charge. I will admit that the cable they have is very nicely made. It has nylon braided sleeving with sturdy jacks on the end, and is really nice, but a 1 cent rail thin optical cable will offer the same audio quality as the nylon braided 20 dollar ones, having it included would just be nice, since so many people ask themselves the question “Do I need this” because it is under optional accessories.