The Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019 is a gaming headset with a great microphone performance. These headphones have a warm sound profile and the same comfortable and sturdy build of the previous-generation Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2017. The look of the MixAmp has changed, but it offers the same multiple inputs and controls. Because of their open-back design, these headphones don't block out ambient noise. Although we managed to use our Xbox One model on the PS4 using PC mode, this may not work if you try using the PS4 variant on Xbox One, so be sure to get the appropriate console variant for your needs. Unfortunately, there have been user reports of significant issues using the software, and you can read more in the App Support box.
Our Verdict
The Astro A40 headset is inadequate for sports and fitness use. These headphones are designed for wired gaming and aren't intended for use during workouts. Even though they're open-back, they trap quite a bit of heat against your ears and may make you sweat more during physical activity. Their wired design may get in the way during exercise, and their bulky shape makes them less convenient to carry. They also don't have the most stable fit and may fall off your head during more intense workouts.
Comfortable and sturdy design.
A bit bulky.
- No phone call management controls.
- No IP rating for water resistance.
The Astro A40 headset is poor for commuting and travel. They're gaming headphones and aren't intended for this purpose. While they fit comfortably, they're bulky and don't fold down to a more compact shape. They aren't very stable if you move around too much, either. They don't block out any ambient noise, so they don't reduce the sound of a plane engine or background conversations either. They also leak a lot of audio, so people nearby can hear your music.
Comfortable and sturdy design.
A bit bulky.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
- No phone call management controls.
The Astro A40 headset is acceptable for office use. Because of their open-back design, these headphones don't block out ambient sound, so they won't isolate you from background conversations or other office-type noise. They also leak a lot of sound, so when you're listening to music, it may be audible to people nearby. On the upside, they come with an impressive mic system that ensures you'll be heard well on conference calls. And as wired passive headphones, they don't have a battery life you need to worry about, but that also means you don’t get the freedom of movement that comes with wireless headphones.
Comfortable and sturdy design.
- Great microphone performance.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
- No phone call management controls.
The Astro A40 headset can only be used wired and isn't suitable for wireless gaming.
The Astro A40 headset is impressive for wired gaming. These headphones offer a comfortable fit for long gaming sessions, and their wired connection ensures very low audio latency. Their microphone delivers great recording quality and easily separates your voice from background noise. The MixAmp offers useful controls, too, like adjusting the volume levels for game and chat audio and selecting different EQ presets. That said, users have encountered issues with the companion software.
Comfortable and sturdy design.
- Great microphone performance.
- MixAmp allows you to mix game and chat audio.
- Poor noise isolation, by design.
- No phone call management controls.
The Astro A40 have good audio reproduction accuracy. They have a generally flat sound profile, with a controlled bass and accurate mid-range. But their treble is inconsistent, with some large dips that make voices sound muffled. Those large dips also mean the relatively balanced mid-treble can feel a touch sharp in contrast, so sibilants can be rendered a touch piercing. Still, these cans have impressively well-matched left and right drivers, so objects are accurately panned in the stereo field. There are also no audible distortion or group delay issues, so you can expect clean, pure, and transparent audio reproduction.
The Astro A40 have terrible noise isolation on purpose. Their open-back design allows your audio to leak into the room around you, and the noise of your environment to mingle alongside the audio the headphones produce. As a result, these cans block out almost no ambient noise, and anyone seated nearby you will hear your audio.
The Astro A40 have an impressive microphone system. The mic captures your voice accurately, so you sound full, clear, and comprehensible to whoever you're talking to. It also does a great job separating your voice from any noise around you.
The Astro A40 have very good frequency response consistency. So long as you take the time to achieve a good fit, you can expect consistent and accurate sound with every wear. That said, people who wear glasses may experience a slight drop-off in bass response.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Mar 24, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test, and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
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Updated Feb 06, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and side-by-sides.
- Updated Dec 23, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1, which features minor updates to our sound tests.
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Updated Jan 20, 2025:
Text for the following test groups have been updated following Test Bench 1.7: Noise Isolation - Full Range and Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios, and ANC Wind Handling. Several Sound tests have also been updated following Test Bench 1.8. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to usages to match these results.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
There are a few different variants of the Astro A40. We tested the variant advertised as compatible with Xbox One and PCs, but Astro also sells a variant advertised as compatible with PlayStation consoles and PCs. We also expect our test results to be valid for that variant, except that it may not work with Xbox consoles. Astro also manufactures the MixAmp M80: a preamp with a smaller form factor that attaches itself directly to a controller. However, it's only compatible with Xbox series consoles and PC. These headphones are available in 'Black' or 'Blue'.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
While being almost identical to their previous generation, the Astro A40 set themselves apart with their unique design and great amp. However, they aren't as customizable as some other gaming headphones, like the Logitech G635 or the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC. A closed-back alternative to the open-back A40 are the Astro A30 Wireless, which still have swappable speaker tags but won't leak as much audio.
For other options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best headsets for Xbox Series X/S, and the best headsets for PS5.
The Astro A50 Gen 4 and the Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019 are both great gaming headphones. The A50 are wireless-only, while the A40 are wired-only and have a fully open-back design. So, if you also don't want to be limited by battery life, then the A40 are a better option. However, if you prefer a cable-free experience or walking around with headphones on, the A50 Gen 4 are a better pick.
The Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019 are better gaming headphones than the Astro A10 Gen 2. They're much more comfortable and sturdy, and their boom mic has a much better performance. They're much more feature-packed and have a MixAmp that puts controls within easy reach. However, the A10 Gen 2 are simple wired headphones that work with most consoles via analog connection, so you might prefer them if you want straightforward headphones for gaming.
The Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019 are better wired gaming headphones than the Astro A30 Wireless. The A40 have an in-line amp that lets you configure your connection to your console, cycle between EQ presets, use surround sound and adjust game/chat volume. However, the A40's open-back design won't block out any outside noise, and people around you will hear the game almost as well as you. The A30 are a solid choice if you're looking for wireless gaming headphones with low latency and a closed-back design that doesn't leak much audio.
The Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019 have a slight edge over the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro for gaming. The Astro are open-back headphones that are more comfortable and better built. Their overall microphone performance is better. However, the SteelSeries have a more customizable performance, and their GameDAC makes it easy to adjust controls on the fly.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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