We are, as you can see, in front of headphones with a supra-aural design, which means that instead of surrounding the ear and resting on the head as happens in headphones with a circumaural design, in this cases, the pads themselves are designed to rest on the same ear. , pressing it. In this type of helmet design, special attention must therefore be paid to the ear pads and the design of the headband, because if they put too much pressure on the ears, they can end up being annoying.
For the rest, the headphones have 32mm neodymium magnet drivers, quite small compared to the 50mm we are used to in this type of product, but beyond that they have the same frequency response and the same impedance than any of the gaming headphones in the range that we can find. This small size of the speakers, it must be said, helps to enable this size-reduced over-ear design because, as we will see a little later in this review, the headphones are quite small.
It is also worth mentioning that, compared to the first generation, ASTRO has significantly changed the design, in such a way that it has managed to reduce the weight of the device by no more and no less than 100 grams, among other things. They achieved this not by reducing the size, which is the same, but by using lighter (and eco-friendly) materials.
As you can see in the picture above, the fabric earmuffs have also been changed so that in this case they are replaceable, a great bonus if you’ve had these headphones for a long time and they work well, but the wear of the pads has made them uncomfortable, since it will allow you to change them without having to buy new headphones.
Finally, the design of the headband also stands out, which now instead of being in one piece with a traditional design, ASTRO has incorporated a vertical design to modify the size, which allows the helmet to be enlarged without generating more pressure. . on the head at the ends, a very important advantage given that, as we mentioned before, in over-ear headphones it can become quite annoying.
Unboxing and external analysis
When we attended the media presentation of this product, ASTRO insisted a lot on the fact that they had taken special care of the materials, always looking for the most ecological and recyclable ones that have the least impact on the environment, and this of course also involves the packaging. Thus, ASTRO has changed the packaging of these second generation A10 headphones to make it smaller and made of recyclable materials.
On the front, we only see an image of the product accompanied by the brand and model, as well as a small blue box that indicates that they are compatible with the new SONY PS5.
On the back we have a diagram of the product in which its main parts are indicated, as well as a brief description of its characteristics. On the sides we do not find any additional information, since on one we only have an image of the helmet from the side and on the other the manufacturer’s logo.
The box opens in the shape of a chest, and at first glance you can see that the product is covered in recycled paper with a rough feel. On the front of the main face of the box we have a connection diagram.
Let’s, as always, look at the accessories first. In this case, ASTRO includes with these second generation A10s an informative brochure, another color brochure to inform us that if we have a problem we should not contact the store where we bought them but directly with them, a sticker , the connection cable and a duplicator to be able to use the headphones on a PC, which converts the combo mini-jack into two independent mini-jacks for headphones and microphone.
The main connection cable has a small control console that will allow us to modify the audio volume.
Now yes, here we have the ASTRO A10.
As soon as they were taken out of the box, the first feeling they gave us was that they were very light, especially since the cable is removable and, as we have seen, it comes separately , we didn’t hang it like a dead weight when we take the headphones out of the box. At first glance, the plastics of the case seem of very good quality, as well as the pads, which are very soft to the touch.
In its smallest position, the headset feels quite small (so beware if you’re a “prominent” head user) and with the ear cups quite diagonally, a fact which caused us some concern for comfort as it could make them hug us. too much against the ears.
On the outside of the earmuffs we can find decorations with the brand and model, as well as a network of black and yellow stripes as if it were a danger zone. The side where the microphone comes out is obviously less striking.
You will have already noticed that the headphones have “horns”, which are nothing more than the size adjustment of the headband, arranged vertically instead of following the circumference of it. This might make them a little unsightly to look at, but believe us when we tell you they make them much more comfortable because making the headband bigger won’t cause it to cinch tighter on the ears or head.
At the top of the headband, in black plastic, we find the brand logo. On its opposite side we find a generous cushion of gray fabric that contrasts a little with the black and looks very good, since in turn it combines with the yellow details that ASTRO has arranged in some parts.
The ear cushions are made of the same material as the headband. They are vertical oval in shape, leaving a relatively small space for the soundboard to do its job on the user’s ear. These fabric tips are quite soft and squishy, so they’ll fit all sizes and ear types with ease. yes, it must be said that the ears do not have too much “play” in terms of movement, and only allow a little movement to adapt to the shape of the user’s head.
The microphone is on the left earcup, and of course it’s foldable. The rod is made of flimsy rubber with metal inside, which allows you to twist it to adjust it to the position you want without any problem and without damaging it. The microphone is unidirectional (thank you! what’s the point of putting an omnidirectional microphone on a helmet?) and, let’s remember, when you lift the stem it has a function to automatically mute it.
Also in the lower area of the left earcup is the female connector for the 3.5mm mini combo jack that we show you with the accessories, and it is logically there that we will have to connect the cable for the headphones to to work.
After seeing the device, we will now test it and tell you how it works.
Testing the ASTRO A10, how does it work?
Let’s start by talking about ergonomics: as we mentioned before, the ASTRO A10s are relatively small for what we are used to when talking about gaming headphones, since they are generally circum-aural and these are on-ear -aurals. However, despite having a fairly wide head circumference, the headphones fit perfectly and do not bother you at all, to the point that after a few minutes you almost forget you are wearing them because they weigh quite little.
Thanks to the fact that the microphone is collapsible and can be easily folded and even so it retains its shape, this element does not bother us at all and we can use it without disturbing ourselves to talk or even eat while wearing the helmet.
Even after a few hours of continuous use, the headphones are still quite comfortable, although it is true that removing them after several hours, we notice a little discomfort in the ears due to the pressure they exert on them , which, while light, is still a strain on the ears that circumaural designs put on the head instead.
To test the sound quality of these second-generation ASTRO A10s, we used a PS4 console, connecting them directly to the controller. By doing so, the console detects them the first time and automatically starts playing the sound for them (remember, however, that we can also use them on PC and even with mobile phones and tablets that have an analog connection through a minijack 3.5mm).
As we mentioned at the beginning, ASTRO applies somewhat special customization and optimization, so if you were used to one-way gaming audio, using these headphones will change the user experience a lot. It’s not that it’s better or worse, it’s just that it’s a bit different, but what we can assure you is that the audio is different from that designed by the developers of the game , and that’s something many may like but many others don’t. t.
In any case, the stereo sound is decent, with a good bass balance (even if the bass power is lacking, partly due to those small drivers of only 32 mm in diameter), with fairly clear mids and treble sounds rich in nuances, surely the strong point of these headphones. At maximum volume the sound does not distort at any time and in fact it is quite powerful, so we recommend that you use them with the sound at full volume as this could damage the eardrums.
Conclusion and judgment
With this second generation of ASTRO A10 headsets, the Logitech G-owned manufacturer is once again at the forefront of audio designed for modern next-gen consoles. With a very comfortable and light design, these headphones are ideal for users who are looking for quality sound in a durable product that does not complicate their life at all, thanks to its simplicity of use and connection.
These headphones have a suggested retail price of 59,99$, well above average for this type of product. ASTRO justifies it by saying that we are dealing with a Premium quality product, and this is something that in terms of robustness and quality of materials we are not going to discuss, but in terms of audio quality, which we repeat is not bad at all, it may be that this aggressive optimization in equalization penalizes them against certain niches of users.
All in all we think they are a great option if you are one of those who play the console with headphones so as not to disturb others, and surely with these ASTRO A10 you will have headphones for many years as long as you take care of them. For all this, we award them our gold medal and our recommendation for their design.