Astro A40 2013 Edition - Help!

CheerfulGeek

Hey guys/girls,

It's Christmas time and I'm looking to get a nice pair of headphones for myself for Christmas. I'm looking at the Astro A40 2013 edition, and was wondering the following:

A. Are these a good investment for audio headphones? They will be solely used on my PC. (I do a lot of gaming/music listening)
B. I plan on getting a sound card with them (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132010&Tpk=ASUS), would this sound card work with these headphones?

I've read a lot of complaints that the mic quality sucks, which I fine because I'm using a Blue Yeti so that's not as important. However, I would like to get a nice pair of headphones for around the same price.

Thanks again for the knowledge and expertise!

Dashui

If you're just using them for your computer, and you plan to buy a Xonar sound card (yes, they're awesome), I wouldn't get the Astros. There are much better sounding headphones out there for that price, and your sound card will give you surround sound with its Dolby Headphones support.

If you want a headset, the Sennheiser PC 360 is great. If you don't mind using a desktop microphone, there are even more choices with pure headphones. The Sennheiser HD 598 is an oft recommended pair. The PC 360 goes for around 180 and the 598 is sitting at 225 on Amazon right now.

GnomeTank

The point of the Astro's is really not the headphones, which are just middle of the road starter 'phones. It's the Mixamp, which is one of those things that you either swear by and think is great (me), or you don't (possibly others). As has been recommended in the DAP thread, the Astro A40 set is really just a nice starter 7.1 set, and allows you to go with a bit cheaper sound card (you don't need the full Essence, as you don't need the headphone amp).

If you're going to be dropping 200 bucks on an Essence anyway, the Mixamp package may not make as much sense to you.

The other nice thing about the A40 setup, and one of the main reasons I really wanted a Mixamp, is that it allows you to do 7.1 console gaming too. So that's something to keep in mind.

mcdermott

If you are and plan to remain solely a PC gamer, the Astros aren't for you. You don't need the Mixamp, and while the game/voice balance knob is nice, it's not worth the cost of entry.

That said, in case anybody else is reading this, I don't know who told you the mic quality sucked, but at least on my 2012 A40 set they are wrong, wrong, wrong. The mic is great, and the phones are actually pretty good. Not $200 (for the whole headset) good, but I don't know that I agree with "middle of the road." Combining audio quality, mic quality, build, and all the little features (swappable mic, quick disconnect cord, etc) I'd say they're only moderately overpriced.

But anyway, I concur with the others...if you're buying that soundcard (which has Dolby Headphone and a nice headphone amp), you don't need/want the Mixamp or the A40s that go with it. Either get some good phones and a clip/desk mic or (preferably) a Sennheiser PC360 or similar headset.

For general headphone recommendations, we have a whole thread. Depends what you want, too. Over ear, on ear, or in ear? Open drivers or closed drivers?