Possible buyer needs a TRUTHFUL response.

[TheShowStoppah]

So not to long ago (as in last month =/) I bought a pair of turtle beach ear force PX21s, usb hook up. Everything was smooth and I had no complaints, they were great. But recently I was playing call of duty and got a headache. BUT, I was on a hot streak in HC S&D so I decide to put it off till I die.....one hour later my head is throbbing and without realizing my foot was on the cord hooked to the headphones and when I stood up quickly to grab some advil I hear a snap....the left side snapped. Now it's help by masking tape, doesn't hit right and has annoying static sound coming out quite often. Originally I was going to buy A40s, but the price pushed me away and the PX21's were only 80. So now I am back looking at astro and I need a true honest review of what the Wireless A40s are like. Please don't fudge it up to make them seem perfect, all I need is honesty.

Are they truly worth the $250.00?
Oh and do they hurt your ears if worn for too long? I found with my PX21's my ears would be killing me when I took them off.

[ej70]

well i dont own the wireless mix amp, but probably will buy it, but i do have the astro a40 system. and i can tell you that comfort wise. this headset is waaaayyyy better than the old turtle beaches i had a year and a half ago. i can wear these things alll day without any problems

[xiiGORDITOiix]

I dont have a wireless system either, but from experience with my a40's that i just got to my TB'S that i had for a while. The TB's dont compare all honesty. if im not working, im gaming..so on my days off im gaming probaly 7 to 8 hours straight, and ive never got any discomfort from the a40's. The sound quality is pure, and i cant wait to get my optical cable in the mail..which will make them even better if thats even possible haha. but yeah with all honesty..we wouldnt say stuff on here just to lead you into the a40's if they werent great. let us know what road you go down. happy new years.

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

lol @ "needs a TRUTHFUL response." - Yeah cause all we do around here is lie ;) :D

Well I don't have the A40's but from what I've heard, the sound quality on those are amazing but the lack of bass has been a problem for a few. Oh and I don't think you can even compare the PX21s to the Astros.

I ordered the newer A30's a few days ago because of its closed back design, portability and added bass. :)

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

..we wouldnt say stuff on here just to lead you into the a40's if they werent great.

Yeah I agree. I was actually convinced by Astro to buy the A30's because it suited my needs. They could have easily sold me some bull**** about the A40's in order for me to buy its more expensive counterpart but they didn't ;)

[Handsyhands]

I've got the wireless A40 package and think they're worth every penny. As soon as you open the box you can feel the quality just oozing from them. I've been wearing the headphones for just over 7 hours today and finding them very comfortable even over my glasses. I particularly like the fact I can move around the house without loss of signal, well maybe some loss upstairs in the bathroom but that's probably a good thing! ;) I'm not so taken with the very long headphone to RX Cable which adds unecessary weight and gets tangled up with the dog unless you tuck it into a pocket but I've swapped it out with a shorter 50cm cable for listening to TV as a temporary measure while I wait for Astro to bring out a shorter version (please) and if the only thing I can find to moan about is a cable then you're onto a winner. The sound quality is crystal and easily matches the BOSE Headphones I'd used previouly. I can't tell you what to do next, that's your choice but in my opinion these are the best gaming headphones I've ever owned.

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

I just wanna know if there is anyone on here who has used both the A40's and the A30's, and whether they actually have the same quality and offer the same gaming experience.

[Pinworms]

I don't own A40's or A30's, but I've tested both of them (A40's about a week, A30's only 3-4 hours). I actually preferred the sound quality of the A30's. Things just felt fuller, bass better, and it didn't have that "distant" quality that I don't like with the A40's. I didn't like the inline mic of the A30 though, maybe it was just faulty on my friends A30 but it didn't seem to work properly.

PS: I have the wireless Mixamp, and it works well. There is no interference. My house phone is also 5.8 ghz, and I receive 30-50 calls a day on average, and not once have I experienced any interference with Mixamp signal. I don't get the advertised 30 hours from a single charge, I get about 20. I have no idea about the mic, since Astro was out of stock of the PS3/PC chat cable when I ordered...waiting for it in the mail. Also keep in mind, in your post you said "wireless A40's". The mixamp is what is wireless, you are still going to have wires from your A40.

[livnew]

I own both the A40 and the 2010 MixAmp and I was in the same scenario as you (I didn't break a previous headset) but I mean it was either the A30's or the A40's. Obviously the A30's are a cheaper price and by all accounts they are awesome as well, but I thought to myself "I am only going to be using the headset on my PS3 in my house" and Astro were marketing the A30's as handheld gaming headsets but also music and consoles, whereas the A40s were solely console headsets and thats that. At the end of the day, I don't handheld game much and I wouldnt wear the A30s out in public anyway and I already own a good music headset so I would be using A30s for just my PS3 and so from what I read, on a console and proper gaming, the A40s were better because at the end of the day they are being marketed as a hardcore gaming headset so I just went for it and spent the little extra for the A40 sound system and I have never looked back. Also, the around the ear design was also a deciding factor as I didn't want the headset resting on my ear because I could imagine my ears just frying! Haha! But it's up to you, good luck!

[AcIdC0R3]

I've got the wireless A40 package and think they're worth every penny. As soon as you open the box you can feel the quality just oozing from them. I've been wearing the headphones for just over 7 hours today and finding them very comfortable even over my glasses. I particularly like the fact I can move around the house without loss of signal, well maybe some loss upstairs in the bathroom but that's probably a good thing! ;) I'm not so taken with the very long headphone to RX Cable which adds unecessary weight and gets tangled up with the dog unless you tuck it into a pocket but I've swapped it out with a shorter 50cm cable for listening to TV as a temporary measure while I wait for Astro to bring out a shorter version (please) and if the only thing I can find to moan about is a cable then you're onto a winner. The sound quality is crystal and easily matches the BOSE Headphones I'd used previouly. I can't tell you what to do next, that's your choice but in my opinion these are the best gaming headphones I've ever owned.

If you're looking for a shorter cable then Astro Gaming has already made one. It's HERE (http://www.astrogaming.com/products/detail/88/A30-Mobile-Cable/). It was originally made for the A30's but will also work with the A40's, you just won't have an inline mic with it.

[gardenislandbradda]

So not to long ago (as in last month =/) I bought a pair of turtle beach ear force PX21s, usb hook up. Everything was smooth and I had no complaints, they were great. But recently I was playing call of duty and got a headache. BUT, I was on a hot streak in HC S&D so I decide to put it off till I die.....one hour later my head is throbbing and without realizing my foot was on the cord hooked to the headphones and when I stood up quickly to grab some advil I hear a snap....the left side snapped. Now it's help by masking tape, doesn't hit right and has annoying static sound coming out quite often. Originally I was going to buy A40s, but the price pushed me away and the PX21's were only 80. So now I am back looking at astro and I need a true honest review of what the Wireless A40s are like. Please don't fudge it up to make them seem perfect, all I need is honesty.

Are they truly worth the $250.00?
Oh and do they hurt your ears if worn for too long? I found with my PX21's my ears would be killing me when I took them off.

$250 its so worth it but then again i got mine off ebay and payed less than that but i will get a new pair soon so i would pay the price for these.
as to if they hurt i have used it for hour and the don't hurt me but i do sweat in them as i live in hawaii so the weather is pretty sweet year round but thats where some fans come into play.when i first decided to get a gaming headset as this is my first ever true gaming headset.I was thinking of gettting some TB or Trittons but as i researched you tube found about these awesome headsets so i practically watched every post about these on you tube.Went to this website and thought damn that expensive.Luckily I found a guy that was willing to deal with his as he just got a new surround sound system.But all in all these are really worth it but as said these are my first true gaming headset so i couldnt say for the other headsets out there

[Elysian]

I actually have the whole wireless A40 setup. I've used it for 13 hours straight in an overnighter and after ~2 hours you don't even know you have a headset on.
The only downside to long usage is the batteries the Rx uses, I replaced em after about 10 hours which really isn't that long. But just buy the rechargable battery pack or use the usb power included.
They don't only help with footsteps and other key sounds like reloads, but every game just immerses you in 7.1 dolby digital. It's like an eargasm.

Yea, they're worth every penny.

[gardenislandbradda]

I actually have the whole wireless A40 setup. I've used it for 13 hours straight in an overnighter and after ~2 hours you don't even know you have a headset on.
The only downside to long usage is the batteries the Rx uses, I replaced em after about 10 hours which really isn't that long. But just buy the rechargable battery pack or use the usb power included.
They don't only help with footsteps and other key sounds like reloads, but every game just immerses you in 7.1 dolby digital. It's like an eargasm.

Yea, they're worth every penny.

yeah i have jumped many times using these hahaha luckily me wife don't see me but i told he last night and she just laughed at me she also tell me that i move when i playing I told her that these headset put me right in the game and in my own world

[Handsyhands]

If you're looking for a shorter cable then Astro Gaming has already made one. It's HERE (http://www.astrogaming.com/products/detail/88/A30-Mobile-Cable/). It was originally made for the A30's but will also work with the A40's, you just won't have an inline mic with it.

Cheers Acid, that looks perfect (how did I miss that?) There's one small problem holding me back from purchasing one right this minute ... the cable costs $14.95 which is a good price, and the postage costs $139.90 which isn't so good and works out at $6.73 per month between now and the end of the world. :D I'm sure it can be done cheaper though so thanks for the heads up and I'll investigate further once the team have had chance to catch up after the holidays.

[LuNaTiiK]

Just want to note that the intro price has ended on the wireless system and the new wireless A40 price is $279.

Anyways, I have had both the X3 and the X4 from TB and the A40s certainly blow them away when it comes to comfort. With the TB systems I also found my ears getting hot and sore from the pressure but this doesn't happen with the A40s. The A40 headset has larger ear cups, softer pads, and doesn't push in as forcefully as the TB headsets I have used. Also, when it comes to sound, the A40 system is simply clearer and an overall more enjoyable experience.

ASTRO has a 15 day money back guarantee so you can buy them and if you don't like them can send them back for a refund.

[XPureInstinctX]

There is no doubt that the A40's are far better then any TB on the market. They are in a league of there own. However i don't know if they are worth the huge amount more... This is more of a question of how much money you have to throw around. Its like anything, if you want the best its going to cost you a lot of $$$ but, sometimes you can settle for something not as good, but still pretty amazing. So in short..., they are worth the extra, if you want the best. If you don't really mind, don't waste your money. :D

[AcIdC0R3]

Cheers Acid, that looks perfect (how did I miss that?) There's one small problem holding me back from purchasing one right this minute ... the cable costs $14.95 which is a good price, and the postage costs $139.90 which isn't so good and works out at $6.73 per month between now and the end of the world. :D I'm sure it can be done cheaper though so thanks for the heads up and I'll investigate further once the team have had chance to catch up after the holidays.

Didn't realize you lived in the UK. Try the UK Astro accessories.
It's only £11.95 including Vat in the UK store (http://www.astrogaming.co.uk/products-view-all.asp?id=2802).

[LuNaTiiK]

There is no doubt that the A40's are far better then any TB on the market. They are in a league of there own. However i don't know if they are worth the huge amount more... This is more of a question of how much money you have to throw around. Its like anything, if you want the best its going to cost you a lot of $$$ but, sometimes you can settle for something not as good, but still pretty amazing. So in short..., they are worth the extra, if you want the best. If you don't really mind, don't waste your money. :D

TB's X41 is $200. ASTRO's Wireless A40 is $280. That's not much difference for a premium product IMO.

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

i don't own a40's or a30's, but i've tested both of them (a40's about a week, a30's only 3-4 hours). I actually preferred the sound quality of the a30's. Things just felt fuller, bass better, and it didn't have that "distant" quality that i don't like with the a40's. =

Yes!!!! :)

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

How do you choose between 5.1 and 7.1?

[gardenislandbradda]

Wanna get me a pair of those A30 but maybe just the headset i can use my mix amp since im getting the wireless system laters

[LuNaTiiK]

How do you choose between 5.1 and 7.1?

You don't. When the MixAmp receives a 5.1 signal via optical cable then it upstairs to 7.1. When it receives a 2.1 signal it upscales to 5.1. This all happens automatically. You can choose between Dolby processing and standard stereo by pressing the Dolby Digital button on your MixAmp/RX unit.

[LuNaTiiK]

Wanna get me a pair of those A30 but maybe just the headset i can use my mix amp since im getting the wireless system laters

If you're getting the wireless system later anyways then you might as well get the A30 audio system and save yourself $40+

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

So it will upscale to 7.1 even if the game does not support it? What if I wanna listen to 5.1 because thats what the game supports?

[gardenislandbradda]

If you're getting the wireless system later anyways then you might as well get the A30 audio system and save yourself $40+

well i really want another pair of A40 also so either way hahaha sorry didn't put it on earlier.As the A30 headset is cheaper by itself in thinking of buying the a30 headset itself and a wireless a40

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

So it will upscale to 7.1 even if the game does not support it? What if I wanna listen to 5.1 because thats what the game supports?

Silence? A "not sure" would have sufficed :)

[LuNaTiiK]

Silence? A "not sure" would have sufficed :)

Didn't see your post. The upscaled 7.1 offers better sound positioning than 5.1. I'm not exactly sure why you wouldn't want to listen to the best possible, but the upscaling happens automatically. You can always turn Dolby processing off by pressing the DD button on your MixAmp.

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

The reason I would like to keep it at 5.1 is because the Bass takes a hit when it shifts from Dolby Digital to PLII and PLII is what upscales it to 7.1. I have experienced this with other headsets. Not sure if the A30's bass would be compromised by this, as the Mixamp is a beast, and might just negate such a scenario... Hopefully.

[Ducky]

Here is my honest review of the A40 wireless system for you.
With this system you really feel like your getting your moneys worth and believe me you are. The A40s are really comfortable and sometimes you forget they are even on your head. Now for the sound quality. The sound quality is truly amazing In the past I have owned X41's and those would pop and hiss and the audio would sometimes stop. But not with the A40s i have heard no hiss pop or crackle or audio cut out when I have been using these headphones. All in all this product is a 10/10 and I think that it is worth the $250 they are worth and that I recommend anyone should pick these up. Plus the setup of the mixamp is really fast and easy :D

[AcIdC0R3]

The reason I would like to keep it at 5.1 is because the Bass takes a hit when it shifts from Dolby Digital to PLII and PLII is what upscales it to 7.1. I have experienced this with other headsets. Not sure if the A30's bass would be compromised by this, as the Mixamp is a beast, and might just negate such a scenario... Hopefully.

Actually Dolby Digital is the standard while the ProLogic IIx is the chip technology that uses the Dolby Digital.

The up scaling is done from a 2-channel to a 5.1-channel and a 5.1-channel to a 7.1-channel. If your not looking to upscale then you should turn off the Dolby Digital button on the MixAmp.

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

Actually Dolby Digital is the standard while the ProLogic IIx is the chip technology that uses the Dolby Digital.

The up scaling is done from a 2-channel to a 5.1-channel and a 5.1-channel to a 7.1-channel. If your not looking to upscale then you should turn off the Dolby Digital button on the MixAmp.


Yes but if a game does not support 7.1, then doesn't PLII just matrix the rear 2 channels? and thus reducing the bass by affecting the sound stage? I could be completely wrong here by the way :)

[AcIdC0R3]

Correct, By matrixing the two extra channels the ProLogic IIx chip will spread out the sound more evenly accross the soundfield, therefore the volume doesn't need to be as loud.

[ASTRO Warblade]

Yeah I agree. I was actually convinced by Astro to buy the A30's because it suited my needs. They could have easily sold me some bull**** about the A40's in order for me to buy its more expensive counterpart but they didn't ;)
The only few ASTRO employees here are ASTRO stanimal, ASTRO Brit, ASTRO Xariun, and myself, so unless one of us convinced ya, you were probably convinced to get ASTROs by the community here. ;)

But yeah, the range of headphones suit different needs. I for one actually am really starting to like the A*Stars. Though they need a solid fit (and sometimes will come loose), the sound quality is good (though the mic could pic up slightly better), and I don't have a headband strap from headphones messing up my spikey hair. LOL.

-ASTRO Warblade

[Evil FoodStamps]

Honestly I've seen a couple bad reviews for the WIRELESS one but the WIRED one has nothing but good reviews and I plan on ordering mine today :D

[FUN LOVIN KILLA]

i own the a30 and a40 and also own 2 wired amps and 3 wireless amps aswell as the a stars ear buds made by astro,so that in itself should say how good they are,right from my experience they are some of the best out there for build quality and customer support,sound quality is as good as anything out there that claims to be better for the same price range or cheaper,this lack of bass is not a problem for the simple fact that lots of bass in game for me causes headaches for me but the wireless have the bass expander which is enough for in game as far as i am concerned,you will get a biased opinion on here of astro products so if i was you do a search for reveiws on the headphones you are intrested in buying,its a personal choice but you wont go wrong with the wired or wireless set ups on offer from astro.....;)

[LuNaTiiK]

Here is my honest review of the A40 wireless system for you.
With this system you really feel like your getting your moneys worth and believe me you are. The A40s are really comfortable and sometimes you forget they are even on your head. Now for the sound quality. The sound quality is truly amazing In the past I have owned X41's and those would pop and hiss and the audio would sometimes stop. But not with the A40s i have heard no hiss pop or crackle or audio cut out when I have been using these headphones. All in all this product is a 10/10 and I think that it is worth the $250 they are worth and that I recommend anyone should pick these up. Plus the setup of the mixamp is really fast and easy :D

Glad you find them to be as awesome as I think they are :D

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

The only few ASTRO employees here are ASTRO stanimal, ASTRO Brit, ASTRO Xariun, and myself, so unless one of us convinced ya, you were probably convinced to get ASTROs by the community here. ;)



I stand corrected Sir :o :).

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

Correct, By matrixing the two extra channels the ProLogic IIx chip will spread out the sound more evenly accross the soundfield, therefore the volume doesn't need to be as loud.

Ahh, that makes sense :).

[Pinworms]

Honestly I've seen a couple bad reviews for the WIRELESS one but the WIRED one has nothing but good reviews and I plan on ordering mine today :D

I'm curious...where have you seen bad reviews of the wireless mixamp? All the reviews I've read have been very positive. I don't think I've seen a single review where they said there was any interference or any degrading of the sound quality.

[Evil FoodStamps]

I've seen all bad reviews I've seen for the wireless were on Youtube.. the only bad thing I've seen about wired was how there were so many wires... which really ain't a problem 4 me i can deal with that.

[Alpha I Omega]

I stand corrected Sir :o :).

You might hve mistaken one of us as Astro Staff.

Acidcore, SockswthSandals, AlltTimeMitch and I are Community Leaders(my status was revoked until Feb.) We have been around since the beginning and help other members with Astro problems when staff is not avialable.

The Community Heroes are not staff either, they are like the Leaders but have not been around as long, and therefore do not have our title(However they are just as awesome and just as helpful as us!)

Sorry for any confusion!

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

You might hve mistaken one of us as Astro Staff.

Acidcore, SockswthSandals, AlltTimeMitch and I are Community Leaders(my status was revoked until Feb.) We have been around since the beginning and help other members with Astro problems when staff is not avialable.

The Community Heroes are not staff either, they are like the Leaders but have not been around as long, and therefore do not have our title(However they are just as awesome and just as helpful as us!)

Sorry for any confusion!

Hey don't worry about it. I received nothing but professional advice so its all in the same to be honest :)

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

I've seen all bad reviews I've seen for the wireless were on Youtube.. the only bad thing I've seen about wired was how there were so many wires... which really ain't a problem 4 me i can deal with that.

Could you perhaps post links to these so called "bad reviews"? I have searched Youtube for reviews and I hear nothing but good things about the wireless system ;).

[AcIdC0R3]

Could you perhaps post links to these so called "bad reviews"? I have searched Youtube for reviews and I hear nothing but good things about the wireless system ;).

Then why would you want to see bad reviews? :eek:

[Handsyhands]

so we can spam the posters and get them to fess up they were talking a load of rubbish and just jealous. :D

[AcIdC0R3]

Such negativity will pollute ones mind. ...and the mind is a terrible thing to taste. :eek: ...I mean waste. :eek: ...I mean taste. :eek:

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

Damn straight! We gatsta band together and cut off the head of the snake! Off with your head Propaganda! :D Besides I know there aren't any so I am curious as to why he [Evil FoodStamps] would lie ;)

[Handsyhands]

Such negativity will pollute ones mind. ...and the mind is a terrible thing to taste. :eek: ...I mean waste. :eek: ...I mean taste. :eek:



Soooo glad you corrected yourself ... a Dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste. :D

[AcIdC0R3]

Soooo glad you corrected yourself ... a Dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste. :D

Exactly my point. LOL

[<<< Mordecai >>>]

I want to taste your dirty mind now god dammit!!! http://www.loopygadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/photoshopped_image.jpg

[AcIdC0R3]

I want to taste your dirty mind now god dammit!!! http://www.loopygadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/photoshopped_image.jpg

I don't have a dirty mind. I gave it a good scrubbing last night. :D LOL

[notic]

i have a set of a40's and the wireless mix amp and before i bought these i have the turtle beach px21 and i went through 3 pairs all from faulty ear cups and in your responce u said u got headacks, well i found with the px21's i had to take them off because they would hurt my head and stran my ears and with these a40's i never had to do so and the wrless mix amp make it so much easier to get up and walk around while still talking to my freinds, u ask if there worth 250.00? well in my opinion "YES" u get what u pay for and i cant help but to watch movies and listen to music on my ps3 just to hear how great the quality is.

also what u should look at is how much tie u spend playing games, me i play alot so i use them alot i play everyday and log at least 3 to 4hrs a day.

[KrS]

I had the TB PX21s and they hurt my head. I don't have a large noggin (maybe even smaller than most of you since i'm a smaller person) but the PX21s always felt like they were too tight and after about 15 mins or so I would have a slight headache. I ended up returning them after a week.

Afterwards I went ahead and purchased the A30s. The A30s are much more comfortable compared to the PX21s. I don't recall if the PX21s were on-ear or over the ear but either way, I could game with the A30s for a longer period of time (2-3 hours). After 2-3 hours of continous gaming though my ears would end up having a little discomfort. I should have taken a break after an hour or so and I would be fine but gamers now how it is when you're hooked in. Because of that, I ended up getting the A40s because they are over the ear and I can game for 4 hours + without any ear discomfort. The A40s are indeed heavier though than the A30s so after 2-3 hours of continous gaming, the weight (on the top of my head) bothers me a little.

All in all though, the A30s / A40s are a worthy investment in my opinion.

[ProjektSHIN]

You get what you pay for....

Not to say at all, that Turtle Beaches are bad... In their own right they are a decent gaming headset....I have owned some in the past and up until recently They were all i ever used... But after I tried the A40's I was just blown away... If you played with the beaches for a long period of time like i have... then the difference in quality,sound,comfort etc.. it's all there and readily apparent...

BUT

you know as well as everyone here.. that we aren't going to change your mind.. nor are we going to magically fill your wallet with an extra 200+ dollars.... This is obviously a decision that YOU have to make on your own... if it's worth it to you bla bla bla bla.... the only thing i can say is that yes they are worth it.. yes they are better then the beaches... and yes... you SHOULD buy them...

now it's entirely up to you to absorb that little bit of information that i just gave ya... and choose to process it any way you wish... cheers... and try to make the right decision.... ;) i'm pretty sure you know which one that is eh??

[LuNaTiiK]

@ProjektSHIN: Kind of a dated thread :/

Good that you're adding....your own thoughts....to the matter though... ;)

[ProjektSHIN]

lol i dont look at dates... i'm just going based on whats on the front page....

that plus i'm bored...


you rather me make a flurry of new topics?? lol