Astro A50
23 reviews
A waste of money sadly – Bought this headset for my son who was super excited to receive it, especially given the hefty price tag. They worked for a while but as soon as they were out of warranty, we have not been able to connect them to the PC or Xbox. Have followed all instructions to try and update the firmware, but the base won't even light up when connected to the PC… Read more
(it will when connected to the Xbox, but the Xbox can't locate it). I have even downloaded the Astro Command Centre on the Xbox to see if I can update the firmware on that but it won't work.
I am so sad that I have spent all this money on a useless pair of headphones which my son can no longer use. Being a single mother, I really don't have the spare cash so just throw it away on something so expensive that doesn't do its job. I assumed buying expensive headphones would ensure they would work for a good amount of time and not need to be replaced.
Great sound, some annoying stuff – I listed to a lot of music and occasionally watch movies, as well as game. I tried multiple headsets and this is the only one that had a solid amount of bass. They're very decent for audio quality. The battery life is also quite impressive, given that they're constantly working during the day and on occasion I don't put them on the base correctly… Read more
and they'll still last the following day.
That said, every now and then they lose sync and I have to mess around to make them work. Any time there's a firmware update, I avoid it, because half the time it'll crash or simply not start. Whatever these creases are, the company needs to iron them out if they expect people to pay $450-550 for them.
One other thing I will say, I had issues with my first pair and they rectified it immediately. Probably the best company I've dealt with in regard to returns.
So the sound quality and battery life area great imo, especially if you like music with a lot of bass. The firmware updates and occasional sync issues, they're inconvenient, but tolerable.
I would like to see them in a slightly cheaper price bracket. I like them a lot, but when this pair dies, I won't be buying another, simply because of the price.
Expensive war bricks! – Partner brought me a50 headset. 600 dollars. Waste of money they don't even work with my xbox series x, constantly losing connection. Not connecting or syncing with my base station. ASTRO don't care about console players. Thats a lot of money to spend for something that doeant work properly. Very frustrated , going to see if i can return them and go with different brand, if you ate a comsole player do the same. Show details
Really surprised at how bad these are – Considering the hefty price tag, you'd think these would be top-notch. Firstly, the tiny screws holding these headphones together do not wear well. I am super gentle with them because again, the price tag. After six months, it's now held together with super glue and sticky tape. Secondly, It's super comfortable I'll give them that though and… Read more
the sound quality is fantastic.
Last but not least, the bane of my existence, The update software is horrendous, their PC app that comes with it is like a ten year old made the code and decided that's the best astro can offer. It does not charge properly, it stops working half way through games and through my study sessions. It says fully charged and the next minute it says it's empty.
It's been a nightmare and will not recommend.
Don’t waste your money with Astro gaming if you value after sales service support – A50 gen 4 base station no longer works. Have tried contacting AU support with no success. No response. They’re a great set of headphones but unfortunately just after 2 years it’s now a $600 paper weight. With no support, can’t see myself going with Astro again. Show details
Most expensive gaming headset - terrible quality – I was in the market for a new gaming headset 12 months ago, I decided I would go all out and get the most expensive thing in the store I could find. It happened to be the Astro A50 which have always stood out as a premium gaming headset brand so I gave them a try for $550.00AUD. Hands down the worst headset I have ever owned, in the first 6… Read more
months I had to replace the headset as the headband unclipped somehow and would not click back in. Another 6 months later I started to notice the battery deteriorating noticebly fast and anyone who has owned a pair of Astro A50s would know how slow the battery charges, so ultimately I was stuck with a headset that drained battery rapidly and took 3-4 hours to fully charge.
As a result I now own a different brand that was less than half the price and twice the quality. I would not recommend Astro A50s and if you are going to get Astro's get the A40s instead which are wired and will at least make the experience more bearable.
This is truely a flimsy plastic headset marked up to the roof. There is nothing about this headset that validates the price tag it comes with.
"Top of the range" Garbage – Purchased the A50 Gen 3 in late 2018. And at first, I felt as though they were amazing. Deep, clear and crisp audio quality with the bells and whistles of the software to tweak and play with. This initial elation was enough for me to overlook the occasional audio-dropping problems. And at first, the ganky-janky rest-to-charge "dock" was just… Read more
mildly annoying.
But, as it seems to be the case with everyone: It just got worse.
By two months in, I had stopped even trying to get the headset to fit into the dock to charge... and I was convinced that this was the worst charging system I have ever seen on any peripheral... EVER. I had come to find that the battery life was far, FAR below their claims of "up to 15 hours". Generally 9 hours was all I'd get before it required plugging in to charge. The audio drops had become irritating to the point that I tried submitting a support ticket. This, of course, was met with the same robotic, brain-dead response that we have come to know and love from anything Logitech/Astro related.
I'm not an audiophile, but I absolutely love music... and can find myself lost in a classical piece as easily as a good rock ballad. But there's nothing quite like having the audio drop out three or four times during Ravels "Balero" to jar you completely out of the mood for music.
There was no support resolution as the product was not deemed to be broken.
Fast foward a year. The cheap plastic-rubbery coating had begun to fall off. These headphones started to look like they'd been worn and used for five or six years... and appeared as precisely the cheap, plastic garbage that they are. The padding in the headband fell out out after 18 months and I could not get a replacement (One more thing to consider: Astro don't care about "old" product support) Mid last year, I tried to log into my "Astro Account" to submit another ticket.... only to find that not only could I not log in, but the "forgot password" option no longer worked. They had deleted my account and none of the support links in the product registration email worked. Just... wow.
While these headphones still deliver decent, even good sound quality, I would not recommend that anyone ever... EVER... purchase anything Astro.
Product Quality: 4/10 Product Build: 2/10 Battery life: 1/10 Product Support: -5/10 Overall: 1/10
Conclusion: Do not purchase anything from Astro. No matter what the hype is, they aren't worth it. For the same price, you can get yourself a set of Meze 99's and a cheap mic.... and you'll have ten times the quality, triple the comfort, and zero stress about product support.
Head set has failed in 14 months be careful when purchasing as warranty is only for 12 months – I purchased a pair of the Astro A50’s, I found the sound quality to be great. Comfort around the ears good but the strip that sits across the top of your head is uncomfortable. My biggest disappointment was the headset has failed after 14 months. I contacted Astro support and they gave me some instructions to follow to reboot etc. none of that… Read more
work then they sent me an email stating the headset was out of warranty, thanks for understanding and please check out our Astro products.
That was a kick in the guts, I never stated I was understanding and why the hell would I check out their products after an expensive purchase has failed in a short time?
Seriously I am in disbelief – I purchased the Astro A40's TR for the PS4, they were fantastic, could not fault them and were very happy to use them each day as they were very pleasurable and build quality was fantastic and fantastic sound quality. And then!.... I bought the A50's for Xbox - series x/s - these are charged at top tier prices around 500 dollars depending upon… Read more
where you go as price fluctuates and I am leaving the business out where I bought them from because they are not associated within this review. So excited to got the A50's, got home and rang the store up in regards to connecting them to the Series X/S and yay should have just watched youtube lol So I followed the main youtube video, directing me how to connect them to the console, 1st by putting them into the PC and updating firmware (500 dollars and you have to do this seriously), the sound worked ont he PC and sounded good. I then went to the console and had them in Xbox mode and no sound, for 6 hrs I could not get any sound to come out of them, connected to the device they are meant to be connected too. (500 dollars and this happens seriously)
A40's fantastic but the A50's, really this is beyond pathetic, at best I would state the A50s worth only being 50 dollars and I consider that too much of a price hike on them, they are bad. The connectivity issue is beyond a joke, to where these should be taken off the market (which I will state some other things after finding this out after I bought them) I do not know how the mic functioned, as I got a refund, the sound well on the PC they sounded OK, but I am not buying them for the PC. I am seriously in disbelief and would I recommend this product to others - nope (here is why associated to my further talking point)
After buying them and got a refund, I found out they had issues from production line, build quality issues, mic placement issues, the amount of firmware upgrades (3 when i had them) was due to severe sound quality issues The fact Astro is charging the prices they are with retail prices being that high, really signifies damaging aspects to their products in the future for myself. I loved the A40 TR but this is not just simply, they charge one of the highest prices for xbox/ps headsets on the market. They are not true surround sound, its simulated surround sound so I have heard now. Why do these even exist in regards to being on the market, its inferior product all round with so many issues that really signifies Astros quality in products.
1 star is what I have to do but in reality, its not even worth that - pity, because I really loved my A40s TR and due to them I really wanted to stick with Astro but I doubt I will get Astros again in the future
Disgusting headset - nothing works at all! avoid like the plague! – The headset is flawed in every possible way. - it doesn't work with PS4, none of the options work and the volume control between party and game doesn't work properly. - you have to go through a series of options to change between tv sound and headset sound - the headset doesn't charge in the station - there is no option to use a wire with the headset By far the worst product I have ever bought! Disgrace! Show details
BAD VALUE – I got this last year for Christmas, after searching the web to find the best headset. Everyone said it was the best and all that. On the day I unboxed the headset, I had no audio, so I had to try everything to fix it, eventually it worked. Nearly every time I start my console I have to unplug the base station from the Xbox and then plug it in… Read more
again to get audio.
The game and voice audio balancer plays up too and doesn’t do anything until I give it a whack or something.
Sometime when I turn the switches to the off position, the headset stays on.
After about 2 hours the headset becomes uncomfortable.
The earcup level guides don’t match up on each side.
The mic is bad quality (though that is expected of a wireless headset)
The set up information provided in the manual and online didn’t work, I played around for ages for it to work.
(On Xbox) the headset can’t work on two accounts unless only one is signed.
I am very disappointed, but as soon as I found out Astro was owned by Logitech I was not surprised (every Logitech product I have owned didn’t work properly)
great gaming headset – Purchased this to use on my gaming console and I'm happy with the sound quality and comfort, especially on long gaming sessions. The quality of the headset itself also feels great and seems like it'll last. Show details
Advantage in gaming – I use these headphones on my pc and Xbox, they really give you that advantage to knowing exactly where an enemy is. Sound quality 10 build quality 10 would recommend Show details
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Gen 3 baby! – I bought the Gen 3 model to update from my Astro A50 Halo edition. The new model has good range, 15 hour battery, wireless base station and mic. These are the best gaming headsets on the market. Everything looks, feels and sounds quality in Dolby Atmos on my XBOX One X. You can actually run a USB to your PC which I have not used yet but its going to be handy. Show details
ASTRO A-50 Halo Edition, Great headset, poor longevity – I've owned the A50 Halo edition since 2014, they lasted for about 2 years and then the battery died and they would no longer charge. They collected dust for a couple of years. I then attempted a fix, I ordered a new battery from ebay, and followed some online tutorials in re-soldering a new battery. They've worked perfectly ever since. There in… Read more
lies the issue, wireless headsets mean rechargeable batteries. In the case of Astro A50's they are "non-changeable" and once dead, they are dead. I had to do a tear down of the headset to access the battery, de-solder, and replace with a new one. Can be done, but has it's risks. Luckily I got away with it.
Wireless Goodness – I picked up my A50's from cash converters in brand new condition. I was previously using Sony Playstation wireless headset so this was an upgrade. I have been using it for years now and it is still going strong. Battery lasts a 5 or so hours on full charge. Which is plenty. I like being able to get up and walk around still listening to music whilst on the other size of the house. Show details
Great headset with a couple of annoyances – I've had a range of headphones in the past, all would last a year or two at most with only very light use. Turtle Beach, SteelSeries, had the lot. One big plus for the Astro's is the build quality - very solid design over other brands (comes at a price), and I've had absolutely no hardware defects in the 2 and a bit years I've had them. The… Read more
sound quality is very good. If you're overly picky you'll probably want to consider a dedicated high end sound company, but for me these are perfectly fine. I've tweaked my EQ with Equalizer APO and it works a treat, definitely improved the general tone for the broad range of stuff I listen to. I've done full time sound engineering in the past for work so I have some sort of idea - play with EQ and I'm sure you'll find a happy medium.
I don't use the stand so I can't comment on that. Cables could definitely be longer and of better quality, but again, I don't use them I just use longer micro USB cables I have lying around. Shouldn't have to for such an expensive bit of kit (paid $450 [!!] at time of purchase), but I do anyway.
Battery life could be better - I feel like I'm recharging the headset far more often than I should have to, but I just plug them in while they're on my head with a reasonably long micro USB cable (as above). This won't be a problem if you're good at remembering to charge your devices while you're not using them, but this certainly isn't one of my better skills. I'd say a good 1/3 of the time I'm using this headset as technically a wired headset (again, my fault but still a small niggle).
One major downside to these headphones (and probably the only negative I can think of) are the beeps they produce when shutting down automatically due to no sound timeout + low battery beeps will play at the same volume level of what you last had the headphones on while listening to something.
Say for example you're listening to music or a movie a bit louder than the average YouTube video, stop your music or turn off the netflix but forget to turn your headphones down, you'll be confronted with an extremely loud BEEP BEEP BEEP when the headphones shut off automatically after a few minutes of silence. This is honestly enough to give you a heart attack, no joke. The number of times this has happened is insane - I feel like Astro surely could have designed this headset to have those sounds played at at least a lower volume than the main volume level. Should not be a hard thing to implement in theory, but I'm no software engineer.
Connection to the dock has very rarely been a problem in my experience. If it's dropped out or is having trouble reconnecting it usually only takes a couple of minutes fiddling with it to get it working again. Probably only happened 3 or 4 times in the time I've owned them.
Mic is good quality from what I've been told. Never had any complaints from friends (used on Teamspeak, Xbox Live & PSN).
Other than that I've been more than happy with these headphones and would recommend them to anybody looking for something that's built to last & sounds good. If and when these break I'd certainly consider buying another pair.
Great Headset – Expensive but great headset, great sound etc. Myself and my partner have the Generation 2 and now generation 3. Generation 3 seems to have a "tinny" sound on the mic, this could be down to setting as we may need to have a play around with them to work. Base station is great for the Gen 3 Show details
Not good value – I am not an avid gamer, but I decided to upgrade my Sennheiser HD289 pro headsets, that I was using with my Ps4, in favour of the Astro A50 Wireless after some research on Google. Not a good move and I am disappointed in the product for a number of reasons. CONS: 1: I cannot hear any marked difference in sound quality from the Sennheiser,… Read more
seeing that the Astro is listed to have Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound. Doing more checking into this.
2: It has an EQ preset button, but if you want to customise the EQ setting to have to connect the base station to their webpage to do the changes. Unless you have an idea what Db settings to use it is hit and miss as to reset you will have to return to the webpage.
3: Headset battery life is given at around 15 hours+. Not true, as I have never got near that time.
4: To charge the headset via the Base Station takes a very long time, and so after searching You Tube I found that I could charge faster by using my smartphone charger.
5: A minor annoying point is trying to dock the head set into the Base Station.
6: I found that the head set sound fails a few meter away from the Base Station
PROS
1: Looks good.
2: Very light and comfortable to wear.
3: No wires.
February 20th 2017 Update: Not Great But Getting Better
On the 19/2/17 I wrote a review on the A50 Wireless about the poor sound quality seeing that it was supposed to have the Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound.
On Checking on You Tube I found that it must be on the Ps4 Device "CHAT" setting. Now I tried this setting before, but found that I was getting sound from the TV and the Headset. Because of this I switched to the alternative setting and got the headset sound, but not with the Dolby 7.1 effect.
I tried CHAT again and this time cut off the TV volume and low and behold the headset Dolby 7.1 worked and sounds great.
So my rating has gone up one star.
August 7th 2017 Update: Astro A50 Great Wireless Headset with a major problem
I have reviewed the Astro A50 Wireless Headphones for my Ps4 in Feb 2017 and a few few months later I had to get the original unit replace at JB's when the sound disappeared.
The replacement unit worked for a short time and the same thing happened in that the Base Station stopped talking to the Headset. Again no problem at JB's and they offered a new Astro A50, or my money back or another brand to the same value.
After two failed A50's I opted for another brand and got the steelseries Siberia 840 wireless unit.
The Astro A50 was a great unit, and I was very impressed with it, but having no sound was a deal breaker.
Riddled with issues – Sadly, this headset as been riddled with issues, ranging from dropping sync, to 7.1 not working. They have all been relatively easy to fix. How ever the fact I've had to fix them, and not had to fix significantly cheaper headphones is a little concerning. Unfortunately I do not recommend.
For the price you pay, you would expect them to work! – I had 2 sets of Astro A50's for my XBOX one, first set lasted 2 days before the headset would lock up, returned to the store after no response from astro at all, second set locked up within a couple of hours of use. Look at the Astro Forums and there are heaps of people having this problem, but astro will not address it. very sad for a $400 headset, i would recommend a set of Turtle Beaches every time.
$300 is a bit steep – It is a great headset without a doubt with incredibly good quality sound, but for $300, frankly, I expected better. At $200 the Skullcandy PLYR1 was fantastic and I only returned that because of a damaged screw in the right ear cup hinge. For $300 the only real difference I notice between the two is the comfort. The Astros fit around the ears… Read more
better.
As for sound quality, I didn't do an intensive enough tests but the SkullCandy had an easier setup system, longer battery life, and a less flimsy build.
The Astros feel really flimsy. They're brand new and feel tight at the moment, but within a month will definitely start to swivel due to their own self weight.
The stand isn't great and the headphones can easily fall off, needed a lip.
The transmitter doesn't have a 'pairing' button or any real way of letting you know you've connected.
There is no software which lets you control presets or sound quality/balance which is a let down.
The charging cable is really short.
The preset button it really hard to use, and the Voice/Game cup button is easy to press by accident.
But as for the pluses,
It's extremely comfortable, even when I'm wearing my glasses.
The music/sound quality is amazing.
What you'd expect from the battery life, a full day of gaming.
The mic quality is great, and I like the mute feature, but which again a lot of headsets have these days.
My advice, if you don't want to spend the $300
Get yourself the Logitech G930 for around $150 which is amazing value
or if you can get your hands on one
SkullCandy PLYR 1 $200
Or even the Astro A40s, a classic.
I love them! – I have been doing a lot of research into different types of gaming headsets (reading a lot of reviews...etc) and i have finally found, what i believe is the best headset. The Astro A50 does not only look good but provides great quality sound and is very comfortable to wear. I absolutely love the idea of the microphone (all you have to do is flick… Read more
the microphone down for it to be on, and back up to turn it off). It comes with a stand which although is only made of plastic has come quite in handy. The battery life is also very good.If you want a seriously fantastic headset for gaming, this is it. I love the microphone, great quality sound, looks good and feels great. Perhaps they could have provided a longer charging cable.
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In mid may 2017 this expensive headset just stopped working. The Based Station stopped… Read more (+1 reply)