Review on Enhanced Noise Cancelling Conversion Kit for ASTRO Gaming A40 TR Mod Kit - Call of Duty by Brian Potter

Actually not an "upgrade" but a secondary one. Send Astro A40 TR with open ear pads and ear pads. This basically means you can hear your surroundings in real life almost as if you weren't wearing headphones at all. At first glance, this may seem undesirable, but this design has its advantages. Much less ear fatigue as air is regularly sucked into your ears, and a more open soundstage gives you a bit more depth to gauge enemy ranges. This is due to the cost of less bass and the possibility of background noise like city traffic interrupting your dive. Those faux leather pads that come with the mod kit, as well as the headphone plate, do a great job of sealing the headphones in my ears. I can really feel the air pressure when I put the headphones on. It greatly attenuates passive noise such as traffic, running water, or a fan. You will find it difficult to hear family, wives, and anyone else who needs your attention. Depending on your situation, this may or may not be good ;). Because of the airtightness, low frequencies are much more noticeable and your EQ presets may need to be adjusted to avoid too much boomy bass. Pads also have disadvantages. They cause ear fatigue as they get hot after an hour of playing. And I have more noticeable problems interpreting noise removal even with Dolby Surround Sound turned on. In short: preset with less bass for these pads and preset with more bass for your original pads. Don't throw away your old pads, take out the mic. Keep them away as they are situational accessories. Astro's magnetic snaps for the ear cups and headstock are excellent, and it's very easy to swap out these accessories (the headband pad is a bit stiffer, take your time). It's an expensive accessory, but you won't be disappointed with how well it drowns out the world and fully immerses you in the game.