While it’s not exactly the fault of Astro, admittedly, their instructions might benefit from more details.
Other issues we came across were simply user error, figuring it out over time. Despite this, it really does hurt the overall experience with the headset. When it was an issue, unplugging the USB cable to the base station was an instant fix. We could never get it to work consistently, as sometimes the headset would work fine, sometimes lowering audio quality, or just plain not working at all.
We couldn’t quite figure out if this was a problem with the headset or the Xbox interface, but there was a clear issue with the headset assignment when booting up the Xbox. Unfortunately, there are various situations that can disrupt the excellent sound. It even has an audio cue for a saved preference.Īs mentioned before, the Astro A50 TR sounds excellent in most aspects. On the audio side, the right tag can be used to balance between game and chat with ease. Unlike the Astro A40, muting the microphone is done simply by flipping it up till it clicks in place. Sidetones on or not, the microphone allowed for crisp and clear voice levels. For those that prefer just to hear the game and the chat, they can turn it off in the Astro Command Center. For players that enjoy hearing themselves talk, then it’ll sound fine right out of the box. Like the Astro A40 TR, the microphone has sidetones on by default. It was made even easier when hearing the various enemy shouts from specific distances. Footsteps and other sounds could be heard all around me, even from above. It helped to improve the experience of the campaign, and it also gave a tactical edge in the multiplayer. The gunshots blaring, the chainsaws ripping, and the meaty explosions of dismemberment were all heard with excellent quality. Using the Dolby Atmos truly makes a difference, allowing us to hear all around us, even above and below. Our Gears 5 review is still in progress, but we’ve been using the Astro A50 TR the entire time. Luckily, the recently released Gears 5 is just one such game. Of course, this works best for games that have native Dolby Atmos support. It works even for normal headphones, but better headsets will still offer a better quality. For those unaware, Dolby Atmos offers spatial sound, providing a 360° audio experience. To make the package even better, the headset includes a two year activation for the service. Unlike the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One offers Dolby Atmos, which the Astro A50 TR fully supports. The Xbox One does have one clear advantage over the PlayStation though.
Xbox seemingly has the advantage over the PlayStation for having the software, but both still require Windows 10 to properly use.
As it turns out, the Xbox can’t install the firmware updates to the headset. Interestingly enough, while the Astro Command Center app is available on Xbox One, you can’t use it until you first use it on a Windows 10 PC.
This is to download the new Astro Command Center app, making it possible to download firmware updates. Like the wired 4th generation Astro A40 TR, the A50 also requires Windows 10. We’ve had some extensive testing with the newest iteration of the headset on Xbox One, and we’ve come back with our impressions. That holds true, even for the wireless 4th generation Astro A50 TR headset.
As far as headsets go, Astro is top of their class, offering excellent quality and amazing sound. We’ve reviewed quite a few accessories from Astro Gaming, but we’ve yet to check out their wireless headsets.