AceZone A-Spire Wireless | Massively Underrated
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Quick Summary
The AceZone A-Spire Wireless is a high-end but very underrated gaming headset. It has detailed headphone audio, ANC, a noise canceling mic, and it’s very comfortable.
This originally launched for $370, but that steep price combined with a lack of brand recognition is what’s held this gem back.
Connectivity and Battery Life
The A-Spire is compatible with PC, PS5, Switch, and phones. It can be used wired with the included 3.5 mm cable, wired with the USB-C to USB-A cable, wireless with the 2.4 GHz dongle, or Bluetooth 5.4.
This does not have simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless audio. However, you can use the phone app to adjust the EQ and other settings via Bluetooth while the device is being used with the dongle.
The battery gets up to 35 hours. After 1 week of no charge, this typically has about 70% battery still left for me.
Headphone Audio Quality
Headphone measurements done with my miniDSP EARS (not industry standard).
The A-Spire has a very similar sound signature to the HyperX Cloud III out the box. The sub-bass is very weak and there’s a deliberate boost in the 6-10 kHz range. This results in unnaturally high pitched footsteps and a lack of warmth and body.
For FPS gaming only, this is still good because it helps with positional audio. For more immersive experiences like single player games or movies, this just gets jarring. The soundstage is narrow like most closed back devices.
Halo Infinite with the A-Spire.
Fortunately, unlike the Cloud III, the actual drivers are very receptive to equalization. You’ll never get the bass of the Astro A50 Gen 5, but this is capable of way more that the shrill sound you get out the box.
Active Noise Cancellation
The ANC in this headset is not very strong. It can quiet down subtle noises like fans and cars outside, but it can’t eliminate them. Anything louder is a lost cause.
Interestingly, like the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro, having the ANC on improved the bass performance for me.
Microphone Audio Quality
The microphone is flip up to mute and there’s a small clip on the headset to lock it in place when it’s not in use.
The background noise cancellation is the main selling point of this mic. It does a decent job minimizing keyboard typing , and it even works in windy outdoors conditions with cars rushing by. However, it’s not as amazing as AceZone claims on the box. Ambience is still picked up - it’s just quieted down.
The tonality is nasally, but it’s overall an above average microphone.
98%? Not even close.
Comfort and Build Quality
The A-Spire ticks almost all the boxes when it comes to comfort and build. It has very soft pleather ear cushions with memory foam the rivals the HyperX Cloud II. It has adjustable height and swivel in and out.
The carrying case is excellent for transporting and protecting the headset. This device weighed in at 287 grams on my scale. For reference, the HyperX Cloud III S Wireless is 347 grams with the mic.
The only weaknesses with the build are there’s no metal and the mic doesn’t retract or detach. Otherwise, this is one of the lightest and most comfortable wireless gaming headsets out.
Software
The software does a lot right and a lot wrong. As for what it does right, you can make custom EQ presets or select from one of the many included ones. Other settings like sidetone are available here too.
Settings adjusted in the app save to the headset itself, so you can have the same EQ on PS5, PC, and Bluetooth. Alternatively, you can switch to different ones on the fly depending on the situation.
As for the bad… first off, the headset is fully reliant on the app for EQ changes. You can’t just toggle between several using the device itself. Piggybacking on that, the software can be quite buggy and getting the firmware to update is a toss up. It took me over an hour of trying and failing to finally update mine the first time.
Also, unless you update to the latest firmware every single time there’s a new release, the app is useless. As in, it will refuse to control the headset at all.
Verdict
The AceZone A-Spire is outstanding for FPS games. Unfortunately, the launch price of $370 is simply unjustifiable. Even I got it for $270 at a discount which still far too high for what this does.
If money is no object, but you’re not interested in the Audeze Maxwell, these are worth considering for competitive shooters. Otherwise, look into the HyperX Cloud III S Wireless or the Astro A50 Gen 5 if you’re into more bass.
