Astro Gaming - ASTRO A50 + Base Station RF Wireless Over-the-Ear Headphones for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Mac - 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've owned this headset for a couple weeks now and I love it. First impressions weren't that great- coming from a wired headset, I found these to be a little heavy but I got used to them quickly. I wasn't impressed with the sound to begin with until I downloaded the EQ adjustment software and changed the audio to The ZEFERENCE's recommended EQ settings. This absolutely unleashed this beast of a headset. I play COD Warzone mostly those EQ settings made the game come to life. I haven't noticed any audio lag with them being wireless and haven't lost connection moving through my house to get food or use the bathroom. I also purchased the A50 mod kit(leather ear pieces&top cushion) and amazed at how easy it is to replace the ear cushions if I ever needed to. They are a little expensive but overall a great value for the price, highly recommended(after adjusting the EQ). I've attached a picture of my EQ settings to bring these to life.

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.

----- Summary ----- Pros: - Outstanding audio quality - Comfortable to wear - Durable but also lightweight - 15-hour battery life - Status and mode indicators on the base station - Dependable wireless connectivity - Game and chat audio balance control on the headset - Mic is muted when in the upward position - Customization options in ASTRO Command Center Cons: - Leather headband and cushions sold separately ----- Review ----- Setup: In the box, you will find the A50 Wireless Headset, base station, instructions, micro USB cable, optical cable and a two-year subscription code for Dolby Atmos. Setup was as simple as plugging the USB and optical cable into the base station and Xbox, then checking the audio settings on the Xbox and adjusting them as needed. The setup is similar for PCs, but this review will be primarily focussed on my experience using the headset with an Xbox. Within just a few minutes, the headset and base station were set up and ready to go. I have noticed that something as simple as a product’s unboxing and setup experience significantly impacts first impressions. The ASTRO team clearly knows and capitalizes on that. Design: I am a big fan of this headset’s design. It strikes a great balance between durability and comfort. I have owned several different gaming headsets in the past, and they were either too lightweight and flimsy or too durable and heavy. With the latter, the substantial weight of the headband on the top of my head and the cushions around my ears would cause discomfort, even during short gaming sessions. That is not an issue at all with the ASTRO A50 headset. It is both lightweight and durable. I noticed right away how gaming without discomfort made my experience much more enjoyable. The distance between the headband and the ear cushions can be easily adjusted with the sliders on each side, and that setting does stay in place pretty well, even after moving around or docking the headset on its base. With the optional A50 Mod Kit that ASTRO offers, the cloth headband and ear cushions can be swapped out with synthetic leather ones. My one disappointment with this headset is that those are not included and must be purchased separately. On the right side of the headset are the power switch, Dolby button (to swap between Dolby and source audio), EQ button (to swap between equalizer presets), volume control, and game audio/player voice balance buttons. On the left side of the headset is the microphone, which can be moved up and down as needed. Something cool is that the mic is muted automatically when it is in the upward position. The headset can be charged using a USB port or wirelessly on the base. The back of the base has a switch for PC or Xbox mode, a USB port, optical in/out, AUX and a micro USB port. The front has several lights to signify statuses and modes, such as whether the headset/base is in PC or Xbox mode, the battery status, Dolby status, and EQ mode. I like where everything is located and have found it easy to learn the controls/modes. The ASTRO A50 Wireless Headset looks great and feels great. In terms of design, there is not much more I could ask for. Features & Performance: The top feature and reason to get this ASTRO A50 headset is the audio. With ASTRO Audio V2 and Dolby, the audio quality is top-notch. The bass is powerful but not overwhelming or distorting. The surround sound is directionally accurate, and everything sounds crisp and clear. I have not experienced a headset or home surround sound system that comes close to the audio quality of the ASTRO A50 headset. The icing on the cake is that this headset is wireless. Another aspect of the audio that I have learned to appreciate is the game/voice balancing buttons on the side of the headset that allow you to turn down chat voices easily so that the game sound can be more prominent or vice versa. If you use this headset for Xbox gaming, I highly recommend activating the included subscription to Dolby Atmos so that you are getting everything out of this impressive headset. Not all games support Dolby Atmos spatial sound, but the list of games is growing as new ones come out. With the headset being wireless and producing such high-quality sound, I was a bit fearful that it would have mediocre battery life, but that is far from the case. It has over 15 hours of battery life, so this headset has not even come close to running out of battery during my gaming sessions, especially since I charge it on the base after every use. The dependability of the wireless connection and the range is another feature I believe I should mention. I have not had any connectivity issues since I started using the headset. This even applies when I close the cabinet door to my TV stand, so small barriers do not appear to be an issue. With the ASTRO Command Center Software, numerous settings allow you to fine-tune audio input (e.g. mic level) and output (e.g. EQ profiles). The amount of customization that is available to account for specific needs is impressive, and the software works well for its purpose. ASTRO packed a lot of features and, most importantly, outstanding audio into this A50 headset. Verdict: After having the opportunity to test the ASTRO A50 Wireless Headset, there is no doubt in my mind that a five-star rating is what it deserves. Other headsets are going to have a hard time competing with the appealing design, comfort, numerous features, and outstanding audio quality of this A50 headset. As a longtime gamer, I cannot help but smile and be filled with excitement when I get my hands on a product as great as this. My gaming experience has been taken to another level with this headset, and I hope you have the opportunity to try it for yourself. The A50 headset is an easy top choice and recommendation to fellow gamers.

I started out with the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 and fell in love but we have a high-traffic home and as it is a wired set, the cables soon proved to be too much of a hassle. Enter the Astro. The sound quality is fantastic. Crystal clear, even at unhealthy volume levels and the directional accuracy is superb. I can easily tell where sounds are coming from; to the left, right, above, below, wherever. If it makes noise, you'll find it. I placed my game character in front of a waterfall and looked straight at it. Slowly turning from left to right, the sound was dead on as to which earpiece was projecting and gave a surround sound effect that simply cannot be duplicated with TV speakers or most sound bars. Gone are the days of frantically spinning around to see where enemy fire is originating as the Astro directs you to the commotion with pinpoint accuracy. Some have said that placing the headset in the charger is tricky but the magnetic contact points pull it down to the right spot 90% of the time for me. My only negative comments are that a separate wall charging adapter would have been nice since I power my PS4 down when not in use so having the charging cable plugged into the console does me no good. The plastic microphone feels like it needs a stiffer wire inside as getting it to stay in the right place can be tricky. Its very flexible, which is good so that it doesn't break off but it does take adjusting every once in a while. My biggest dislike is the narrow strip of foam padding under the headband. The headband itself is plenty wide but the foam pad that sits on your head is narrow, like an inch or less. It makes a hot spot right on the peak of your dome. If the pad were as wide as the headband it would double the contact area and distribute the weight better. That being said, I have lots of charging adapters, the microphone is adequate and the headband isn't uncomfortable, just all the weight in one spot so really, I have no major complaints and I love not having the kids or dogs tripping over cords and ripping the headset off. A+ effort Astro! My Turtle Beach set is back in the box.

Awesome headset to use with the PS5, especially if you play FPS. I'd originally bought the Gen 7 Turtle Beach Stealth wireless headset. I went through 3 pairs in 7 days, as I kept having issues, trying to use them with my PS5. After the 3rd pair, I decided to go with the Astro A50. Best decision I could have made. Great headset to use with the PS5. Only issue right now, is that the charging base connects to the PS5. There is currently a SW issue, where the base will not charge, when the PS5 is put into rest mode. I read that there is supposed to be a firmware update, to fix this issue, though it has not been pushed out, to date. So, just know that as of right now, you'll have to leave your PS5 on, to charge the headset.

I’ve been wanting a pair of these A50s for the longest time and after finally getting my hands on them I was not disappointed. The sound quality is great and after having them on for a few minutes I sometimes forget I have the headset on. They’re also super easy to connect with the PS5 - just plug the base in and turn on the headset. I’m glad I finally made the jump!