From the Vault — originally published October 30, 2010. Some links, videos or prices may be out of date.
This new MixAmp is compatible with both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems. Just a week or two ago I posted about the new Sony gaming surround headset that was announced rather quietly. I was bummed out a week ago to find out that although they look great they are for PC only and not wireless.
Luckily Astro Gaming has just announced their A40 headset and new wireless MixAmp 5.8 system compatible with both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The TX transmitter base plugs into the a Playstation 3 usb port with the PS3 chat cable and the MixAmp 5.8 RX receiver (with the dial on it) plugs into your Xbox 360 controller for Xbox 360 chat. Very cool stuff indeed.
The audio is input into the TX transmitter base via TOSLINK/optical. With a very cheap optical switch you can have a pretty neat and always set up optical connection to it for both systems.
The new MixAmp 5.8 operates at the 5.8GHz frequency which is a bit higher than the wireless N frequency to avoid interference from other devices like your wireless router, cordless phones and such. The MixAmp itself has game/voice audio balance control with Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound capabilities when used with surround capable headsets like the A40’s though the MixAmp is compatible with any headset or headphones.
Check the link below to read more about this. I have been waiting for a good quality wireless headset that is compatible for both systems so I already pre-ordered a pair. These are perfect for late night gaming sessions and for playing anytime you do not want to interrupt those around you and still would like to be able to chat online. Expect a full review when they are shipped in a few weeks.
