Astro A40 Audio System: Got the cash. Worth the buy?

[runo]

I've decided to put off my PC upgrades until Christmas. I unfortunately don't have a job anymore and making a $500+ payment right now is kind of iffy. However, it was my birthday last month and I did get the offer to be bought one large present up to about $250 (NOT including shipping) that I don't have to pay for, so that's pretty darn awesome. Here's the catch: my folks said it has to be one single item in one single order (don't ask why; they're kind of archaic and are still wary about using credit cards online). Rambling aside...

So I've been hearing a lot of good things about a brand of headset manufacturers that you may have heard of: Astro. They supposedly produce the hands-down best gaming headsets around, as they're THE featured MLG product for audio systems. Here's the question... Is it legitimately worth the money or would I just be buying into the "MLG gear is best gear!" hype like with Razer?

This is the specific one I'm eyeing, since it comes with the headset AND their mixer/amp/control/USB soundcard.. device... thing... that I need to make it sound the best. I freakin' love good audio, and everyone I talk to that has one -- and reviewers everywhere -- seem to be in love with this thing's audio.

I'd be upgrading from a Corsair HS1A with no soundcard (and I don't think I have a spot in my case for a soundcard anyway...), so there's that. I'd be using it for:
*Competitive gaming (I do scrims on Counter-Strike: Source, Tribes: Ascend and other games where excellent-sounding audio and crystal-clear mic quality are a must)
*Music (mostly metal, hard rock, electronic, industrial)
*Vent/Mumble/TS3 and Skype (my current mic is butts)
*FRAPS/Bandicam/Overwolf videos and voice-overs (probably through these platforms or pre-recorded through Audacity)
*Recording music (I'm undergoing vocal training for singing, and again, my current mic is butts)

Mostly the good mic quality and in-game audio aspects are the most important, but if music sounds like crap in these cans, I'd hate to buy them. Any thoughts or input?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Skagnatti]

I've decided to put off my PC upgrades until Christmas. I unfortunately don't have a job anymore and making a $500+ payment right now is kind of iffy. However, it was my birthday last month and I did get the offer to be bought one large present up to about $250 (NOT including shipping) that I don't have to pay for, so that's pretty darn awesome. Here's the catch: my folks said it has to be one single item in one single order (don't ask why; they're kind of archaic and are still wary about using credit cards online). Rambling aside...

So I've been hearing a lot of good things about a brand of headset manufacturers that you may have heard of: Astro. They supposedly produce the hands-down best gaming headsets around, as they're THE featured MLG product for audio systems. Here's the question... Is it legitimately worth the money or would I just be buying into the "MLG gear is best gear!" hype like with Razer?

This is the specific one I'm eyeing, since it comes with the headset AND their mixer/amp/control/USB soundcard.. device... thing... that I need to make it sound the best. I freakin' love good audio, and everyone I talk to that has one -- and reviewers everywhere -- seem to be in love with this thing's audio.

I'd be upgrading from a Corsair HS1A with no soundcard (and I don't think I have a spot in my case for a soundcard anyway...), so there's that. I'd be using it for:
*Competitive gaming (I do scrims on Counter-Strike: Source, Tribes: Ascend and other games where excellent-sounding audio and crystal-clear mic quality are a must)
*Music (mostly metal, hard rock, electronic, industrial)
*Vent/Mumble/TS3 and Skype (my current mic is butts)
*FRAPS/Bandicam/Overwolf videos and voice-overs (probably through these platforms or pre-recorded through Audacity)
*Recording music (I'm undergoing vocal training for singing, and again, my current mic is butts)

Mostly the good mic quality and in-game audio aspects are the most important, but if music sounds like crap in these cans, I'd hate to buy them. Any thoughts or input?

Thanks in advance!

I have the A40s and couldn't be happier. Great depth of sound for gaming as well as music. Comfortable for long sits. Mic is great as I have had people in the past say I sounded like I was in the room with them. I wrote a small review of them on Amazon but it has since vanished. I won't be buying a new headset for quite a while.

That's pretty cool about the vocal training! I was classically trained as a vocal performance major for a couple years in college, until I switched.

 

[runo]

Thanks for the response! All in all it sounds like the perfect headset if one can afford it. Since I can, I think I'll be pulling the trigger on this one. Thanks again!

A vocal performance major? That's awesome! I'm nowhere near that good--I'm undergoing classical training in hopes of one day getting into a rock band or doing my own one-man group one day--but I write my own lyrics and play a tiny bit of piano and guitar (I used to do a little drumming but I don't have access to my friend's kit anymore, which was the one I used).

What major did you switch to? Feel free to toss me a PM if you wanna talk music performance/vocals. I could always use some advice!