Sleeping riders, stained upholstery, fashion-forward headphones, and white freebie earbuds. If that sounds familiar, you’re well versed in the facts of commuter life on public transit, which includes having your headphone cable endlessly snag on handrails and backpacks. Going the bluetooth route so far hasn’t solved that conundrum, as it’s had its own set of issues—good quality audio being key among them.
If ever there were a team to tackle this problem, it’s Astro, whose A50 headset set the standard for what a high-end wireless gaming headset should be. And tackle it they have, providing easy use, great battery life, and an ultra comfortable fit—while also adding niceties you don’t typically find in this category, like active noise cancelling with an on-ear design.
Syncing the A38 is a cinch, as is general usage, thanks to a gloriously simple control layout. Volume is the only toggle on the right earphone; the microphone mutes with the slide of a switch, just like an iPhone; and the power button is out of the way but can still be quickly found when you need it. And it charges using the same micro USB cable most Android phones use.
As for the battery, you’d really have to try to drain the A38 of juice in a single day. I got through a week of testing, using it both ways during my 40 minute commute as well as intermittently throughout the day, on a single charge. It easily met Astro’s claims of 20+ hours of audio playback. On iOS, a battery meter for the headset appears in the upper right, but not on Android or the PS Vita. However, you can actually pair the A38 to multiple devices, which means you can play a game on your Vita but still answer a call by just picking up your phone and saying hello.
When it comes to fit, the A38 practically floats on top of your head, despite being bulkier than most bluetooth headsets. Sporting a headband and earcups with comfy padding so overstuffed they’re downright squishy, the A38 hugs your head with the perfect amount of tension: tight enough that they won’t tumble if you dash for a bus, but with enough give that they’re comfortable to wear beyond your morning commute. And while they don’t fold up, the earcups do rotate 45 degrees so the headset can lay flat. The fake-leather material also shrugs off sweat nicely.
Astro’s headset also look nondescript enough that you can wear them in public without looking like you belong in a call center. They also sport removable magnetic tags on the ear cups, the same ones that fit Astro’s A30 headset. You can order custom tags from Astro for $10 (editor's note: custom tags are actually $20), if you’re so inclined.
The audio quality of the A38 headset is among the best I’ve heard from bluetooth. The large earcups provide a wide soundscape, so audio can seem pleasingly distant or close, exactly what you want for an immersive game or movie experience. Also, the mix avoids the overemphasis on bass that so many gaming headsets lean on. Music sounds big and crisp, never cramped and distorted as with lesser bluetooth devices.
One particularly noticeable aspect of the A38 is its noise-cancelling effect. It’s on by default and can’t be switched off, and while it’s more like noise-dampening than cancelling, it’s surprisingly effective for an on-ear design. During my commute, I was struck to realize these cans had completely blocked out the dull roar of the bus’s air conditioning. At my desk, it cancelled out the rumble of street noise from an open window.
However, while Astro has produced an excellent headset, it does have its drawbacks. The biggest one is that no bluetooth connection is infallible—while getting the A38 to pair with a device is almost as easy as turning it on, maintaining the connection takes some thinking. I had audio frequently cut in and out when I kept my iPhone 5 in my back pocket. Simply moving my phone to my front pocket solved the problem, and it never occured when I was holding my iPad Air or PS Vita to play a game or watch Netflix. I also never experienced a total disconnection, nor any interference when using it at home, around town, or in the IGN offices. Still, this quirk is an annoying concession to make with luxury hardware.
The A38 will also never be your primary audio device for gaming in all forms, because it's simply not compatible with any console. With that in mind, its $230 price tag seems awfully stiff, but it you do get a sturdy case with your purchase. So while dedicated Vita, iOS, and Android gamers have a headset that can handle music and movies just as well as games, gamers who need their peripheral budget to go further should leave it on the shelf. And if you plan to use the A38 for conversations, its microphone is a bit of a letdown: on calls or PC chat, some people asked if I had them on speakerphone. Incoming voices sounded distant and slightly distorted. You’ll get a better sound experience by just holding the phone to your ear or using an average pair of earbuds.