ASTRO Gaming A50 Wireless Dolby Gaming Headset - Black/Green - Xbox One and PC
Condition: Used - Like New
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Availability:
Only 1 left in stock, order soon!
Arrives
Jul 7 – Jul 13
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Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
Features
- Pro Audio Quality
- Superior Fit & Finish
- Precision Microphone
- 5GHz Wireless Technology
- Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound
- All current ASTRO Gaming products designed for Xbox One will offer continuous compatibility on Xbox: Series X.
Description
Absolute Immersion. We've optimized the new A50 to make it the best fully wireless companion for your next-gen console. Broadcasting in interference- free wireless 5 GHz, you'll experience low latency gameplay in Dolby Headphone Surround Sound. With the ASTRO Command Center software, the A50 allows you to tune every input and output parameter including mic level adjustments and creating your own EQ modes. The new precision boom microphone is voice chat optimized for next-gen consoles and features flip-up mute functionality. The A50 headset is lightweight, easily adjustable, and Mod Kit ready, allowing you to transform your headset by swapping components like a synthetic leather headband and ear cushions for improved noise isolation. And when you're done, the new Base Station makes charging and pairing your headset simpler than ever. A50 Mod Kits are only compatible with the New/Gen 3 Battery Life - Up to 15 Hour Primary SpecificationsMicrophone: 6.0mm uni-directional, voice isolatingEar Coupling: Over-Ear Drivers: 40mm NeodymiumMagnet Wireless: Up to 30ft StandbyBattery Life: ~ 20 monthsWireless Frequency: 2.4GHzBattery Type - Lithium Polymer, single cell ÂÂTechnical SpecificationsTransducer Principle: Open Air FrequencyResponse: 20Hz - 20,000HzCharacteristic SPL: 118dB @1kHz
Specs & Other Info
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Connectivity Technology | Wi-Fi |
| Key Features | Integrated Microphone |
| Included in the Box | A50 Wireless Headset (Black/Blue), 1.0m Optical Cable, ASTRO Wireless 5 GHz Base Station Transmitter/Charging Stand, 1.0m Micro USB Cable |
| Intended Demographic | Adults |
| Construction Material | Synthetic Leather |
| Designed For | Gaming |
| Sound Isolation | Yes |
| Ear Placement | Over Ear |
| Suggested Use | Gaming |
| Theme | Gaming |
| Control Type | Call Management |
| Cable Features | No Cable, Extendable |
| Weight | 3.7 Pounds |
| Audio Frequency Response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz |
| Package Style | Standard |
| Quantity | Single Unit |
| Design | Xbox One Compatible |
| Contents | One item |
| Battery Duration | Up to 15 Hours |
| Actively Cancels Noise | Yes |
| Self-Adjusting Headband | Yes |
| Voice Prompt Feature | Yes |
| Reduces Wind Disturbance | Yes |
| Headband Adjustability | Yes |
| Launch Date | October 21, 2016 |
| Product Size | 8.82 x 5.71 x 11.3 inches; 3.7 Pounds |
| Category | Gaming Accessory |
| Model Number | 939-001517 |
| Manufacturing Status | Currently Produced |
| Manufacturer | ASTRO Gaming |
| Power Source | 1 Lithium Polymer Battery Required |
| Initial Release Date | June 10, 2016 |
Frequently asked questions
Yes, while the ASTRO A50 is primarily designed for Xbox One and PC, it can also be used with other devices that have a compatible optical or USB connection. However, for full functionality including game voice balance, it's best used with the Xbox One or PC.
Yes, the ASTRO A50 supports Dolby audio, providing an immersive audio experience with Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound. For Dolby Atmos, it may require additional setup or subscriptions.
The battery life of the ASTRO A50 lasts up to 15 hours on a single charge. The battery is not user-replaceable, but it is designed to last for several years with normal usage.
No, the microphone on the ASTRO A50 is not detachable. However, it can be flipped up to mute when not in use, providing a convenient way to manage voice communication.
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🚀 Abunda's Overview
This is our summary and key points to consider based on customer reviews.
The Astro A50 headset has been lauded for its superior sound quality, effective noise cancellation, and comfortable fit, making it a hit among gaming enthusiasts. Users have highlighted the need for firmware updates through Astro's Command Center software to enhance microphone performance. Its versatility is well-appreciated, working seamlessly both with Xbox and PC, along with customizable settings for an improved gaming experience. Despite its steep price point, avid gamers find it a worthy investment for its durability, battery life, and the significant upgrade it brings to gaming audio.
Pros
- 🎧 Superior sound quality with customizable settings
- 🔇 Excellent noise cancellation feature
- 🎮 Works seamlessly with both Xbox and PC
- 🔋 Impressive battery life with detailed indicators
- 👂 Comfortable fit for long gaming sessions, even for those with larger ears
Cons
- 💸 High price point
- âš™ Requires firmware update and software installation for optimal use
- 🎙 Mic picks up background noise like a fan, despite noise cancellation claims
Should I Buy It?
If you're a serious gamer looking for a significant upgrade in audio quality, comfort, and usability, the Astro A50 headset is worth considering. While it comes with a high price tag, its performance and features justify the cost for those prioritizing gaming experience. However, ensure you're willing to undergo the initial setup process to unlock its full potential.
Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
I was reluctant to buy this headset because of all the negative reviews on nearly every website about the mic. I saw almost nothing but complaints except on one lone Reddit thread where someone explained you simply needed to update the firmware. Using it out of the box on your Xbox may result in a poor quality mic, so download Astro Command Center from astrogaming.com, connect your base station to your PC, flip the switch to PC, plug in the headset, and it will prompt you to update the firmware. There are multiple settings for the mic in Command Center. Here is a link to a YouTube video I found of someone reviewing the Xbox model with recorded examples of the various mic settings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuwJ7aHw0i4 After watching this, I decided on HOME > AIRY. When you change this setting, or any other settings, you MUST click Sync to Device to save these settings in the headset for use on Xbox. I've been testing various mics/headsets on the Xbox lately. I have an old 5.1 A40 model with a mixamp, a newer A40 model with the silver Mixamp M80, the standard Microsoft Xbox headset, a Plantronics headset, and the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 headset. The old mixamp for the 5.1 A40 went bad which caused a lot of mic static. The new A40 model wasn't surround sound, but I never had any complaints about the mic. The standard Microsoft Xbox mic constantly picked up air noise from my ceiling fan (even on low), the Plantronics mic was horrendous, and the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 mic was excellent. I've been searching for a quality surround sound headset for a long time that could be used on both Xbox and PC that had a decent mic. This is absolutely it. Feedback from gamers online indicates the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 mic is ever-so-slightly better than this mic, but they can hear me clearly and perfectly with this mic. The headset does not have a mute button - you have to flip the boom mic almost completely vertical to mute the mic. You can tell it's muted either by the sudden lack of sidetone, or if you disable your sidetone, you can kinda feel the mic slip into place after a bit of resistance flipping it up. The speakers for voice chat (VOIP) sound like dedicated speakers, separate from the speakers for game and other audio. On the PC, this requires Astro Command Center to function (the headset will show up as two different headsets in your Sound settings under Playback Devices - you must set one as the Default and the other as the Default Communications, and you can tell which is which because one icon will have a boom mic). The degree of control between game audio and voice audio is excellent. Game/other audio sounds incredible. It perfectly fulfills what I've been searching for since my original A40 mixamp went bad. The degree of control with the equalizer settings in Command Center is outstanding. You can also export/import your settings/levels with Command Center, including the advanced equalizer for those more knowledgeable with frequency and sound bandwidth. The directional sound is magnificent. A number of other gamers have indicated they can pinpoint the source of noises (footsteps, etc.) with Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos on stereo headsets, but I have never been able to. I don't use Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos with this headset, and I have exacting precision with this now. I work from home and am on the phone through my work computer a majority of the day. There is constantly distracting noise outside, and this headset does a great job blocking out exterior noises. Command Center does require administrator rights to install, so if this is a limitation for you on a work device, be aware. But after using this headset for 8 hours straight for work, then gaming for 3 hours after, I have had zero issues with the battery life or the sound quality diminishing. The Command Center has a battery life indicator, as well as the base station, both when charging and when the headset is in use. The features indicate 15 hour battery life, but even with those 11-hour-straight uses, I have yet to drop below 70%. I am sure, however, this will diminish a bit over time. Additionally, it never became uncomfortable during these long uses. I have larger ears, which was another turnoff to the various other headsets I've owned. The ear cups on this headset are consistent with other Astro models in their generous size and are quite comfortable during even long uses. Other reviews have a few notes about placing the headset in the base to charge, indicating a bit of minor frustration or inconsistency. I've not had any issues with it outside of when I'm in a rush, but I've learned how to quickly seat it properly my first attempt. Hold it by the center of the headband, place the right earpiece in its spot, and gently drop the left earpiece into its spot, and it should seat perfectly every time. The only three cons, which seem minor/inconsequential, are the sidetone vs. mic's noise cancellation and the length of the earpiece extenders from the headband. My room is constantly hot, so I constantly have my ceiling fan on. I have to have sidetone in my headset, otherwise I have a difficult time talking. The mic seems to pick up air from the fan constantly, as I hear 'wind rushing' all the time through my headset's sidetone. HOWEVER, the noise cancellation somehow seems to prevent noise from going through voice chat. I keep Party Overlay activated on my Xbox, and even when hearing this noise through sidetone, my voice-indicator never pops up, and people online have indicated they never hear the noise, either - even when I am speaking. I have a fairly large/tall head, hence my big ears. I have to fully extend the sides of the headset to fit on my head. This has always been the case for the Astro headsets (all models of this style all seem to be the same size). If your ears are fairly low on your head, or if you have a fairly tall head, it is possible this could cause an issue. However, just about any gamer who's used this style headset - even those who say they have larger heads - have always said it fits very comfortably, so the likelihood of this being an issue is incredibly slim. Price. $300. Three hundred smackaroos. Some may feel this is a laughable point to make. For others, this may make this headset feel incredibly inaccessible. For those of the latter mind, if you are someone who takes good care of headsets/electronics and you're looking for a quality surround sound gaming headset, save up for these. It will absolutely be worth it, in my opinion.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2019 by Steven Sizemore
Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
I am becoming convinced that none of the traditional gaming headset vendors can create a decent gaming headset. At least not one for XBOX One and have it be completely wireless (no chat cable). After numerous issues with Turtle Beach's 800x, including an RMA, I have decided to try the ASTRO Gaming A50s now that these are completely wireless. I have read all these great reviews on them, but I have to tell you for $300 these do not feel like they should cost that much. For one. They simply do not work without the USB cable plugged into the headset itself for power. I am guessing the power button simply does not work because moving the power button does not appear to make any difference to the operation of the headset. I can only power them up with a USB cable connected. I am very disappointed in the quality of these out of the box. Once they have power, they sound nice enough. The controls take a little getting used to. You have to change the ratio of the voice chat volume to the game volume, and then you can adjust the volume as a whole. I am not sure yet if this is better than having two volume controls, one for chat and one for game volume. I would also prefer a mute button. I do like that the mic mutes when moving it up, but also like the option of tapping a button. The other buttons take a little getting used to as they are pretty small and on the back of the right ear cup. It will take some getting used to where they are. Finally the charge base seems a little temperamental. It appears to take a little finesse to place it properly to get it to charge. If mine were not defective when opening the box, I would probably give these 4 stars, but receiving a broken unit gives me reason to believe the QA process that Astro uses is not very good. This makes me wonder what other issues may pop up. UPDATE 2/5/2017 I have a replacement set from Astro and they power up and work OK. The mic was pretty mute when talking with my friends through XBOX live. I connected the setup to my PC and and the MIC volume was set to about 75-80%. I punched it to 100%. Now they think I am very loud. I moved the mic farther from my face to account, but will probably turn the mic down a little more in the PC application. Just sort of a pain to take it off my XBOX, move it to the PC and sync the new settings and then move it all back. Sort of trial and error. The headset sounds good enough, and it is relatively comfortable. I am really not liking the only mute option is to move the headset boom all the way (ALL THE WAY) up. If not, all the way, it does not mute. It makes noise when you handle the boom to mute it, which is counter to the point of muting. I am OK with muting with the movement of the mic boom, but it should mute sooner and not be ALL the way vertical. It really should have a quick tap button to mute though. Far more efficient. Also, still not pleased with the way it sits in the stand. Still pretty flaky, requiring a little fussing to get it charging. If you do not need or desire 100% wireless on XBOX One, I would recommend another option. It will save you a ton of money and probably give you much better features to boot. Update 2/27/2017 Operation has been fine for the last few weeks. It still takes some effort to get the headet seated into the base properly to charge it. A little surprised this is how Astro decided to design this headset and they were OK with the charging system. The lack of a proper mute button is really becoming irritating. I hate it when people are sneezing, coughing, or otherwise making unwanted noise into my ear. I do my best to mute my mic to mitigate that with everyone listing to me as well. Not having a proper mute button is really making this difficult. I cannot swing the mic boom all the way to the farthest upright position to engage the mute fast enough to catch a sneeze. I find it odd that this would also be the way they would design this. There is no reason you cannot have two mute options. One with moving the mic boom up, and it should activate at considerably less than 90 degrees, the other being simple tap-able button on the outside of the ear cup. My wired Logitech USB headset had this feature and love it. Use it for conference calls using Skype all the time. What could have made this headset great, is a mute button and a better charging option that did not rely on a flaky seating of the headset in a base station. Seems there was some odd design choices here that really hold these headsets back and make me regret shelling out $300 for a supposedly premium experience. Update 3/22/2017 Two major bugs with this headset 1) The base station seems to 'loose connection' with the console routinely. The best way to work around this is to unplug the USB and plug it back in. Sometimes switching to PC mode and back will fix it but not always. Some forums suggested this is some issue with the XBOX instant on feature, but I have found the headset base looses its connection to the Xbox regardless of the instant on being enabled. 2) The game chat does not work in all games. XBOX Party Chat works fine (as long as you unplug and replug the USB in) but games like Destiny also have game chat, and the headset will not broadcast voice. It does not even detect any noise being transmitted by my MIC, but I can hear others talk. This is also a serious issue. Not everyone uses Party Chat or has issues of their own with Party Chat. So having a headset that does not work in game chat is very limiting. At this point, if I could return this headset I would. If this were a $50-90 dollar headset, I could kind of forgive all the issues and design flaws with this headset, but for $300, the experience should be exceptional and it is not. UPDATE 9/15/2017: Firmware update and fixed the issue with requiring the USB to be unplugged and reconnected every so often for the XBOX to detect the headset, but now it is back and doing it more than ever. It actually takes multiple attempts to disconnect and reconnect the USB now. The issue with game chat not working is still a problem even in Destiny 2. I don't know if this is something specific to Destiny as I don't really play other online games that require or can benefit from voice chat. Worst money I have ever spent, Well, now tied with the crap headset of the Turtle Beach Stealth 800x. I HOPE that the new headset that Turtle Beach is releasing, which uses the native wireless protocol of an xbox controller, may be better, but never again will I buy a wireless gaming headset without trying it out first. I highly recommend you try before you buy or simply look to wired headsets.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2017 by Mako
Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
UPDATE: Dropped to two stars due to the frustrating connection issues with Xbox. UPDATE: Raised it back to four stars because the issue of no mic seems better now (with Xbox 1x) Although I really love these when they work, I have always had issues with the Xbox not fully connecting. In the past, it would only happen once in a while and the fix was just to reset (or switch from PC/Xbox mode) and that always fixed the issue. But after my upgrade to Xbox One X its happening much more often where the Xbox will not recognize that its connected or the mic does not connect. The only fx is to fully restart the Xbox. This is just *unacceptable* for a premium priced product like these. They are fully updated (I checked) but the problem is just getting worse and I cannot figure out any work-around anymore that always makes them connect. I would no longer recommend these until ASTRO (or Microsoft) fix these glitches. This is a shame because they are the best sounding cans for the Xbox when they are working. ORIGINAL REVIEW In the past, wireless has always been a compromise in sound quality and comfort. But things have come a long way in recent years. I like to listen at low volume and there was always a bit of noise when with wireless headphones in the past. But recent high end models are now perfectly silent and make very accurate sound in stereo and impressive virtual surround. The design is simpler (no more wired mic for Xbox One) and with the auto-off feature you don't need to bother with turning them on/off. So, the only buttons you need to use are volume and mic mix. The volume wheel feel very solid. The ability to clearly mix voice and game sounds is really cool. The dock is much better than using a cable for sure. Below are all the details. As long as they keep working well, I will be very happy with the Gen 3 Astros. Sound: Super clear and very accurate. I compared them a/b to listening to my home audio high quality speakers and they were amazingly close. I am not a bass head and I prefer speakers that are a bit warm and not bright and these seem to fit that perfectly. They are accurate without being bright or harsh on the ears (though I did have to tone down the EQ settings). I am sure the bass is not as good as many audiophile headphones but to me, they compare very well to many $100 high quality headphones. Sound is personal but I really like the sound of these. I also like how its very easy to turn on/off Dolby Surround. At certain times, the Dolby surround is a bit "too much" and just seems to add echo and reverb. But most of the time, I really like the effect and it adds a decent amount of depth and better front/back signature into the sound and you "feel" more like you are in a 3D space. Hardware: Overall, I give it high marks. The hinges and movable pads feel very solid and seem like they should last. The mic also feels solid and you can move it closer to you mouth if you want higher mic output but you don't need to. After the update and a few tests I think the mic sound pretty good in game (at least that is what I am told). The only issues I have encountered are that the voice chat (in Xbox live) appears to "cut out" from time to time during games. Its not that often and it seems to only happen when playing games after a while. When in party chat alone, it almost never happened. This makes me think its a problem with the network channel and not the hardware. But its still disappointing when it happens. The range is decent out in front but pretty touch and go after 20 feet. Which is fine but don't expect to walk around rooms without it cutting out. Comfort: Very good and I am very picky. I also prefer felt style pads and these are very good. They are lighter and much more comfortable then the TB 800's I tried out with just enough clamping to keep them stable. The only possible issue is if your head is too big. I have a large hat size and these fit me exactly but only when fully extended. Lucky for me! I like that I don't need to adjust them at all since they will just be fully open. But I would think that if you have a large hat size (greater than 24 I think) they may not fit. Value: I find it hard to accept that these headphones are more expensive than the Xbox One! That is a bit of a bummer. The headphones are easily worth 100$ and the wireless doc and tech adding another $100 seems fair. But at full price it a bit much to swallow. My hope is, they will last me years and end up being worth it and still work well when the Scorpio comes out next year. If they last, they are probably worth it because of the great feeling of not being tethered when using headphones. If you use headphones often, and wait for a sale, I think you will get a lot out of these. Setup: Pretty good but I wish they had an iPhone/iPad app for changing the settings. Its a bit of a pain connecting it to the PC just to test out a few setting changes. Also, be sure to do the connect to the PC and make the recommended firmware updates. I think some mic issues are fixed with the updates.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2016 by D. Frost
Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
This is my second pair of Astro A50's. My first pair I bought back around 2013 and lasted me until about 2017 when I got an Xbox One. After receiving the newer version of the A50's I am blown away by the improvements made. Wireless - Having a truly wireless headset is incredible. My old A50's required a cable in order to get voice chat, but with advancing technology the truly wireless headset is incredibly versatile. The range is about 20-30 feet from what I get in my house which isnt the greatest but it gets the job done. I can still throw down my controller and run to the kitchen fine without a problem. Comfort - I have never worn a headset that has this amount of comfort. Although the headset may look bulky, you would not be able to guess when it is on your head. The soft cushion of the ear cups allows me to game 8+ hours with no problems. The ear cups also rotate down if you do want to take off the headset and keep it around your neck which is a nice feature as well that proves to be useful more than I thought. Sound Quality - Incredible. With 3 different sound settings, and the ability to customize them however you want, you have the ability to cater this headset to whatever type of game you would like. I use the 3 preset settings for Music, Single Player Games, and Try Hard Shooters so I can better hear footsteps and small sounds. Look/Build Quality - Top notch. This headset feels and looks like it was built to last. I honestly do not take care of these as well as I should, but they have not shown any sign of damage yet. I have fallen asleep with these on too many times to count and wound up with them crammed between my bed and the wall and there is no bends or cracks in them. The charging dock is a great way to display these beauties as well. Overall - I highly recommend springing for this headset despite the steep price tag. Everything about this headset screams high quality and you will not regret reaching for the best gaming headset around.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2018 by Lindsy
Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
So I did a lot of research before purchasing new headphones. All the gaming review indicated that these headphones were the best for the xbox. The Amazon reviews disnt necisaraly reflect that. I read almost all of them. Since this pair of headphones is soooo expensive I took all reviews seriously. So far I'm glad I did. The Dolby digital surround sound is undescrivable. The best I can do is say that all my other headphones I have had in the past is simply noise compared to these. I have had none of the issues that got the astro A50 ists bad reviews. They are built rugged but are very lite. I love the noise cancelling feature of the microphone.. I also love that they have an app that you can set up and personalize your listening experience. I was looking for a wireless pare and this one fits the bill. It has the flip up mic to turn off which is convient as well as all controls behind the right ear which makes changing your settings on the fly easy. The only two things so far that I can critisise Astro A50 about is the cost which is quiet substantial. At 299 it is alot to swallow. I happened to buy them with part my money and a gift card so it didnt seem so bad at 300 dollars I dont know if I could pull the trigger. But honestly I would say they are worth it if you are serious about your gaming experience. The other thing is the set up. There aren't very good directions included with the headphones despite it saying charge your headphones completely before first use. It takes awhile to first charge. But once charged they last forever. You also need to download the control station on your PC and updated any firmware that is needed and customize your headset. None of this is stated in any instructions in the box. It can be found on Astos website, but I think they should do a better job of making it user friendly. I guess they assume that if you are buying 300 dollar headsets that you have experience using and setting up headsets such as this. Over all the set up isnt horrible. It just takes awhile. If I would give it a grade I would give it an A+. Truely all other headsets are just noise. I would agree with the gaming review these are by far the best set for the xbox one. Maybe not the best set for the money but most certainly the best set you can buy.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2019 by Steve Fleck
Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
I would argue that this is a great SOUNDING headset, but it has a couple of critical flaws that keep it from being an overall great headset. Pros- - Audio Quality - Astro is well known for making some of the best sounding headsets out there. This one is no exception. The quality of the audio produced is unmatched on Xbox, and I'm hard pressed to find a better gaming specific headset on PC. - Battery Life - I find that the 15 hour manufacturer estimation is fairly accurate. I play at higher volumes for long sessions with friends and it seemed to last most of the New Year's weekend before needing a charge. - Build Quality - Seems solid, even though it's mostly plastic. Will update if something happens to it. - Pairing with console - Super easy on this part. All I had to do was plug the optical and USB cables into the Xbox and it designated the headset to my profile automatically. After this I just had to go into Xbox audio settings and set it to output to the headset using Optical/Dolby and I was good to go on that front. Cons- - Microphone Quality (This had me ready to return the thing before I had the fix) - It could best be described as mediocre. I previously owned a set of A40s for the Xbox One and they had a fantastic Mic. This set does not share that quality. The moment I got on Xbox party chat with some friends, they asked me if my mic was broken, not knowing I had purchased a brand new headset. After discovering that this has been an issue for multiple people, I contacted Astro support for a solution and they advised that I have the mic positioned ridiculously close to my mouth and have the sensitivity virtually maximized, alongside some rather specific settings in the "Astro Command Center" application on PC only (more on that in a minute). That fixed my issue for the most part, but my friends still indicated the Mic sounds worse than others, to include the one you can get from Microsoft for cheap but I could be easily understood. So if you depend on High Mic quality, skip this headset and go for the A40. - Disconnections - The Headset has a habit of randomly destabilizing or losing connections at times. Not sure if that's because I'm in an apartment building, but I really wish there was an option to hardwire the headset to the console permanently so that I can play without the interference (the headset has a Micro USB input, not sure what it's for). - Configuration - You HAVE to use the Astro Command Center application on PC/Mac to change the audio profile or mic profile on the headset. It works well enough and the headset doesn't have to be docked for it to work, but it's a pain to switch all the cables around from Xbox to PC just to change and test the configuration. As a suggestion to Astro - PLEASE make an Xbox application that would let people configure the headset there. - Charging - Trying to put the headset on the charger is a pain. It's easy enough to ID which cup goes where due to the contacts, but trying to get them to actually make contact and SUSTAIN contact can be a pain, and it has resulted at least twice in me putting the headset on the charger after a session and it only charges for a few seconds without me knowing it stopped, resulting in a dead headset when I go to play later.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2018 by Brian Walen
Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
Great headset with great quality, adjustments are smooth and hold firm to the position, muffs are comfortable and allows ears to breath so they dont get sweaty, is lighter than expected and doesnt cause strain on head or neck. Voice-chat adjustment is easy and allows for good balance between the two. No matter which you want to hear more. Battery lasts about 36 hours stright, only downside I've had is a few very minor things that dont affect a session on purchase unless your super picky. 1st off is the charger is sorta finicky. It is sometimes difficult to hit that one spot just right to get it to charge, but once you figured it out it becomes second nature. 2nd off is that is the mic isnt very close to your mouth then you come off as quiet to your party members, with a few days of playing with mic monitoring adjustment for yourself and possible you party members then your fine after that and giving crisp and clear speach into the mic. 3rd and final problem which is a little worse than the other and is sorta upsetting. Occasionally but not often the mic cuts in and out allot at one time via the headset disconnecting and reconnecting you off and on which results in you getting static sound that's in and out and same with voice output. It happens very rarely. I am unsure the cause of this, but I think it has to do with battery life, the lower the more possible. All in all tho this is a great headset and I recommend if willing to spend the money or even getting as a present I would be ecstatic.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2019 by Tyrell
Platform For Display: Xbox One + PC
Edition: Headset
Let me start off by saying that I'm a big astro fan. I've been using astros for about 6 years now and never looked back. I bought the new generation 3 a50s last week and so far my entire experience with them has been terrible. Out of the box they look great. They feel good, they're comfortable and I had high hopes. However, the setup process was not particularly straightforward. There are some audio setting you need to mess with on your xbox and even then the mic would some times just not work. Pairing the headset to the dock is simple enough, but I found that sometimes I'd power them on and my mic just wouldn't register at all in party chat. Only a full power cycle of the xbox and headset would resolve the issue. Then comes the real problem. The random disconnects of the headset are absolutely unacceptable in a headset at this price range. My headset will constantly lose connection and I can see it disconnecting on the dock as well (when the headset is on the dock has battery info displayed on the front). This happens seemingly at random and nothing I have done has seemed to fix it. I tried repairing it to the dock. I updated the firmware to the latest version. I made sure that the headset had plenty of juice. My router is nowhere near the dock or where I'm sitting and I live in a pretty big house so I'm not anywhere near the kitchen either. I tried multiple optical audio cables (including the one I used with my previous astro headset) and nothing helped. I also tried contacting astro, but that proved to not be very helpful. I wrote a rather detailed email about the various steps I was taking. I watched their YouTube videos on how to set it up and double checked all the wiring. I even called astro but apparently you can't speak to the tech support guys on the phone. The guy I did speak with was nice and tried running through a couple troubleshooting steps with me. He said it would help speed things along and that he would add some notes to my account so we can skip to some more advanced trouble shooting methods. However, when I received my email from the tech support guys, all they did was ask me to do the exact same stuff I already told them I did (via the email and on the phone with the guy) and offered no real solutions to my problem. I think I forgot to mention I also have that weird robot voice issue that many other people were complaining about. At this point I'm most likely just going to say forget it and return these. I hate that this is necessary because I really wanted to like them, but I don't see much of a choice here since astro really dropped the ball on this one. Just one more note, the sound quality while they're working is pretty great. The fact that you can enable and disable the dolby surround is nice too. If only they stayed connected I might have just dealt with the crappy mic sound.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2016 by Alek D