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Today we will be taking a closer look at the Astro Gaming A50 Wireless Headset. ASTRO is a well-known name in gaming circles, having their A40 headset deemed the official PC headset of Major League Gaming. Boasting such features as KleerNet 5.8GHz Wireless Technology, a built-in MixAmp, multiple EQ modes and Dolby 7.1 this headset comes with a hefty price tag of £249.99 inc vat.
Coming in at over £140 more than the Corsair Vengeance 2000 and £120 more than the Logitech G930, can the ASTRO A50 justify the hefty asking price?
Specifications
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20,000 KHz
- Weight without cable: 0.81lbs/363 grams
- Connector: 2.5mm XBOX Live® chat port, Mini-USB port
- Microphone: 6.0mm uni-directinal noise canceling
- Battery Life: 8-10 Hours
- Wireless Radio: 5.8GHz STS Module
- Inputs: Optical In, AUX In (3.5mm)
- Outputs: Optical Passthrough, USB Power & Voice, USB Charging Port
- Ships with: A50 Headset with Li-Ion Battery,Astro Wireless 5.8 Ghz Transmitter w/ KleerNet™, Headset Stand, 1.0M USB Power Cable, 0.5M USB Charging Cable, 1.0M Optical Cable, 1.5M XBOX Live® Chat Cable
ASTRO ship their A50 in a large box with a clear image of the headset on the front. The back lists some of the more prominent features and an overview of the available functions. The outside of the box is a cover that easily slides off and reveals the inner box.
The inner box contains no real information about the headset but it does showcase some attractive artwork.
Inside the box we find the headset stand, a USB power cable, a USB charging cable, an Xbox Live Chat Cable, an optical cable, the MixAmp, the headset and a quick start guide.
The display stand consists of three parts: a base, spine and beak. These slide in place to form a solid display stand, though the assembly did require some force. Luckily, ASTRO has incorporated high quality plastic which can withstand a decent amount of pressure. The manual states the stand is not meant to be taken apart after assembly, though I did find it is not entirely impossible, just difficult.
The display stand also functions as a base for the included MixAmp.
The top of the headband has a foam inner layer and the ASTRO brand name is displayed across its length.
The back of the right earcup houses the power button and EQ mode slider. Above the power button is an LED that lights up red when the headset is in use or is finished charging and blinks when it is running low on power. It lights up orange when the headset is charging and white when in pairing mode.
Below these controls we find the Master Volume wheel. The wheel has a rubber texture which makes it easy to control, without having to worry about your fingers sliding off.
Moving on to the outer shell of the right-hand earcup we can see the Game/Voice mixing functions. By pressing either side you can either isolate game sounds or decrease them to amplify voice chat. Here we can also see the only visible wiring on the headset on both sides which has been coiled in the middle.
The A50 headset has a boom mic which is activated automatically when placed in a down or forward position. Muting the mic is done by simply swinging it back into its upright position. The boom is slightly curved and flexibly, ensuring it doesn't snap off if you move it down too enthusiastically.
The MixAMP TX is included in the box and serves as the transmitter and charging station for the headset. The Power/Pairing button and Dolby Headphone Button are located at the front, while the ASTRO logo is displayed in the centre. Despite my best efforts, the MixAmp TX smudges a bit too quickly and it is near impossible to keep it clean for a prolonged period of time. Whilst the glossy surface does look attractive, a more robust coating would have been preferred.
The Power/Pairing Button and Dolby Headphone Button both light up red when the transmitter is in use. When pairing the transmitter with a headset the Power/Pairing button will blink white, as will the LED in the headset. ASTRO ships the A50 pre-paired. It was only after updating the firmware that I had to go through the pairing process.
The back of the MixAmp TX houses the AUX, USB and optical inputs/outputs.
It is possible to connect other headsets to the MixAmp TX with ASTRO's MixAmp RX. As no RX was provided, functionality with 2 or more headsets could not be tested.
The A50's cups have a soft cloth surface which helps to drown out sounds without the need to clamp the headset down. The headband is lined with the same cloth and, appearing to have been made out of a more spongy material, provides a firm fit on top. The headband is also slightly suspended, offering a small degree of tilt.
After a while the weight of the headset becomes quite noticeable and I frequently hung them around my neck. Being able to swivel both cups does make for a more comfortable experience when you're taking a quick break and just leave them hanging on your neck.
Getting everything up and running was quick and easy. Simply connect the MixAmp TX to your PC, wait for the drivers to finish installing and set the headset as the default playback device. It is recommended to install the latest firmware through ASTRO's website.
The update process is done through your browser and is perhaps one of the easiest firmware updates I have ever performed.
At this price point it is important to note that many audiophiles will argue that gaming orientated headphones will never deliver the same level of aural fidelity as high-quality studio headphones or a full-fledged surround sound setup. For the purposes of this review we are judging these headphones based on average usage e.g. a healthy mix of music, videos and games at comfortable levels.
In order to test music playback performance I used uncompressed recordings of The Jimi Hendrix Experience's album Electric Ladyland as well as a 192kbps recording of the eponymous album Alexisonfire by Alexisonfire.
The headset amplifies the lower registers very well without drowning out the higher frequencies. Even when turned up to its maximum volume every note remained crisp and clear. I could not discern a significant difference between the three EQ modes, though I would suspect my hearing to have begun giving up on me as a result of concerts and listening to music far too loud over the years.
All in all, it is an enjoyable experience listening to various genres of music and it is clear ASTRO has kept casual music afficionados in mind during the development phase.
In order to test gaming performance I used Counter-Strike: Source, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Battlefield 3. These games were chosen because Counter-Strike relies heavily on sound spatialization while Battlefield 3 on PC brings together 64 players with a wide array of weaponry and lots of ambient sounds. More information about sound spatialization in Counter-Strike and some background on the sound design of Battlefield 3 can be found here and here.
As promised by ASTRO, the A50 does step it up a notch when playing games. It took me several rounds to get used to the improved sound quality as compared to older headsets such as the Creative Fatal1ty HS-800 which I have used almost exclusively over the past years. Battlefield 3 in particular seemed to benefit most from the A50, with footsteps and small audio cues clearly audible without compromising on the low and mid tones. As before, I was not able to tell the difference between the three different EQ modes.
According to squad mates and those I encountered in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's the microphone picked up my voice, mouse clicks and key presses with excellent clarity. I used my phone to play some music approximately 1 meter away from me while I used the microphone but did not notice any significant background noise while listening to the microphone.
To test the surround sound capabilities of the headphones I used the opening scene from Saving Private Ryan and The Dark Knight. Saving Private Ryan's opening scene is a perfect way to test any surround sound setup, or virtualization solution, with its mix of explosive impacts and rifles being fired in an open field. The Dark Knight on the other hand has booming, impactful bass scenes and is a great way to test a headset's capability to accurately produce high and low tones.
In both cases the headset worked like a charm. The bass did get slightly overwhelming during some scenes of The Dark Knight, but switching to the Pro EQ mode amplified the high registers and dampened the bass slightly. The listening experience was so enjoyable that I accidentally ended up watching the entire movie again. The standard Media EQ mode worked best for Saving Private Ryan, bringing out the high registers and creating an immersive experience with bullets whizzing past and explosions sounding as if they were happening right in front of me.
The wireless connectivity is very good overall. In order to test interference I placed the headset approximately 50 centimeters away from my router and configured the router to only broadcast at 2.4GHz. At this point the headset would immediately lose signal. Apart from that specific location, I was able to move freely around the house without any loss of quality. The inclusion of KleerNet certainly did seem to benefit the headset.
The ASTRO A50 Wireless headset is a fantastic feat of engineering and a remarkable gaming headset. From the build standards and control layout to the sound quality, it all falls into place.
While the overall wireless strength is good I did find it slightly strange losing signal at relatively close proximity to my router, even though they were broadcasting at different frequencies (headset 5.8GHz and router 2.4GHz).
While it would make sense for the transmitter to broadcast at both frequencies, depending on the type of data being transmitted, there is no official mention of any 2.4GHz capability.
While it should not prove to be a problem for the majority of users, those in crowded apartment blocks could experience an intermittent signal strength with a large number of wireless networks surrounding them.
Available for £249,99 inc vat. directly from ASTRO, the A50 will put a significant dent on your bank balance. However, taking into account the fact that you can also easily use it on consoles and the added benefit of upgradable firmware means it is future proof and an excellent addition to any gaming room.
Pros:
- Superb build quality.
- Ultra high sound quality.
- Excellent voice capabilities.
- Upgradable firmware.
- Multi-platform compatibility.
Cons:
- Collects dust and fingerprints easily.
- A serious investment.
Kitguru says: A very impressive headset with excellent features and a price tag to match.
