Astro Gaming Mixamp Manual

MIXAMPTM

P3Contents
04 Introduction
05 about the MixAmp™
07 controls
08 package contents
12 setup
13 Console setup - tv
18 Console setup - home theater
24 Console setup - lan
25 pc setup
31 PC setup lan
32 Troubleshooting
35 Warranty
Contents

P4 introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the ASTRO Gaming
MixAmp™! Whether you are a professional video gamer, a
casual player, or a hardcore hobbyist, we’d like to welcome you
into the ASTRO family of performance gaming accessories.
The MixAmp™ is the result of countless hours of research and
development by the foremost experts in the audio industry,
extremely talented industrial designers, and an elite cadre of
professional video gamers.
Despite its small size, the MixAmp™ contains a complex
electronics package, and we’d like to ask that you to continue
to read this instruction booklet. Please also keep it for later
reference: it contains important warranty information, and a
handy troubleshooting guide.
For all of you Han Solos out there, the Quick Start Guide
should be enough to get you started, but come back later for
deeper advice and better tips than the Quick Start Guide can
give you.
Introduction

P5
The MixAmp™ is your own personal audio mixer and headphone
amplifier. We developed it specifically for enhancing the audio
and communications experience of video gaming. With Dolby
Pro Logic II and Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding feeding into Dolby
Headphone, the MixAmp™ is a home theater in the palm of your
hand.
Whether you’re gaming at home alone, socially on a LAN, on a
console or a PC, the MixAmp™ has something to offer.
For Xbox and Xbox 360 users at home, the MixAmp™ enables
you to combine voice communication and game sound in one
headset - ideal for discreet “midnight gaming” sessions. You can
also add your own soundtrack to any game as you play. Simply
connect your music player to the mp3 input and you’re good to
go.
Playstation 3 users will enjoy the benfits of the MixAmp™ for
surround gaming out of the box with the included RCA-to-RCA
cable, or add an optional TOSlink optical cable for a fully digital
experience. For online multiplayer use, the MixAmp’s USB port is
fully compatible with the PS3’s voice communication capabilities
when connected with the included USB cable. The MixAmp™
draws power from the Playstation’s USB port, saving you from
powering it with batteries. The MixAmp combines voice and
game audio and enables you to fully balance between the two
using the BALANCE control.
For PC gamers, the MixAmp™ enables your computer to offload
surround sound decoding and voice communication duties, and
will combine multiple audio streams thanks to its built-in USB
audio input.
By setting your VoIP program to use the MixAmp as the USB
input/output device, full hardware mixing is enabled between
voice communication, game sound, and music. Never <Alt - Tab>
yourself to an untimely death again, trying to manage a software-
based music player - just connect your mp3 player to the
MixAmp™ and keep your gaming rig focused on the task at hand.
About the a40
About the MixAmp™

P6
In a LAN environment, your MixAmp™ can be daisy-chained with
any number of other MixAmps™ - creating a private, hands-free,
and full-duplex voice communication channel - much higher-
quality than VoIP systems, with zero network lag.
ABOUT DOLBY® SURROUND TECHNOLOGY
Unlike many other generic “5.1” audio products on the market
today, the A40 MixAmp™ is a genuine Dolby® product -
containing Dolby® Pro Logic II, Dolby® Digital 7.1, and Dolby®
Headphone surround technologies. Dolby® is the universal
standard format used to encode current games, and authentic
Dolby® products should be your only choice when you want a
superior audio experience.
While you might be aware of what Dolby® Pro Logic II and
Dolby® Digital do in a multi-channel environment, you may not
be aware that Dolby® Headphone offers the same benefits to
users of two-channel headphones. Using advanced patented
audio processing technology, Dolby® Headphone simulates a
multi-channel speaker array using any standard pair of stereo
headphones.
Dolby®, Pro Logic and the double-D symbol are registered
trademarks of Dolby® Laboratories, Inc.
ABOUT THE A40

P7CONTROLS
While the ASTRO Gaming MixAmp™ contains a complex
electronic package, controlling it is quite simple.
The MASTER VOLUME knob raises and lowers volume of all
incoming audio feeds together. It will not raise or lower the
volume of your outgoing voice communication. (The distance
between your microphone and your mouth is the best way to
adjust this).
The BALANCE control enables you to dial in the perfect mix of
game-to-voice communication.
Important: It is possible to bring either the GAME or the
VOICE volume down to 0% volume, at either end of the
BALANCE control dial spectrum. Most people find that the
ideal mix is somewhere between 11 and one o’clock.
The DOLBY® on/off button turns on Dolby Digital 7.1 (when
connected with a digital cable), or Dolby Pro Logic II (when
connected with an analog cable). Dolby is active when the
surrounding RED light is illuminated.
When the DOLBY® button is not illuminated, the MixAmp™ is
operating in 2-Channel stereo mode, and no Dolby processing
is applied to the incoming audio signal.
The MASTER POWER button does exactly what you might
expect, and is a convenient way to mute the audio to your
headset or headphones.
Important: When the headset is disconnected, the A40 will
automatically shut down. This feature is to prevent accidental
power loss when you are traveling with your MixAmp™. If you
reconnect your headset within a short period of time, the unit
will automatically return to the state you had it in before it
was disconnected. If you reconnect after this short time, you’ll
need to restart it manually.
Controls

P8 CONTROLS
When your MixAmp’s batteries are low, the RED ring
around the MASTER POWER button will flash ON and OFF
intermittently. A SOLID RED button indicates adequate power.
If you are using the optional rechargeable battery pack, an
AMBER ring around the MASTER POWER button with flash
ON and OFF when the battery is recharging (plugged into
USB power). When the charge is complete, a SOLID AMBER
ring will illuminate.
You can check the power state of the MixAmp™ at any time,
whether or not a headset is connected. The MASTER POWER
button will illuminate for a short time, indicating how much
charge the battery contains (FLASHING - low, or SOLID - OK),
and then the MixAmp™ will shut back down automatically.

P9CONTROLS
MixAmp™
USB

P10
MixAmp™ and Daisy-chain Connector
The MixAmp™ comes docked with a Daisy-chain connector. This
connector enables you to easily connect to other MixAmps™, instantly
opening up a private, high-quality voice communication channel.
Important: Always keep the connector TIGHTLY inserted and FULLY
seated for proper operation. An incorrectly seated Daisy-chain
connector may cause feedback or other interference.
RCA-to-RCA Piggyback Cable
This long cable is used to connect your console to the MixAmp™,
providing a line-level feed of game audio. The “Piggyback” end can
fit right in-between your gaming system RCA connectors and your
television, without hogging another input/output spot.
2.5mm-to-2.5mm Xbox Live Controller cable
This cable handles the Xbox Live communication between your
controller and the MixAmp. Just connect it from the back of the
controller to the 2.5mm input on the front of the MixAmp™ -- the side
that says CONTROLLER.
USB-to-USB Mini ‘B’ cable
This cable powers the MixAmp™ when you want to conserve battery
power or need to recharge your rechargeable battery kit (available
separately). Connect it to any USB port on your PC or gaming console.
When used with a Sony Playstation 3 or a PC, the USB cable may
also serve as a dedicated voice input/output connection. When used
in conjunction with a separate cable for main (game) audio, you’ll be
able to fully control the voice/game mix with the BALANCE dial on the
MixAmp™.
Important: Read about how the MixAmp™ interfaces with your PC and
how to connect it in the following Setup section.
Package contents
Package Contents

P11
3.5mm-to-RCA cable (Optional)
This cable is an alternative to the RCA-to-RCA Piggyback cable
for gamers who would rather get their game audio feed from their
computer or TV’s headphone jack. Connect to the headphone jack
of any television, handheld gaming system, PC, or mp3 player - you’ll
get instant Dolby Pro Logic Surround for all of your DVD’s, music, and
games.
Keep in mind that connecting through a headphone jack is a lower
quality audio signal, and your volume level is subject to the volume
setting of your audio source. For the best audio quality, we recommend
using a digital audio connection, or line-level audio connected with the
included RCA-to-RCA cable.
3.5mm-to-3.5mm Cable (Optional)
This cable is a convenient length to connect the MixAmp™ PC MIC
output to your PC’s microphone input. You can also use it connect to
the MP3 input on the back of the MixAmp™.
This cable can also be used for daisy-chaining two or more MixAmps™
together when you find that the Daisy-chain connector is too short (like
in a PC LAN).
Dual Jack-to-3.5mm 4-pole Adapter (Optional)
This adapter will enable the use of any standard 3rd party headset with
separate microphone and audio jacks with the MixAmp™. The ASTRO
Gaming A40 Headset combines audio and microphone signals into a
single cable - and a single connector for a simple, clean connection. In
other words, you don’t need to use this adapter when using an A40
Headset.
Important: You will need to use this adapter to use any non-ASTRO PC
headset.
OPTIONAL CABLES
OPTIONAL CABLES

P12 SETUP
The preceding package contents descriptions should give you a
good idea of how each cable fits into your system before you get
started. Go back and read through those if you skipped Section
2. There are many ways to use the MixAmp™, and we’ve packed
in specific cables that should get you going with all of your
equipment. That is, except digital audio cables - digital cables can
be quite expensive depending on the type and length, and we
didn’t want to make the overall price of the MixAmp™ package
higher by including an expensive item not every user needs. All
of the ASTRO Gaming accessories including digital cables are
available at www.astrogaming.com.
That is not to say that ASTRO Gaming doesn’t recommend using a
digital connection - we do! Optical and coaxial digital audio cables
carry much more accurate surround information, and contain
discrete data for each speaker/channel, unlike analog cables. In
other words, you’ll be able to hear your enemies attempting to
sneak up behind you with much greater accuracy and clarity by
going digital.
The MixAmp™ is also a powerful headphone amplifier, and will
naturally increase background noise and hum inherently present
on nearly every analog audio path. With a digital connection,
however, the background noise floor drops to virtually zero and
will give you a far better audio experience.
WARNING: Always adjust the volume of the MixAmp™ to a safe
level BEFORE putting on headphones or inserting earbuds! The
headphone amplifier of the MixAmp™ will increase the volume
of the product that it is connected to considerably. The high-
performance amplification is welcome in noisy situations like
professional gaming tournaments - but permanent hearing
loss may occur if headphones or earbuds are used at a high
volume for an extended period of time. Reduce the volume or
discontinue use of the MixAmp™ immediately if you experience
any discomfort, feel blood or bile oozing out of your eardrums,
or hear ringing in your ears.
Setup

P13Console SEtup - tv
Step 1 - Connect the Main (Game) Audio
The MixAmp™ will give any connected equipment the benefits
of Dolby Surround and high-quality amplification. There are
many different ways to connect the MixAmp™ - in this section
we’ll tell you how to connect it using your television as the
hub of your A/V system. In other words, you don’t use a home
theater receiver - if you do, then skip to the next section. We’ll
also list the connections you should use, in the preferred order
of quality
Xbox
USBUSBUSB
Connecting the MixAmp™ to a Gaming
Console - Using a Television as your
A/V Hub

P14
Playstation 3
1) Toslink Optical Digital - (cable not included) Connecting
to the MixAmp™ rear OPTICAL input: the Xbox 360, Sony
Playstation 3, and Playstation 2 come with optical Toslink
outputs for Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, and can be simply
connected this way to the OPTICAL input. The original Xbox
requires an add-on accessory called the Microsoft Xbox High
Definition A/V Pack, and your specific model of Xbox 360
may require the optional HDMI A/V Cable kit in order to gain
a TOSlink optical port if your model doesn’t have an available
port. The Nintendo Wii and GameCube output only via analog
signals, but both support Dolby Pro Logic II through the
included analog cables.
Important: make sure that ‘Dolby Digital 5.1’ is selected in your
audio device. For example, on the Xbox 360, these preferences
reside in the audio setup/options section of the dashboard. If
PCM 2.0 is selected, for example, you will NOT get the benefit
of Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
Console SEtup - tv
PS3PS3
USB USBUSB

P15console setup - tv
2) RCA Analog -- Connecting to the MixAmp’s rear LEFT/
RIGHT inputs: use this connection if you don’t yet have a
digital cable. The MixAmp™ supports Dolby Pro Logic II (and
its variants), giving you full surround sound even with an
analog connection. You can use the supplied 4m RCA-to-RCA
Piggyback Cable to connect directly to the RCA output of
your television. Alternatively, if you don’t have a free OUTPUT,
you may use the ‘Piggyback’ feature to intercept audio from
between your console and your television by unplugging the
current RCA cables, inserting the ASTRO Gaming piggyback
ends into your television, and then replacing the original
cables by reinserting them into the female ends of the
piggyback connectors. Care should be taken not to mix up the
left/right cables by matching the red and white ends to the
matching colors of their connectors.
As described in the digital sections above, it is best to connect
to your television’s AUDIO OUT - this way the MixAmp™
will receive an audio signal from whatever source you have
selected. If your television has both FIXED and a VARIABLE
outputs, make sure to use the FIXED output so that you only
have to adjust the MASTER VOLUME control on the MixAmp™.
(The televisions own volume doesn’t affect a FIXED output).
Important: If you don’t have FIXED audio outputs on your
television, simply connect the RCA-to-RCA Piggyback cable
between your console and your television. This is a “line-
level” signal (full volume) and you will only need to adjust the
volume of the MixAmp™ to achieve full volume control.
3) 3.5mm Headphone Jack (with optional cable) -- If you are
unable to connect your MixAmp™ using one of the methods
described above, use the headphone output jack on your
television by connecting the optional 3.5mm-to-RCA cable.
The volume of your television’s headphone jack is tied to
the volume of the television itself, so set the TV volume to
a suitable level (usually about halfway to 3/4 of full volume)
before adjusting the MixAmp™. You may get an unacceptable
amount of hum and background noise if the television is at or
near full volume, depending on the quality of your TV’s audio,
so try different settings to find the best quality.

P16
Step 2 - Connect Voice Communication
Xbox Live
You can easily mix in voice communication from Xbox Live
and balance it with your game audio. For Xbox 360 users,
connect the 2.5mm-to-2.5mm cable to the back of the 360
controller. Then connect the free end of the 2.5mm cable to
the CONTROLLER port on the front of the MixAmp™. If you
are using the MixAmp™ with the original Xbox, simply use the
original Microsoft Volume Pod along with the supplied ASTRO
Gaming 2.5mm-to-2.5mm cable.
Playstation Network
Start by connecting the included USB-to-USB Mini ‘B’ cable to
an available USB port on the PS3, and attach the other end to
the USB input on the MixAmp™.
In the Playstation 3 Cross Media Bar (XMB), navigate to
Settings > Accessory Settings > Audio Device Settings,
and make sure that the ‘ASTRO Gaming USB MixAmp’ is
recognized and selected for both the microphone input and
output.
You’ll also be able to set your voice level in this menu screen.
Set the level so that the bar graph on the top just hits the
red when you speak loudly. You can hear how you’ll sound
to others if you go back to the Accessory Settings menu and
enter the Voice Changer.
Console SEtup - tv

P17console setup - tv
Once you are connected, incoming voice from the PS3 can
now be balanced with game audio by using the BALANCE
control on the MixAmp™.
Step 3 - Connect an External Audio Source (optional)
With the MixAmp™, you can mix an additional external audio
source (like an mp3 player) into your games. Use an optional
3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable to go from the headphone output of
your player to the MP3 input on the back of the MixAmp™.
This enables you to instantly inject your own soundtrack - and
keeps your mp3 player within arm’s reach for easy adjustment.
Be creative! The mp3 input isn’t just for music players -- you
can connect any device that would normally output to a
standard set of headphones by using this port. Some of our
customers have attached baby monitors, used the MixAmp™
as a portable electric guitar amplifier, and connected to timer
devices in tournament settings. Imagination is your only
limitation.
Important: The MP3 input is NOT connected to the balance
function on the MixAmp™. You’ll need to use the volume
control on the player itself in order to find the right balance
of music to game sound. Also, if you are connected to other
MixAmps™ in Daisy-chain configuration, don’t worry about
bothering your teammates with your music - they can’t hear
it.adjustment.
Important: The MP3 input is NOT connected to the balance
function on the MixAmp™. You’ll need to use the volume
control on the player itself in order to find the right balance
of music to game sound. Also, if you are connected to other
MixAmps™ in Daisy-chain configuration, don’t worry about
bothering your teammates with your music - they can’t hear it.

P18
Step 1 - Connect the Main (Game) Audio
The MixAmp™ will give any connected equipment the benefits
of Dolby Surround and high-quality amplification. There are
many different ways to connect the MixAmp - in this section
we’ll tell you how to connect it using your home theater as
the hub of your A/V system. In other words, you only use your
television as a “monitor” - if you don’t, then skip back to the
previous section. We’ll also list the connections you should
use, in the preferred order of quality.
Xbox
USBUSB
CONSOLE setup - Home Theater
Connecting the MixAmp™ to a Gaming
Console - Using a Home Theater
Receiver as your A/V Hub

P19
Playstation 3
A) Coaxial Digital - (cable not included) Connecting to the
MixAmp’s rear COAX input: this type of connector is very
durable and long runs are reasonably inexpensive. However,
most gaming consoles use optical (Toslink) connection ports.
If you wish to use a coaxial digital cable with your MixAmp™,
you’ll first need to connect your console to a home theater
receiver that has an optical cable. From there, you can use a
coaxial cable from the RECORD OUTPUT of the receiver. Be
sure to enable the record function of your receiver (read your
receiver’s instruction manual to learn how to do this).
B) Toslink Optical Digital - (cable not included) Connecting
to the MixAmp’s rear OPTICAL input: the Xbox 360, Sony
Playstation 3, and Playstation 2 come with optical Toslink
outputs for Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, and can be simply
connected this way to your MixAmp’s OPTICAL input.
console setup - Home theater
PS3
PS3
USBUSB

P20
The original Xbox requires an add-on box like the Microsoft
Xbox High Definition A/V Pack, and some Xbox 360 models
require the Microsoft HDMI A/V Cable kit. The Nintendo Wii
and GameCube output only via analog signals, but both
support Dolby Pro Logic II through the included analog cables.
The best method is to connect the MixAmp™ to your home
receiver’s RECORD OUTPUT with an optical cable. This is the
way to go if you have multiple consoles connected to your
system - your receiver will automatically send audio from the
selected source out to the MixAmp™.
Important: make sure to select ‘Dolby Digital 5.1’ in your audio
preferences inside your console setup/options section. If you
have PCM 2.0 selected, for example, you will NOT get the
benefit of Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
C) RCA Analog - Connecting to the MixAmp’s rear LEFT/
RIGHT inputs: use this connection if you don’t yet have a
digital cable. The MixAmp™ supports Dolby Pro Logic II
(and its variants), giving you full surround sound even with
an analog connection. Use the supplied 4m RCA-to-RCA
Piggyback Cable to connect directly to the RCA output on
your home theater receiver. Alternatively, you may also use
the ‘Piggyback’ feature to intercept audio from between your
console and your receiver if you don’t have an open output.
As described in the digital sections above, it is best to connect
to your home theater receiver’s RECORD OUT - this way the
MixAmp™ will receive an audio signal from whatever source
you have selected.
Important: If you don’t have a RECORD OUT on your home
theater receiver, simply connect the RCA-to-RCA Piggyback
cable in-between your console and where it is plugged in to
the receiver. This is a “line-level” signal (full volume) and you
will only need to adjust the volume of the MixAmp™ to achieve
full volume control.
CONSOLE setup - Home Theater