Astro Gaming's A50 wireless headset: the A40 and Mixamp 5.8 become one for $300

Turtle Beach may have acquired the MLG-endorsement crown that Astro Gaming used to solely hold for its headsets, but it's no matter as Astro has something else up its sleeve: the A50 wireless headset. Announced here at E3, the A50 is essentially the result of embedding the Mixamp 5.8's wireless chops into its flagship A40, finally sparing users of any pesky wiring and external beltpacks. Naturally, the headset is compatible with the Xbox 360, PS3 and PCs and it features Dolby virtual 7.1 surround sound -- not to mention Astro's signature game and voice chat mixing control (built into the earcup) so you can dial your game audio in the way you want. The A50 sports an internal battery that recharges over USB and comes with a stand that also houses the unit's Mixamp 5.8 TX-esque wireless transmitter. That transmitter can also send sound to multiple A50's, although there is no word on exactly how many. Notably, the headset uses Kleer lossless audio technology and you'll also have a choice between three EQ presets for the overall voicing of the sound -- both firsts for Astro. The A50 is slated to hit shelves soon priced at $300, and we'll be sure to bring you our impressions as soon as we check it out here on the show floor. For now, you'll find a closeup render of the headset itself after the break.