How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-18 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• weishan A40 — biggest strength: It's a purpose-built 6.6 ft braided nylon replacement cable with a 5-pole to 4-pole 3.5mm design and an inline mic mute switch, made specifically for Astro A10 / A40 / A40 TR headsets.
• weishan A40 — biggest trade-off: It's a cable only. It produces no sound on its own; if your headset isn't an Astro A10/A40 or a device with a matching 3.5mm jack, it does nothing for you.
• keephifi KZ Taurus — biggest strength: A horizontal dual dynamic driver (8mm) in-ear monitor with a 20 Hz–40,000 Hz range, 36 ohm impedance, and a dual-mic array for clear voice pickup.
• keephifi KZ Taurus — biggest trade-off: It's an in-ear monitor, not a headset cable, and its sound-isolation design means you're sealed off from your surroundings — not ideal if you need to hear ambient noise.
• Pick weishan A40 if you already own (or are keeping) an Astro A10/A40 and need the cable, mute control, or a durable replacement.
• Pick keephifi KZ Taurus if you want the earphones themselves — for gaming, music, monitoring, or calls — and don't already own a compatible Astro headset.
The weishan A40 is a single-purpose accessory, and it's honest about that. This is a 2-meter (6.6 ft) detachable audio cable built for Astro A10, A40, and A40 TR gaming headsets. One end is a 3.5mm 5-pole (TRRRS) male plug; the other is a 3.5mm 4-pole (TRRS) male plug. That 5-pole end is the part that matters — it's what mates with the Astro headset's own connector, which is why a generic aux cable usually won't do the job.
What it does best is restore function. If your original Astro cable has frayed, developed a intermittent channel, or lost its mute control, this replaces it without you buying a whole new headset. The inline mic mute switch is the standout feature: you can kill your mic mid-game or mid-call without digging through software settings. For anyone who's ever frantically muted in a Discord call, that's a genuinely nice thing to have on the wire.
The build is where weishan put its effort. Braided nylon over copper wire, gold-plated tips, and a 3.5mm wire diameter. The gold plating is there to keep the connection clean and the signal transparent rather than coloring the sound. It also carries a 1-year replacement warranty, which is a reasonable signal of confidence for a cable at this tier.
Who should skip it: anyone who doesn't own a compatible Astro headset, and anyone who actually wants earphones. This is a cable. It makes no sound by itself. If you're shopping for audio gear, you're in the wrong product.
keephifi KZ Taurus: Who It's For
The keephifi KZ Taurus is the opposite kind of product: it's the audio device itself. These are wired in-ear monitor earbuds built around a horizontal dual dynamic driver layout, with an 8mm driver size, a frequency range of 20 Hz to 40,000 Hz, 36 ohm impedance, and 105 dB sensitivity. That impedance and sensitivity combo means they're easy to drive — a phone, a laptop, or a controller jack can push them without a dedicated amp.
The sound signature, based on the design, leans toward punchy low-end with crisp, extended highs. The horizontal dual-driver arrangement is aimed at sound localization, which is exactly what you want in competitive gaming: footsteps, reloads, and directional audio are the whole point. The bass is described as tight rather than boomy, so it adds impact to explosions and soundtracks without smearing the mids where dialogue lives.
The mic setup is the other headline. Instead of a boom arm, the Taurus puts a high-sensitivity (-26 dB) capacitive mic on both sides. In practice that means your voice gets picked up reliably from either side with less distortion — useful for squad callouts, virtual meetings, and phone calls. There's also a push-button control and sound-isolation noise control, so you can mute or manage audio without touching your device.
Who should buy it: gamers who want directional audio and a built-in mic without a bulky headset, musicians and singers who need a budget-friendly monitor, and anyone who wants wired in-ears for commuting, the office, or focused listening. Who should skip it: people who dislike the sealed-in feeling of IEMs, or who need to stay aware of their surroundings — the sound isolation works against you there.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for replacing a broken Astro cable → weishan A40. That's literally what it's engineered for.
• Best for actual sound reproduction → keephifi KZ Taurus. The A40 cable doesn't produce audio; the Taurus is the audio.
• Best for inline mic mute convenience → weishan A40. A physical mute switch right on the wire, no software needed.
• Best for clear voice pickup in calls and games → keephifi KZ Taurus. The dual-sided -26 dB mic array is designed for exactly this.
• Best for directional game audio and sound localization → keephifi KZ Taurus. The horizontal dual-driver layout targets positional cues.
• Best for long-session comfort → keephifi KZ Taurus. 30 g, compact shell, ear-hook stability, and an ergonomic fit built for marathon wear.
• Best for durability of the wire itself → weishan A40. Braided nylon, gold-plated tips, and a 1-year replacement warranty.
• Best for portability and travel → keephifi KZ Taurus. It's a self-contained, tangle-free in-ear set you can pocket; the A40 is only useful if you're also carrying a compatible headset.
• Best for an existing Astro A10/A40 owner who just needs a spare → weishan A40. No reason to buy new earphones if your headset is fine and only the cable failed.
My Verdict
They do different jobs. The weishan A40 is a cable for Astro headsets; it doesn't produce sound on its own. The keephifi KZ Taurus is a full in-ear monitor with a dual-driver setup tuned for sound localization, so it's the one that actually affects your game audio.
No. It's designed for Astro A10, A40, and A40 TR headsets because of its 5-pole (TRRRS) connector. The other end is a standard 3.5mm (TRRS) plug that fits PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox X/S, PC, phones, tablets, laptops, and more — but the 5-pole end needs a compatible Astro headset.
Yes. It has a dual-sided high-sensitivity (-26 dB) capacitive microphone built into both sides, plus a push-button control. That's designed for game chat, calls, and virtual meetings without a separate boom mic.
These serve different purposes, so value depends on what you need. If your Astro headset only needs a new cable, the A40 is the focused fix. If you need earphones, the Taurus is the complete product. Check the current price on Amazon for each before deciding.
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