While the $380 Astro A50X has been out for a few months now, it wasn’t until the latest firmware update that it started working as intended for me. I’ve been using it on my live streams from the sim rig, but the HDMI switching never worked between my Xbox Series X and Philips Momentum 55 monitor. But now that it’s working, it’s about time I finished up my full review of this neat but very niche product. Be sure to hit the video below for all of the details.
Overview
Astro is aiming for a specific use case with the A50 X. For the hefty $380 price tag, you get a base station that can route audio from a PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, and also HDMI signals from the two consoles. And you can swap between those video and audio signals at the push of a button on the headset itself.
The intention here is that gamers who have more than one gaming platform in an area can quickly swap audio and video between them.
Beyond the flexibility of multiple platforms, the A50 X also uses Logitech’s new Graphene drivers which debuted on the Pro X 2 Lightspeed headset and boast rigid clarity for gaming and one of if not the best-sounding wireless headset microphones on the market.
You also get simultaneous Bluetooth, and deep EQ controls, but it lacks some of the features of top-tier gaming headsets like active noise cancellation.
Astro A50 X: Design & Controls
Design-wise, Logitech stays firmly planted in the gamer aesthetic with the A50 X. While there aren’t any RGB or iridescent colors like the A30, the A50 X has large adjustable arms with a large always-attached microphone.
Its square earcups hide a few controls on the right side. On the outside of the earcup are buttons to adjust the game and chat volume.
Along the perimeter of the right ear cup are the power button, Playsync button, and a Bluetooth button. On the bottom of the earcup is a USB-C port as well as some charging contacts.
My only complaint with the controls is accidentally adjusting the volume when I am wearing a hooded sweatshirt. When I’m using this headset over at my sim rig and wearing a sweatshirt, if I lean over to grab my controller or a drink of water, there have been many occasions where the hood of my sweatshirt will rub against the headset and turn the volume up or down. It’s not the end of the world but it can get rather annoying.
Astro A50 X: Video
Astro A50 X: Comfort
One area where the A50x excels is comfort. In my live unboxing video I was surprised to see how small the holes looked on the earcups but once the headset is actually on my head, I find it to be quite comfortable. I’ve been using the A50 X on my sim-racing rig a lot recently and love it for its long-term comfort.
My only complaint with comfort is that the material for the earpads can start to feel a little scratchy after hours of use but that hasn’t been enough of a reason for me to ever stop using it.
The earpads mount with the same connection as those from the older A50, which means that aftermarket pads like Wicked Cushions will also fit. I’ve got a few pairs in and while they do mount easily, they also drastically change the sound of this headset.
Another feature of these earpads is that because they are cloth, a lot of sound from your environment will be audible in the headset. It’s almost like an open-back headset. That could be a good thing or a bad thing.
Typically I use this headset in an office without other people around so I don’t have to worry about background noise but if you are in a noisier environment, the lack of passive (from the earpads) and active noise cancellation might be a reason to look for a different headset like the Nova Pro Wireless. During the summer, I use ANC quite a bit while I have an air conditioning unit running.
The headset does have significant clamping force, it’s not as light as something like the Sony Inzone H5 and that can affect the comfort for me when I am wearing a hat. But it’s not a deal breaker for me in terms of comfort. I still wear it for multiple hours at a time live on stream Forza Motorsport.
Setup
Moving on to setup, the big feature here is the charging base station that also acts as an HDMI passthrough for Xbox, PlayStation, and a PC. There is an HDMI port and USB-C port for both PlayStation and Xbox connections, an HDMI out, and a single USB-C port for connecting to a PC. Other consoles like a Nintendo Switch can also be set up through the PlayStation port.
The base station does require power which is a part of the single USB-C cord going into the PC port.
Because of that versatility, setup will depend from user to user and what systems they are connecting to the Astro A50 X. If you’re on a PC, just plug the USB-C into the back of the base station and run the other ends to a USB-A port and power plug. If you’re using two consoles and a PC, that will take more cables and time to get everything set up.
App control
On PC, Logitech G Hub handles customization of the A50 X and how it sounds. Inside the app, there are three major categories – headphones, microphone, and routing.
Hitting the gear icon in the bottom left opens up the settings panel with controls like sidetone volume, base station brightness, and audio cue settings.
On Xbox, the only on-console audio controls are through the Dolby app. Here, it looks exactly eh same as what you find in the Dolby app on PC.
You can save custom EQ profiles from a PC and use them on Xbox, but you have to turn off the EQ settings through the Dolby app.
While on Xbox, connecting the A50X to a mobile device via Bluetooth and using the Logitech G app will also enable tweaking EQ but it doesn’t save the same profiles that you created on PC.
Stock Sound
By default, the Astro A50 X has a fairly neutral sound with slightly dull highs. Cymbals in metal songs like “Mist” by Protest the Hero are fairly muted but that’s easy to change with EQ.
Typically, gaming headsets dip the mids but that is not the case at all with the A50 X. Mids. are crisp and full. Taking it back to the song “Mist,” the guitars are easy to pick out through this headset.
Bass frequencies are also present but not overwhelming like some gaming headsets can be. Both when listening to music and when gaming, I never felt the need to boost up the low frequencies. But, sound is subjective and I typically like a more neutral sound so your mileage may vary here.
Beyond EQ, the A50 X also excels in clarity and positional accuracy. Once again going back to metal tracks like “Mist,” some headsets can’t keep up with the fast paced left and right panned guitar lines – they get muddied and hard to differentiate.
With the A50 X, thanks to those rigid graphene drivers, the sound is tight and clear. This also translates over to gaming with being able to pin point sounds like footsteps, gun shots, and other game-critical audio cues.
EQ Sound
Back in Logitech G Hub, the headphones tab takes care of the EQ settings for the A50 X. By default there are three broad presets – a flat “default” EQ, gaming, which reduces the low end and pumps up the high end, and media, which does the opposite of the gaming preset.
Another neat aspect of G Hub is that users can share and search for EQ profiles that others have created. Gadgetry Tech (subscribe if you haven’t already!) has spent quite a few hours honing different sound profiles for the Astro A50 X for competitive gaming.
Logitech has a simple 10-band EQ but by checking the advanced button in the top right, that tuns into a parametric 10-band EQ where users can tweak the frequency, gain, and Q Factor width of each point on the EQ graph.
Astro A50 X: The incredible mic
The microphone on the A50 X is in my opinion the best sounding wireless headset microphone I’ve ever tried. I replaced the SteelSeries Alias condenser mic that I was using at my sim rig with the A50 X because it sounds so good and is easier to use.
Under the microphone category in G Hub are settings for EQ and a noise gate. By default there are three presets for the equalizer – Broadcast, competition, and default. When streaming at my sim rig, I’ve been using the broadcast preset as it provides a full, warm sound that I think sounds best on stream.
In competitive environments where clear communications are the most important, the competition profile is a good choice.
Astro A50 X: Dolby Atmos
The A50 X also comes with a license for Dolby Atmos which is one of the only spatial sound modes that I’ve enjoyed using. It works on PC and also on Xbox.
On PC, once the Dolby Access app is downloaded, head over to the products tab and hit set up to enable Dolby Atmos for Headphones. Then in the settings tab, there are settings for game, move, music, and custom categories.
Performance mode prioritizes positional accuracy for gaming but there are also different “intelligent” equalizer options when performance mode is turned off.
When playing Battlefield 2042, felt like there were enhancements with Dolby Atmos. I could hear the rustling of changing equipment near me in Haven Rush (not Rush XL). Footsteps are still prevalent without Atmos but could pick up on more little details without it feeling too harsh or boomy – It was nicely balanced for this game for me.
gadgetnewsonline’ Take
Throughout this entire review process, I’ve been asking myself, “Is the A50 X overpriced?” And while I would say the answer is no, it’s not overpriced for its feature set, those features cater to a very specific niche of gamers. If you don’t have multiple platforms that you are frequently switching between, there is a big chunk of this headset that you will never see the full potential of.
That being said, it is comfortable, sounds great, and has arguably the best-sounding microphone for a wireless gaming headset. But at $380, is it worth it to you? That’s what you’ll have to answer for yourself.
I will keep using it for streaming over at my sim rig thanks to the microphone, comfort, and ease of use. But I don’t think this would be my top recommendation unless you are a multi-platform gamer or are seeking an incredible wireless headset microphone.
Buy Astro A50 X
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