Astro's latest A40 headset lets you customise your gaming cans

Astro's choice of gaming headsets is definitely well regarded: back in 2012 I was impressed by the Astro A50 sequence, while one year previously my colleague Jeff Bakalar known as the A40 series "one of the greatest virtual surround-sound gaming headset techniques we've ever tested".

It's been a time between drinks, but Astro's A40 series is back using a new look and many new features. The A40 TR Additionally MixAmp Pro, to give it its individual's name, brings all the strong sound expertise we've visit expect and adds in numerous new customisation tricks.

Astro's latest A40 headset lets you customise your gaming cans

You will find two versions of this A40 TR. The Ps 4 version (which additionally works for PS3, Mac and PC) will come in either all black, or using a white headset and any black MixAmp, and this is actually the one I've gone hands-on with. The Xbox One model will come in either all white, or black using a white MixAmp. Both will cost you $250, AU$350 or £200.

Such as the A50 all those in years past, I've been quickly impressed with just how comfortable the headset is, even if you've got it on only a few hours. A little amount of discomfort around your ear gets magnified exponentially during a long play session, so comfort and fit are usually paramount.

The MixAmp is super easy to setup -- quite literally just plug it in to a USB port -- and if you're playing on a PC you are able to grab the Astro Command Center software, which lets you tweak the existing a number of equaliser presets: Astro, Nicely balanced, Flat and Tournament. Also you can create and save your own, as well as adapt the audio mix for the streaming output.

No matter whether you're while using Xbox or PS4 versions from the A40, both have a PC mode that you normally activate by depressing the power button only a few seconds until the lighting about the MixAmp turns white. Inside Command Center, however, you are able to set the MixAmp on top of that into PC mode by default, which is a beneficial touch for non-console players.

After playing for a few hours with various PC video games, I'm very pleased with the caliber of the presets. The Balanced mode especially supplies a genuinely good soundscape across many different different types of video games.

Astro's latest A40 headset lets you customise your gaming cans

In addition to the A40s I had an A40 Mod Kit to see as well. This is usually a new set of ear pads, speaker backs, in addition to a new mic and shock absorbing headband. I quickly swapped this default padded cloth ear cups and headband for the synthetic leather ones in the mod kit. I chose the material a little much cooler, but that's more of the personal taste.

Thanks to the permanent magnetic locking system it's ludicrously simple to pop on / off the various mod components. I was also quite impressed there's a jack for this boom mic on both sides from the headset, letting you trade sides easily. It's remarkable just what a big difference a few changes towards colours and material texture makes.

It's early days and nights, but so far this Astro A40 TR headset is wowing me equally as much as the A50 performed -- maybe even a tad bit more. I'll be testing it further about the PS4 and updating this particular hands-on first take soon.