With an extensive archive of headphone tests (possibly the largest in the Nordics), we at senses.se are pleased by the strong reader interest in our reviews. We often provide early or exclusive ratings for various models, and we’ve expanded our testing based on specific requests. The Astro A50 review is one such request from our readership. Astro Gaming, an American company now owned by Logitech, has long held a prominent position within the gaming community, fostering a large fan base but also facing criticism regarding design and build quality. Considering the considerable price point, the crucial question is: do these headphones live up to expectations? senses.se provides an in-depth analysis.
Astro A50 – Design and Aesthetics
Let’s address the design: the Astro A50, in our opinion, isn’t particularly elegant. The headphones appear large and somewhat bulky, an impression reinforced by the oversized packaging. The design heavily emphasizes a “gaming” aesthetic, which can be a drawback, resulting in a somewhat juvenile appearance. However, it’s important to note that these headphones are specifically designed for gaming and not intended for everyday use outside the home (as we’ll explain later). Therefore, the visual design is less critical for their intended purpose. The construction utilizes robust, matte plastic of reasonable quality for the earcups, complemented by metal hinges for height adjustment. The ear cushions are soft, and the headband features a slightly thinner-than-usual memory foam (“tempur”) cushion.
Wireless Connectivity via Base Station Only
The Astro A50 is available in two versions, both compatible with computers (PC and Mac), but differing in their base stations, which wirelessly transmit the audio signal to the headphones. One version is for PS4 (the model reviewed here), and the other is for Xbox, featuring additional components to manage the Xbox’s specific USB audio handling. The base station for this version (Gen 4, released as an updated version in 2019) is sleek and serves as a charging dock. The base station’s display indicates the active mode (PC – applicable to both PC and Mac – or PS4), charging status, and Dolby support. The Astro A50 lacks any wired connectivity options, completely omitting a 3.5mm audio jack. Furthermore, wireless connection to other devices like phones isn’t possible, as they utilize radio waves (2.4GHz) instead of Bluetooth, presenting both advantages and disadvantages. This reinforces their exclusive focus on gaming applications.
For PC and Mac, the connection process is straightforward: connect the dock (base station) via the included USB cable and select the headphones as the audio output and input (for the microphone, which mutes when flipped up). This process may require manual configuration, but it automatically switched for us. The software experience felt most intuitive on PC but also functions on Mac, enabling firmware updates, which are always recommended to address potential issues.
On PS4, the setup is slightly more complex. In addition to USB, audio must also be connected via the included optical cable (which requires a separate cable for the PS4 Slim, as that model lacks an optical port, necessitating an additional purchase). The connection is simpler on the original PS4 and PS4 Pro. Once connected, the system configures itself automatically, despite Astro Gaming’s recommendation for manual settings. Everything functioned correctly, even with PCM instead of Dolby Bitstream, influencing where the audio decoding occurs. The PS4 Pro seemed to yield the best results, with a “warmer” sound profile using the PCM setting. However, the optical connection, an older technology, has inherent limitations, which we will discuss further below.
Astro A50 – Sound Quality
Given the headphone’s explicit focus on gaming, or at least, home connectivity to a computer or console, our evaluation will prioritize gaming audio performance. However, we will also assess its suitability for music playback, as Spotify and other music services are accessible via PS4 and computer.
The initial impression of the sound is positive – indeed, very positive. The two 40mm dynamic drivers deliver a pleasing, warm, and well-defined sound that fills the earcups effectively. Astro has achieved a good balance in bass reproduction, providing weight and impact to dialogue and explosions without sounding boomy or muddy. Three equalizer modes are available, allowing users to customize the sound profile to their preference. The wind, voices, and music in Ghost of Tsushima created a wonderfully immersive experience, and the footsteps in Battlefield V were distinctly audible on PC with the appropriate EQ setting.
The headphones realize their full potential on PC and Mac, utilizing a direct radio connection via USB, resulting in a reliable and high-quality audio experience. We tested the new PC version of Horizon Zero Dawn, which sounded engaging, though with a slightly softer sound image than expected.
The A50 performs adequately for music, although it’s not ideally suited for critical listening. Streaming Spotify at the highest resolution yielded decent sound across most genres. Poppy songs, characterized by crisp instruments in the midrange and a driving bassline, sounded best, while acoustic tracks, such as Simon & Garfunkel’s live performance from 1969, lost some spaciousness and presence. The bass response is slightly attenuated in Dolby mode, so we preferred the alternative mode (marked with a star on the display) and the most neutral EQ mode (1), which provided the most balanced sound overall. However, experimentation is encouraged based on musical genre and personal preference. Additional EQ profiles are available via the Astro app, allowing for further customization and optimization. In conclusion, the headphones are acceptable for music listening, despite being primarily designed for gaming.
The packaging advertises “Dolby Audio“. This is often mistaken for Dolby Atmos, but they are distinct technologies. Dolby Audio refers to the headphone’s capability to convert a compressed digital bitstream into audible sound (PCM). However, this feature is common in game consoles and amplifiers. Dolby Atmos support is available on PC and Xbox, but the PS4 lacks support for Atmos or newer uncompressed formats like Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD-Master Audio (which often incorporate Atmos encoding). This limitation stems from the PS4’s hardware and the use of optical connections (toslink), a legacy technology dating back to DVDs that has been largely superseded by HDMI. Optical transmission only supports the older, compressed Dolby Digital format (up to 7.1 channels). While this isn’t an issue when running LPCM, as the PS4 handles all decoding, it prevents the output of higher-quality audio tracks via bitstream (even if some PS4 games now include TrueHD or DTS MA audio). This represents a less-than-ideal solution, raising the question of whether a superior wireless option exists for PS4 (perhaps the SteelSeries Pro? We will address this in a future review). The now-discontinued Plantronics 800HS appeared simpler, utilizing a single, small USB dongle, but the precise audio signal transmitted and received by the headphones was difficult to ascertain. As we’ll reveal shortly, we discovered that the optical cable isn’t even necessary (at least on the PS4 Pro, which we used for testing)…
The battery life is approximately 15 hours, which is adequate considering the intended use case: returning the headphones to the charging dock when not in use. While few gamers likely play for 15 hours straight without a break, several wireless headsets offer significantly longer battery life and simpler charging solutions.
The microphone is somewhat long but provides good and clear audio, an area of criticism for the previous (Gen 3) model. Astro Gaming appears to actively monitor Reddit and incorporate user feedback, a commendable practice for a premium brand.
Astro A50 – Fit and Comfort
First impressions can be misleading. The Astro A50 is not as large and bulky as it initially appears, and opening the substantial packaging evokes a sense of luxury, even if the design remains distinctly “gamer-oriented.” Comfort is excellent, despite the headphone’s weight of nearly 400 grams (380 grams to be exact). The ear cushions are soft and comfortable, providing a secure yet gentle fit without excessive pressure or causing excessive heat buildup. The slightly thin memory foam cushion on the headband provides excellent comfort against the top of the head.
Visual appeal isn’t everything.
Drawbacks and Unanswered Questions
The Astro A50 has a few shortcomings and peculiarities. Beyond the optical connection requirement on PS4 and the somewhat polarizing design, the instructions and documentation are inadequate. A comprehensive manual seems to be unavailable, even online. The provided “quick start” guide offers a basic overview but lacks detailed explanations of settings and functions – an unusual omission for such an expensive premium product. (The link provided by Astro Gaming in the pamphlet also does not contain a more detailed manual.)
The charging process and status indication are also unclear. The headphones charge when placed upright in the dock, using a magnetic connection. When the base station was connected to a PC or Mac, the display on the front of the dock showed the charging status. However, a significant anomaly arose: in PS4 mode, the display remained blank unless we switched to PC mode. In PC mode, all information was displayed correctly, and the audio continued to function on the PS4. This raises the question of the actual function of the PC/PS4 switch. Further confounding the issue, removing the optical cable from the PS4 while maintaining the USB connection to the front of the dock resulted in continued audio output. Manually switching between different modes did not produce any discernible improvement in audio quality, suggesting that the Astro A50 can function wirelessly on PS4 (Pro) just as easily as the older 800HS reference. Therefore, the purpose of the optical cable and the PS4 mode remains unclear.
Connecting a micro-USB cable directly to the earcup of the headphones also provided no charging indication, even though charging should reasonably occur. The dock also seems to perform best with a USB-A connection for optimal charging capacity, but the optimal power source (USB-C to USB-A did not work) is equally ambiguous. Astro Gaming / Logitech needs to address these inconsistencies, and a detailed manual would be invaluable. (We hope…).
The volume wheel on the right earcup feels somewhat flimsy and plasticky, a disappointing characteristic for headphones in this price range (approximately SEK 3,500).
Summary: Astro A50
With a price of approximately SEK 3,500, the Astro A50 is not an inexpensive option. While technically competent, it lacks any truly unique features. Its primary strengths are its warm and pleasing sound profile for gaming and its exceptional comfort during extended gameplay sessions. It is a compelling option for PC gamers, offering support for modern audio formats like Dolby Atmos. Given the limited alternatives on PS4, the Astro A50 becomes our new wireless reference for PS4, although we will be evaluating a competitor (the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, in a similar price bracket) in the future. Plantronics appears to be shifting away from the gaming market to focus on office equipment (Poly), and the Astro A50 offers a noticeably superior audio experience compared to their older 800HS, which was also considerably more affordable.
Several minor issues, including the ambiguous charging status, the absence of a comprehensive manual, and the somewhat wobbly volume button, prevent the headphones from achieving a perfect score. However, the Astro A50’s excellent sound quality and exceptional comfort warrant a strong recommendation.
