Astro Gaming - A50 Wireless Dolby Atmos Over-the-Ear Gaming Headset for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC with Base Station - Black

I've always had a soft-spot for Astro gaming gear, especially the headphones. I've owned the A50 in the past, back when it was gen2, I believe. I've also currently have a pair of the A40 TR Editions, which I LOVE. I have those connected to my PC for gaming there. It has been a challenge finding a great pair of headphones for the PS4 because in my experience, most of the headphones have a generally low "overall" volume. Since my last pair of A50's, I've owned at least 4-5 pairs of gaming headphones, all from the top manufacturers. All I'm going to say at this point is that outside of the A40's (wired), the A50's (wireless) are the absolute BEST gaming headphones you can get, currently. Don't get me wrong, there are a few close competitors, especially on the PC front. But for the PS4, the A50's are hands-down the clear winner. As with all Astro products, I love the unboxing experience. Everything is super heavy-duty and packaged so well, you really feel the "premium" of it and that you got what you paid for. Taking everything out, it's so shiny. I was really surprised at how lightweight the actual cans were. And equally impressed with how small (and also lightweight) the footprint was of the base/stand for these. If I had any complaints at just the general, overall "look" of everything, it would be that I wish there were more matte to the design than gloss. But, I can see why the lower half of the base is shiny/glossy - due to all of the LED lights and such that is built into it. So, I can live with that. Setup was dead-on simple, but does have a little bit of REQUIRED reading (more in this in the next paragraph). Regardless of if you plan on using these on PC or PS4, you will first need to ensure they are in "PC Mode", and download the Astro Command Center firmware - which was just updated to support these headphones and was released on Friday, 8/2/2019 (Version 1.0.209 for Windows - there is also a Mac version, too). Once this is done, just plug the included USB cable in, run the Command Center program and you will be prompted to update the base station and the headphones. Just click "Yes" and it will automatically do everything for you. If hooking into a PS4 afterwards, just make sure you switch it back over to PS4 mode prior to hooking up. This review will focus on the PS4 aspect of the headphones, as this is the primary reason why I got them. A40's are perfect for my PC, as the wires are not an issue. PS4, on the other hand, is a different story. I do want to say that if you have a dedicated sound system installed already that your PS4 is hooked into, this headset WILL slightly complicate your setup a bit - but it's WORTH IT. I'm using a Sony HT-Z9F Dolby Atmos soundbar. Simple setup and everything is via HDMI. The base station requires the included optical audio and USB cables to be plugged into the PS4. Once this is done, there are some settings you need to adjust. Please don't let this scare you off - once you do it a few times, it takes no time to make these changes back-and-forth, as you need. Here are the steps to take to set these up, optimally (These were taken from Astro's "Quick Start Guide): 1) From the Dashboard, navigate to 'Settings’ then select ‘Devices' and select ”Audio Devices.” 2) Ensure Input Device is set to USB Headset (Astro A50 Voice) and the Output Device is set to the same. 3) Ensure the Output to Headphones is set to “Chat Audio.” 4) Navigate back to the Settings menu, then select “Sound and Screen.” 5) Navigate to Audio Output Settings, and ensure Primary Output Port is set to Digital Out (Optical) and Audio Format (Priority) is set to Bitstream (Dolby). 6) Change the Input and Output Device to USB Headset (ASTRO Wireless Transmitter). Once this is done, I noticed that audio came from both my headphones AND my soundbar. So, I have to either mute the soundbar or turn it all the way down to 0. However, I have verified with Astro directly that "Chat Audio" is the correct setting. If you use "All Audio", this will render your Game/Voice balance feature useless. Now, you can leave these settings as-is. Docking or turning off your headset will allow audio to output through your receiver/soundbar...but I'm not sure if you will get the correct audio scaling from your receiver without it being set back to HDMI properly (when I do, it switches it back to 7.1 audio). I have one huge PLUS and one huge MINUS regarding the A50's. The PLUS is that they employ a smart auto-on/auto-off feature. So, if you take them off and lay them down, after a few minutes, they will go into standby to preserve battery. Simply pick them up and put them on and you will hear a beep and the headphones power back up. The MINUS is that given the volume is controlled directly by a wheel on the headphones, there is not actual volume level indicator. There's no way of knowing that they are maxed out or not other than scrolling the will and seeing that they are not going any louder (I've experienced this on some game with naturally low-sounding audio). My only other issue is in the length of the USB cable. It pretty much forces you to have your headphones set-up within 3 or so feet of your PS4. So, you may want to invest in a longer USB cable if you plan on displaying these nicely. They also have smart-charging technology built into them, so they will not overcharge if you leave them on the base station for a long period of time. Additionally, while the Xbox version of these are advertised as Dolby Atmos; the PS4 version is not, as the system does not have Atmos capabilities. However, in PC mode, it is Atmos capable. You just do not receive an Atmos code with the PS4 version, like you get on the Xbox version. One final tip that I want to share is with the Game/Voice balance. If you are not using the mic, make sure you press the Game side of the rocker all the way until you hear a beep. This will ensure you are getting the max audio volume from your total volume level. When using the mic, pressing Voice will lower the game volume so you can hear the chat better. There is a chime at the halfway level, then another chime at the full voice level, like there is at the full game level, so you do have an indicator where your balance is. Overall, these are a solid 5 star rating. They are the very best gaming headphones I've ever used on the PS4 and yes, they sound even louder (rivaling my A40's) on the PC. I've never understood why the PS4 has such a naturally "low" volume with headphones, but the A50's completely resolve that! They are beautiful, as well as super comfy (I can't wait to get my mod kit that I pre-ordered!!!) and while they may complicate your setup, it's something I can live with. I have a minor hearing disability and these are one of the few cans I can use and still be wowed and amazed by. Every. Single. Time. Now, my only hope is that when the PS5 comes out (next year?), these will work. Because I really, really want to use these for a very long time. Amazing. If you've made it this far in my review, then I can only say this: Do not hesitate. Add to your cart and buy now. You will not regret it.

Pros: * Very comfortable to wear for long sessions. * Sound great with tons of customization options. * Convenient recharging base station. Cons: * Missing some of the audio feedback that other brands do. My Review: I work from home for a tech company and spend a good portion of my day on Skype calls. While this is advertised as a great gaming headset, it also is awesome for PC use with Skype calls or other video conferencing. The headset is comfortable to wear for long periods of time and the swing-up boom microphone is convenient for going silent during a call - for bathroom breaks or other reasons. There are a ton of audio customization options in the provided Astro Command Center software for Windows/Mac. There are even a few buttons on the headset itself to adjust the Game/Voice balance, the overall volume, the audio source and even the EQ settings. So far, the range has been excellent as has been the battery life. The wireless communication box doubles as a drop-in charger so whenever you’re not wearing the headset, you just drop it on the charger which keeps it topped off for the next use. My only small complaints are a few “niceties” that other brands have such as audio feedback when muting/unmuting the microphone, etc… With this headset, if you rotate the microphone boom up, it mutes the audio, but you get no feedback so you don’t really know if the microphone was muted. With other similar headsets, rotating up the boom mic also mutes it, but the headset either says “Microphone muted” with a voice in the headset to confirm, or at least has a beep to signify that an action happened. Same for unmuting. I tried suggesting to these feature requests to the manufacturer and gave up after 4 attempts of them not reading my request and instead just saying that rotating up the boom mic mutes the audio. Anyway, this is a solid headset for gaming, PC audio calls and even movie and music playback. The battery life is great, the range is more than you’ll probably need, and the drop-in charger is really convenient. I can’t quite give it a perfect 5-star rating but it’s ][ this close.

I usually read other reviews before I post mines just to see if I can relate to any issues or compliments made by other customers. However, not with this item. I am beyond satisfied!!!! If you are a gamer, or are really looking for a great headset for your computer needs, this is it!!!!! The sound quality is the best I’ve experienced yet. I climbed the ladder within the Astro family so I been through them all. These sound like you’re sitting in front of a Bose surround sound system. They are super comfortable and the charging station makes Everything this look clean, fun, and professional. Only this I don’t like is the head set can only charge if you place the Head set properly, meaning there is a left and a right side and it won’t charge if you place it the opposite way, not sure why, but the quality of everything else takes up for that. I know these will last long. I still have my a40’s. I recommend that when you make a purchase, add the protection plan on anything expensive you purchase. BEST BUY has hands down THEE BEST PROTECTION PLANS!! It’s hassle free and super easy if you ever come across a problem. I’m only mentioning their protection plan because yes this is a hefty price, but at least you know your purchase is in good hands should an accident or rare malfunction occur. So far my husband and I have never had an issue with it. If you’re still debating, just give the headset a try. They have a great return policy as well, but I’m sure after using these you won’t want to return.

The headset and everything work well. However, the head piece that clips in is a royal pain to keep attached and with two plastic piece scraping your head each time you move your head.. Otherwise, this is a quality piece. I took off one star due to this irritation. I will say though, if you try to watch TV shows, it has a tendency to make a weird sound fairly frequently and I can’t figure out why. This is a good buy but seriously, for the amount of money spent, you want top-top quality.

About six years ago, I purchased the Astro A40 with the mix amp and absolutely loved them. Then recently, I tried the Turtle Beach Stealth 700s and did not love them. So, I decided to get myself the Astro A50s and love them. They're extremely comfortable, even though after a couple of hours they can get a little heavy on your head. The dock system is amazing and extremely easy when it comes to setting it up. It took me less than 10 minutes to set up the headset. The battery life, ear cups, sound quality are all amazing as well. The mic is quite sensitive (which can be adjusted in the settings in the Astro Command Center, the software for the headsets) although I love that because my Turtle Beach Stealth 700s mic was not as sensitive and did not always pick up my voice. Also, the mic flips up and locks in place to automatically mute the mic which I find to be very easy. I have always been an Astro user and will continue to be after buying these. There are only three cons that aren't too big of an issue for me but are worth mentioning. Cons: - no Bluetooth connectivity - can get heavy on your head over an extensive period of time - if flipping up the mic to mute it bothers you then this would be considered a con Pros: - extremely comfortable earcups and headband - the Dolby speaker quality is incredible and can change easily - the quality of them is worth the price - the setup process is quick and extremely easy - they work with my MacBook pro - the design is sleek

This is by far the BEST headset I have ever used. I’ve owned these A50s for almost 2 years now with zero issues. I replaced the ear cups/head band with the leather kit and it absolutely makes this headset incomparable to anything else on the market. They may be a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. The sound is absolutely INCREDIBLE! The sound has never cut out on me including walking to the kitchen/bathroom/etc while gaming so I can hear when I need to be back. I HIGHLY recommend this headset!! It is THE BEST.

I mean I’ve been told these are the best in the game. And they are , I’ve had Turtle Beaches and even still have a pair Steel Series for the Xbox one. The 200 dollar ones. The only downfall is the lack of Bluetooth, coming from Steel Series and being able to answer phone calls, listen to music, and talk online was an extreme PRO for the Arctic Steel Series. Astro’s will always put a hole in your pocket and it’s only worth it if they live up to their hype. Which they do, the facts I can walk to my car and still talk to my friends in the party chat had me bragging about Astro’s for a week straight. Compared to the Steel Series, huge improvement. Sound quality is spectacular, as well as battery life. I haven’t killed them yet, so I’m unclear on how long it takes to fully charge them though I read it’s very quick. I do have a little dance while trying to put them on the charging dock, it could get tricky honestly. Besides that my ears never hurt after long periods of gaming, plenty of space in the cup. They pick up everything and nothing at the same time. What I mean is if you move your head too fast your mic will pick up the movement. My squad plays search, so when it’s time be quiet and then you hear my dumb self making sound in the background because I’m trying to pick something up you hear all of it. But when I’m speaking it’s in and out. Take your time to adjust the threshold for your mic!! But I would suggest buying if you have the money to invest. If you don’t, go for Steel Series, deal with the fact that you can’t be more than 10 feet away from your Xbox for 200 and you’ll be happy. Oh also, finding a place to put those Astro’s was a pain. The optical chord was extremely short. It basically needs to be right next to the console. I have it behind my tv. Peep pics.

It isn’t leather around the ears so it doesn’t sweat. It’ll stay comfortable for hours without you even feel it’s there. The reason why I got this was mainly because it’s wireless. I like the convenience of being where I want to be and still play and hear my game or music. It’s only one cable from station to console. No cables need to be plugged from headset. If you need to charge while you play you can!