Gamer Headphone Review: Astro A50 4th Gen
What happens when you are aware of something you didn't know before? Follow me on this: you love dogs, then you're bitten by one out of nowhere. That's it; for the rest of your life, you will have a suspicion of dogs. No matter how friendly a new or familiar dog seems, the possibility of a dog snapping never disappears. That happened when I received my first pair of quality headphones in January 2021. My girlfriend gifted me a Sennheiser 599 HDs for my 30th birthday. If you want to hear about how life-changing those headphones were for me, check out the blog post here. I started comparing sounds. I checked the quality between older headphones, earbuds, sound bars, and TV speakers at every opportunity. I was curious and couldn't stop comparing. Then I made a terrible mistake. I plugged my Sennheiser's into my Xbox series x, and it was over. I couldn't go back to my chorded cheap over-the-ear headphones. I remember how clean and clear the background sounds and crisp highs became. I needed quality gaming headphones, which is how I began my love-hate relationship down the road of headphone collecting. My next purchase… the Astro Gaming A50 base station 4th gen. Over a year later, I'm happy it's what I went with.
My Must-Haves
As previously mentioned, I had to upgrade after knowing the sound quality I was missing out on. I was finishing grad school, living alone, and one of my only hobbies outside of saxophone was playing my new x Xbox series x. So, why go from wired to wireless? The fact of the matter was I use my Xbox for more than just gaming. I use it to stream and watch TV and listen to music. I already preferred listening to Netflix using my Sennheiser's compared to my LG Soundbar, but did I really want a wire hanging down my neck while relaxing on the couch watching TV? So, I had two musts, a sound quality comparable to my HD 599's and wireless ability. Luckily this led me down a narrow path, given my budget and wants.
The Compromise
The A50 was where I set my sites. A wireless headset under $300 with a decent microphone, wireless functionality, and sound quality comparable to my HD 599's but designed for the Xbox. Where was the compromise? They use a docking station that needs to be plugged into the Xbox and isn't easily movable. The docking station has a switch that you use to plug into a PC or Xbox but cannot be used with a Play Station or connect to phones and tablets. If you want the A50 for your Play Station, you need to purchase that model. You also need the app downloaded onto your Xbox or pc to be able to sync the headphones to your device. They are big headphones. They take up space on your TV stand while they charge standing up and are always in view, so if you aren't using them regularly, they will collect dust while charging. I should also mention there is a significant bleed. So gaming with the volume up with someone else in the room could be problematic.
Added Benefits
The A50's come with Dolby Digital sound, an added perk for gaming since it gives you a spatial awareness designed for deeper emersion (think being able to identify someone walking behind you on your left side). The plush over-the-ear cups isolate you from your surroundings, submersing you in the game. They also come with three different EQ presets that you can change based on your use. As much as I like a neutral sound, my experience using the EQs for gaming and video streaming gave me a warm, balanced sound that I could appreciate. The app can be used to customize your eq presets if you have that interest, and you can also use others presets that get as specific as presets for particular games. It is tedious since you must have the headphones docked to update the settings. Without falling down a rabbit hole that could bore many, you can find countless online resources on recommendations for presets in Reddit forums or The Zeference, which has numerous personalized game presets. The mic is of excellent quality. Much of my gaming involved team-based communication, and I have never heard anyone complain about echoes, feedback, bleeding, or distortion. Streamers often use these headphones because of the great microphone.
The Fit
These are large headphones. They are sleek black with a tight grip on the ears. Notches lock the headband height into place. They include a long flexible mic with a bit of give to curve near your face. The velour earcups are soft, cushioned, and durable (and replaceable). After over a year and one hundred plus hours of use, I find them comfortable. The ear cups also offer decent sound dampening but are not soundproof but definitely drown out the surrounding noise. Only a few buttons on the right side to navigate with. You have a button for presets, activation of Dolby Atmos, on and off, and a volume nob. They aren't the most unique-looking gaming headset, but they feel great when used for a few hours. These things are heavy, coming in at 13.4 ounces. After about two and a half hours of gameplay, I find a noticeable pressing sensation on the top of my head. While I'm not exactly in pain, it becomes slightly discomforting over time, and I need to take it off or readjust it to rest in a somewhat different, less desirable position.
Wireless functionality
Overall the latency is negligible, with no in-game delay chat, streaming videos, or gameplay. Occasionally a mild static interference but nothing that I find terribly annoying. Taking about 4 hours to charge; I get around 12 hours with Dolby and mic going. They charge, resting on magnetic charging pins on the docking station. They don't always seal well enough to charge, but when placed correctly, you see a battery charging indicator on the dock. They turn off when lifted off your ear or put on their side, so if you have to run out of the house, they won't drain down just sitting on the couch. For the first four months, I had to unplug or fuss with my Xbox every few weeks to get them to connect. Turning on the Xbox with my controller before lifting the headphones off the dock avoided the connectivity issue. I am unsure if there was a software update, but in the last five months, I have had very few problems with the headphones syncing to my Xbox.
In Conclusion
These headphones are solid but not cheap. They give me high-quality sound, rare blue tooth issues, and the ability to change the audio experience if needed. The Dolby Digital sound has become something I can't live without when gaming. My only caveat is functionality. These wireless headphones feel chained to my Xbox ecosystem. It isn't the most accessible pair of headphones to sync to a computer, my model isn't Play Station compatible, and due to the dock, you can't go for a walk around the block with these wireless headphones. So don't expect to bring these gorgeous-sounding headphones on your commute to work or while on an airplane. With this in mind, they are a great wireless gaming headset. What do you think of your pair? Let me know if the comments below.
