The PC and PS5 compatible headset is an excellent addition to the ROCCAT lineup. The headset boasts 3D audio, 50mm Nanoclear drivers and superhuman hearing that are used in Turtle Beach headsets and for you RGB fans there is AIMO-compatible16.8 million color lighting on each ear cup. The Syn Pro Air also has memory foam ear cups, Detachable flip-to-mute TruSpeak mic and promises a 24 hour battery life on a single charge with rapid charging from a USB-C cable.

Setup is simple, if you are lucky enough to have both a PC and PS5 you are better off starting on the PC so that any firmware that needs updating can be done first. Once you are happy you can just put the dongle into a USB port on a PS5 and you’ll be quickly up and running.

When I say up and running I mean you’ll be able to use the headset to game and chat with friends, however if you want to delve into Neon, the software that supports the Pro Air you will feel a similar frustration with Swarm, the app that supports the original ROCCAT products. 

The software isn’t very intuitive and often loses connection with the headset despite the PC managing to keep a connection. No doubt it’s an easy issue to fix but it’s always frustrating when things don’t work the first time around. It’s in this app you can customise all of the headsets features to suit your gaming needs.

Despite ROCCAT boasting a 24-hour battery life I never managed to reach that during the time I used it, instead I was getting 16-17 hours per charge which is still pretty good.

I tested the Syn Pro Air mostly on a PlayStation 5, but I did spend some time playing PC games too. Using the dongle, the headset seems to take around 30 seconds to connect to either device, which isn’t a problem but I’d expect it to be quicker.

Once connected however you’ll get a strong signal and great sound quality. I played Horizon Forbidden West and Fortnite on the PlayStation 5 – The beautiful score from Forbidden West sounded great as did the weapons clashing with the endless amount of machines trying to take me down. I took full advantage of the Superhuman Hearing feature in Fortnite to earn some battle pass levels and even the odd win. On PC I played some Command and Conquer and Apex Legends, taking advantage of the 3D audio to help me pick out my opponents.

The Microphone is pretty good, audio is clear and offers enough bass to make you sound natural, it will do a great job for work video calls as well as gaming but I wouldn’t use it for streaming or making videos.

Retailing at around £120 (Although it can be found for as little as £90) this is an excellent wireless headset that manages to sound good and have a pretty decent microphone.

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The buds are primarily designed for the Nintendo Switch but can be used on the PS4/5, Xbox and Mobile (as long as it has a 3.5mm jack). For only £20 you are getting a earbuds with 10mm drivers in each ear, three sizes of ear tips and inline volume controls with microphone.

Style wise the Syn Buds Core’s come with a premium look, the matte black finish is smart and the little ROCCAT logo on each ear finishes them off nicely. They also come with a cloth carry pouch which is great for keeping them safe when travelling.

Despite the premium look the plasticky feel convinced me the buds would be too heavy to stay in my ears but once I was using them I didn’t actually notice them. They stick out a bit further than most earbuds due to their size but they always felt secure, even when I would move around with them on. Depending on your ear size you might need to adjust which sets of tips you use. During my testing periods I always felt comfortable wearing the buds for at least an hour which is pretty impressive since I only can manage to wear my AirPod Pros for a bit longer before they start to annoy me.

I played Fortnite, Rocket League and Luigi’s Mansion 3 during my testing of the  buds and was impressed with their sound. Some of the directional audio was a little off when in combat in Fortnite but nothing game changing. They were less impressive when I moved them over to the PS5 however. I played about an hour of Horizon Forbidden West and during big battles the sound became too much for the Syn Buds Core to handle.

The buds don’t have any noise cancellation so when travelling on a train you will pick up background noises, however in quieter environments I didn’t notice any which is great. The microphone performs in a similar fashion, the quieter the environment the better but chat was clear when partying up with friends.

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Features

The first thing you will notice is the headband, rather than extending the length of the plastic headband like most headsets the ELO 7.1 Aur has a self-adjusting metal headband that expands depending on the size of your head, it also has rotating earcup hinges for added flexibility. The earcups have a soft memory foam cushioning that feels great and accommodates gamers who wear glasses too.

There are two precision-tuned 50mm neodymium drivers in each ear cup and a removable unidirectional microphone for when you are playing solo.. The left earcup has the power button, volume control and a dial for variable mic monitoring. On the outside of the earcups you’ll find an RGB ROCCAT logo that syncs up with the Swarm software.

The headset looks really smart, it’s light and really comfortable too so it will be great for longer gaming sessions.

The battery can last up to 24 hours before you need to charge it, which is really impressive, due my review time I didn’t charge the headset once. The wireless signal is strong too, but that’s also dependant one where you put the wireless dongle – My PC is right next to me, but I managed to walk round my house without any interruption in signal.

Setup

Setup is simple, plug the wireless receiver into your PC, update the ROCCAT Swarm software and headset firmware and you are good to go.

While diving in to the settings you’ll find an impressive array of customisable options including the ability to turn the 7.1 surround sound on and off, managing your mic monitoring and of course the colour that your ROCCAT logo is on the side of your head.

Sound/Microphone Performance

I tested a range of PC games from Phasmophobia to Counter-Strike, with 7.1 audio turned on I was impressed at how well the headset performed. If you have played Phasmophobia you’ll know how important a good headset is as you try to determine which ghost you are hunting, the ELO Air does a brilliant job with the Superhuman hearing famously used in Turtle Beach headsets. In Counter-Strike it really helped picking up where opponents were. I also tested listening to a range of music and watched a movie and again was impressed with how the headset handled the sound.

When it comes to microphones I’ve tested enough headsets to know when a microphone is good or bad. For me it’s about how clear I am to my friends during gameplay. I’m often criticised when I use my Astro A40 TR edition because it’s often too quiet – I recently picked up the Hyper Quadcast which sounds amazing. Having recently tested the ELO USB headset I was expecting big things from the Air, however I was left a little disappointed as it was as impressive as it’s wired counterpart. It’s probably due to the wireless signal but my voice just wasn’t as clear. I was also really impressed with the mic monitoring, it can be finely tuned through Swarm to suit your needs.

I’ve often had issues with Swarm, especially with my Vulcan keyboard, it just seems to want to do as it feels when it comes to the colours it decides to display, but so far I haven’t had any issues with the headset. 

Coming in at less than £90 this is a brilliant wireless headset for any PC gamer. It looks great, is comfortable to wear and sounds awesome too.

The post ROCCAT ELO 7.1 Air headset review appeared first on THUMBSTiX.

Features

The first thing you will notice is the headband, rather than extending the length of the plastic headband like most headset the ELO 7.1 USB has a self-adjusting metal headband that expands depending on the size of your head, it also has rotating earcup hinges for added flexibility. The earcups have a soft memory foam cushioning that feels great and accommodates gamers who wear glasses too.

There are two precision-tuned 50mm neodymium drivers in each ear cup and a removable unidirectional microphone for when you are playing solo.. The left earcup has the power button, volume control and a dial for variable mic monitoring. On the outside of the earcups you’ll find an RGB ROCCAT logo that syncs up with the Swarm software. Personally the RGB seems a bit pointless to me but it looks good while you are streaming.

The headset looks really smart, it’s light and really comfortable too so it will be great for longer gaming sessions.

Setup

Setup is simple, plug the headset into your PC, update the ROCCAT Swarm software and ELO 7.1 USB and you are good to go.

While diving in to the settings you’ll find an impressive array of customisable options including the ability to turn the 7.1 surround sound on and off, managing your mic monitoring and of course the colour that your ROCCAT logo is on the side of your head.

Sound/Microphone Performance

I test a range of PC games from Left 4 Dead 2 to Apex legends, with 7.1 audio turned on I was impressed at how well the headset performed – I was on edge during Left 4 Dead two as you could pick up all the freakish noises around you while in Apex Legends I found it much easier to work out where opponents were when they were out of sight, only to be let down by my own lack of ability! I also tested listening to a range of music and watched a movie and again was impressed with how the headset handled the sound.

When it comes to microphones I’ve tested enough headsets to know when a microphone is good or bad. For me it’s about how clear I am to my friends during gameplay. I’m often criticised when I use my Astro A40 TR edition because it’s often too quiet – I recently picked up the Hyper Quadcast which sounds amazing. However I wasn’t expecting the ELO 7.1 USB to get the reaction from my gaming pals that it did. The first time I used them to party up I was told I was the clearest I’ve even been. This is a huge compliment to this headset. I was also really impressed with the mic monitoring, it can be finely tuned through Swarm to suit your needs.

I’ve often had issues with Swarm, especially with my Vulcan keyboard, it just seems to want to do as it feels when it comes to the colours it decides to display, but so far I haven’t had any issues with the headset.

I’ve only really had one issue (and it’s probably just a personal thing rather than with the headset so far, the usb cable comes out from the left earcup, but my PC is on my right hand side, which means the lead goes across me and just always feels like it’s in the way, it would have great to able to plug the lead into any side of the headset.

Coming in at £59.99 this is a great PC headset that look stylish, is really comfortable and is suitable for all your gaming needs, the fantastic microphone and software support make this one of the best USB headset I’ve used.

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Turtle Beach Battle Buds

I love my Nintendo Switch, the only trouble I have with it is the lack of Bluetooth connectivity, quite often I’ll forget to dig out a wired pair of earphones and end up having to play with no sound on my journeys to London, thankfully Turtle Beach have come to the rescue with the Battle Buds.

They are perfect for on the go gaming, coming with their own carry case to keep them safe. Some may struggle to get them to stay in your ears, although thankfully they come with interchangeable ear tips and stabilisers for all sizes so there is a fit for everyone. The Turtle Beach Battle Buds come in a variety of colours, so there should be a style to suit everybody.

I was quite impressed with the headset while playing games on the Switch, I mostly played Rocket League and Zelda, although I did spend some time playing Fortnite Season 9. I was surprised at how well the headset picked up footsteps around me and it definitely felt like it gave me a bit of an edge over my opponents online. Gunfire felt mighty while engines sounded awesome as I tore up tarmac playing Gear Club Unlimited 2.

Specs

Audio Connection – ll Devices: 3.5mm

Speaker Frequency Response – 20Hz – 20kHz

Speaker Size – 10mm with Neodymium Magnets

Inline Controls – Master Volume Wheel, Mic Mute and Multifunction Button (on supported devices)

Microphone Design – Removable Unidirectional Microphone and Built-In Inline Microphone
Headphone Design – In-Ear

I wouldn’t recommend using these buds to listen to music on however, I felt they were quite tinny and didn’t do the music any justice, so don’t expect to be able to switch over the buds to use on your mobile. Also because they are in-ear you’ll be frustrated with the noises around you, losing the immersion you get playing games.

The buds also come with a small microphone that can be attached to let you jump into chat with your friends, of course the Switch doesn’t make things easy when it comes to party chat so you won’t end up using the microphone unless you use them on the Xbox Or PS4 where they do a pretty good job. I sounded clear to my friends and the microphone wasn’t noticeable when it was attached.

You can pick up a pair of these for around £25 at the moment and you are getting a great deal, thanks to their size they are a perfect companion for travelling while gaming.

Turtle Beach Recon 70

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are another low cost entry into the headset market, they are a no frills, does what it says on the tin headset and they do a brilliant job.

The Recon 70’s work on all platforms and you can pick them up in Green, Blue and Red depending on your preference. They connect into the headphone jack of your various controllers and you are ready to play immediately. The 3.5mm lead is only short, which is fine if you are connected to a controller but if you are looking to plug this into your PC you’ll need to find an extension lead.

They look great, the bold colours on the headband, wires and ear cups look smart, however the fabric around the cushioning does look and feel quite cheap. Thankfully the headset is very comfortable during long gaming sessions. As you would expect from Turtle Beach the headset is solidly built though so you won’t hear any creaking when moving it around on your head

Specs

Despite the cheap cost of the headset, the sound quality isn’t compromised. I used this headset during my review of F1 2019, the cars sounded great and I felt immersed during my races, while playing Apex Legends I could pick out opponents around me and guns sounded great. The Recon 70 have a small flip down microphone that works well, despite its size, my teammates could hear me clearly and the microphone didn’t get in the way of I wanted to have a drink. Flipping the microphone to the up position muted the mic too which is neat.

Both the Recon and Battle Buds are perfect entry level headsets that perform well and look great too.

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Indeed, the TRITTON ARK 200 headset is a bit of a looker, with its matte black primary colouring and orange accents. It stands out with understated class. Power it on and a small light in the tip of the microphone tells you it’s on; an initially tricky to spot indicator. However, switch the supposed RGB lighting on and the TRITTON logo on each ear piece lights up brightly and really catches the eye. In our experience we could only switch between red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, a mere seven colours from the RGB spectrum of 16,777,216, either as individual colours gently pulsing or a mode that cycles between them, the RGB proclamations on the box and in the manual appeared absent.

Certainly, a misunderstanding of RGB could be the case here, the instruction manual is poorly localised into English and is very tricky to read and clarify precisely how the headset should work, however, basic operation is intuitive. On PS4 and PC, its two supported platforms, it was very much a ‘plug and play’ experience. The USB Bluetooth dongle plugs into any USB slot, and a hold of the power button on the headset brings it to life, with the connection occurring automatically. There is a sync button on the headset if re-syncing is necessary, but in our testing it all worked immediately and without issue.

Ten metres is the supported range, and that proved true, with the connection impressively being maintained well beyond that without distortion. And thanks to the headset’s lightweight and comfortable cushioned ear pieces, it never proved a burden to wear. It does, however, get pretty warm at the ears, a side effect of the fabric not being as breathable as others, but it was a minor nuisance, especially as the ear pieces were large enough to surround the ear rather than sit on them, which makes for a more comfortable experience. Moreover, the wireless transmission was clean and lag free, making for a wonderful cable-free experience and crystal clear audio.

The ARK 200 headset achieves excellent frequency coverage, with pleasant results with low bass and high treble as well as anything in between. Two drivers in each ear, a 60mm main driver that handles bass and mid-range and a 10mm tweaker for the high frequencies, provides excellent sounds regardless of the medium. When playing music, the separation is brilliant with bass and vocals coming across strong, meanwhile, ambient sounds in games and films are subtle and clear, and party chat voices are terrifically crisp.

The microphone on PC, even with the gain turned up fully, is a little on the quiet side for normal speaking volume, although it is audible when there’s nothing else to distract the listener. However, with game audio as well, you can easily be drowned out. On the other hand, on PS4 you can boost the gain much further and pick up normal speaking volume no problem, and splendidly this doesn’t introduce any noise. It’s truly excellent for console gaming, and the light on the tip of the mic, while a little too subtle when indicating whether the headset was on, it’s visibility just in the periphery of your vision when wearing the headset makes for a great indicator for when the mic’s active (blue) or muted (red).

The TRITTON ARK 200 headset provides great audio, looks ace and feels comfortable, has excellent wireless range and quality, and features a microphone that’s terrific on PS4, it’s a shame it’s a bit quiet on PC though. As such we have no reservations about recommending this headset for PS4, and with a RRP of less than £100, this is a quality headset at a compelling price point.

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Retailing at £199.99, the Astro A40 TR edition is an awesome piece of kit, in the box you’ll get;

Included:
A40 TR Headset
A40 TR Microphone
ASTRO Speaker Tags
MixAmp Pro TR

Headset Cables:
2.0m A40TR Inline Mute Cable

MixAmp Cables:
3.0m TOSlink Optical Cable
3.0m Micro-USB Cable
0.5m Digital Daisy Chain Cable

I love a well packaged product and the A40’s are no exception, it doesn’t just make a lovely swoosh as you first open the box but everything is easy to pull out so you can begin the setup.

Thankfully this is another simple task, using possibly the sturdiest digital optical cable in history, connect that to the Xbox One and MixAmp Pro, as well as the USB cable, then it’s just a case of plugging the inline cable into the MixAmp. Once you have made sure the headset is assigned to your controller and you have assigned the right outputs in the Xbox Settings you are good to go. (Chances are the settings are already ok, but it’s always worth double checking in case of any troubleshooting issues). Some people arent keen on the face there is a wire involved, but it hasn’t been a problem for me as I’m one of those people who sit closer to the TV.

Having always been a Turtle Beach headset user I was looking forward to hearing the difference between the two, for me the Astro just pips Turtle Beach to the post. I’ve tested the headset over the past few weeks over a massive range of games and I’ve been really impressed. Gears of War 4 has been incredible, especially during my insane co-op run through, if you have tried it you know you’ll need eyes and ears everywhere, thanks to the A40 TR’s ability to push out Dolby 5.1 and 7.1 Surround Sound decoding I’ve been saved on more than one occasion, those pesky trackers…

Comfort levels are at a premium with this headset, I could wear them for hours! Being able to hook up the headset with my iPhone is great as they sound great, but this isn’t the style of headset I’d wear out and about, as Rich has mentioned in a previous review, there are some Astro Bluetooth earphones that are much better suited.

I’m a huge fan of the MixAmp Pro TR, it looks very sleek and is an absolute breeze to use. There are only three buttons and two dials and I can swap things around in an instant. The main dial is for the volume while the smaller one gives me control over the balance between voice and game. I now use the Mixamp in our streams as its pretty easy to set up, you may need a isolation cable as you can get some feedback noise otherwise.

Aside from the power button, which allows you to switch between PC and console there is the EQ setting button which switches between the four presets you have defined, the final button sorts out the processing for the Dolby Surround Sound. Swapping the Mix Amp Pro over to a PC is also really simple, and allows you to configure lots of details to improve your experience. Elsewhere on the MixAmp is a 3.5mm port to allow you feed your headset into a stream, broadcast or recording. One of the coolest features is the daisy chain port, this allows you to link up an infinite number of MixAmps for tournaments or livestreams. I’ve only been able to test it with one other but it was easy to setup and worked brilliantly.

Using the Astro Command Centre, you can configure a huge amount of options. Initially my party had trouble hearing me, but after adjusting a few settings it was no longer an issue. I’ve been quite impressed with the microphone, when playing with friends I’m always heard clearly. It’s also detachable for the times when I just want to listen to music.The command centre lets you make changes to all of your EQ presets and also download extra presets for your favourite games, with a press of a button your settings are saved and you can swap back. The beauty of this set is that it’s also compatible with PC, the MixAmp actually acts as it’s own sound card making it perfect for recording podcasts. Another tick over Turtle Beach is how easy the hardware worked with the PC.

If you are one of those players who likes to have their volume up high and indulge in late night gaming it’s worth in pleating in a MOD kit, which Astro Kindly provided us with to test the difference. The MOD kit comes with a Voice Isolating microphone, padded headband and two noise cancelling ear cushions and closed back speaker tags. They come in a range of colours and there are also Halo and Call of Duty special editions too. Taking apart the headset to replace the parts is really simple, the headband clips out while the other parts are all magnetic.

The first thing you’ll notice is the microphone, it’s a lot longer than the standard set, and sits right in front of your mouth. though its annoying when you want a drink! Generally my voice was clearer though you may need to adjust some settings in the Astro Command Centre. The headband is really comfortable as are the ear cushions. They work really well, not only do they block out all outside noise, but teamed up with the speaker tags they stop the sound leaking too, no longer do I have the family complaining about the noise coming from my headset.

The ASTRO A40 TR is a great headset, its a shame you’ll need to pay put extra to enhance things like noise cancellation, as it is something I would expect as standard when you are being charged over £200, however the versatility it has with the MixAmp really does make it stand out as a headset you need in your life.

The post Astro Gaming A40 TR + MixAmp Pro TR review appeared first on THUMBSTiX.

The Turtle Beach Atlas Three headset boasts about it’s clear surround sound, thanks to Windows Sonic, and indeed it truly does deliver on excellent surround sound trickery through it’s 50mm speakers and powered amplifier. Whether gaming, listening to music or watching videos, The Atlas Three headset does a terrific job with directional audio, helping with audible immersion no matter the content you’re enjoying. Additionally, sounds remain crisp and can achieve an impressive volume, again thanks to these drivers being powered as well as the frequency response of between 20Hz – 20kHz. Meanwhile, on Windows PC and Xbox One, thanks to Window Sonic support, the sound received even more of a boost, but even managed comparable results with PS4, Switch, and mobile. Indeed these are high quality and effective drivers in each ear that can successfully fool you into believing there’s multiple speakers at work.

Furthermore, the strong but lightweight frames of the headset make for a snug and comfortable fit. Initially there was a noticeable squeeze as it cradled my massive head, but the memory cushion on the ears, as well as the frame itself, soon adjusted to provide a excellent feel. The ear pieces aren’t the biggest however, meaning it’s possible for parts of the ear to ache after a couple of hours due to the uneven fit, despite the oval shape, but your mileage will vary depending on the authenticity of your Dumbo impression.

However, what most impresses about the headset is the flip microphone. Once flipped down you hear a tone to tell you it’s active and it begins to delivery crisp vocal audio to your team mates. Moreover, you also have to ability to hear yourself, in real time without delay, to help monitor your volume. The microphone is such a crucial aspect of gaming headsets that so often proves underwhelming, for this reasonably priced headset to provide such a great experience was a truly pleasant surprise.

With the Atlas Three headset being powered there’s of course the need to charge it. Turtle Beach claim the Atlas Three headset can achieve 40 hours of use per charge, and my testing absolutely supported that. It’s fantastic not having to worry about cutting your sessions short or plugging in mid-game. Moreover, charging the headset is extremely quick.

Indeed, the Turtle Beach Atlas Three headset provides excellent, crisp directional audio, superb microphone quality, and a fairly comfortable design. The cushioned ears wont cause a sweaty mess thanks to breathable fabric, however, depending on your ear size and shape you might suffer some minor aches after long particularly long sessions. It’s wired, which may be a bugbear for some, but the lightweight and powered amplifier certainly feels like a fair trade for the low profile wire. I have no issue highly recommending this headset.

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The second headset, and the one I have been using for the last 18 months, and I am really sorry to say this, is the Playstation Gold Headset, which obviously works well enough with the Xbox, but also the Playstation, iPhone, laptop, etc. It had served me well. But the TiX chaps were often commenting on my muffled speech, and echo’d feedback of their own voices through the headset, so it was probably time for a change.

That’s where the Astro A10 headset comes in. This retails for £55 so is not going to break the bank and, more importantly, the first evening I used it in party chat I received great feedback from the guys in the party about how much clearer my voice was. So, before we get onto probably the verdict you are expecting, let’s look at the specs of the A10.

Firstly, the A10 comes in three colours, designed for which console you are purchasing for. Grey/Green for Xbox, Grey/Blue for PS4 and Grey/Red for PC. There is no difference in the headset other than the colour. The Grey/Green can be used quite happily with PS4 or PC also. As the A10 has a standard 3.5mm connector it can also be used with any device that has a standard headphone socket. They also have over-the-ear memory foam ear cushions and headband, which make the Astros lightweight so they can be worn for longer periods of game time without becoming uncomfortable.

The mic is one of my favourite features of the A10’s. You know that family I spoke of earlier? Well, when I am being bothered by them all I need to do is raise the mic upwards and it automatically turns on the mute function, meaning my party can’t hear my wife asking me why I haven’t done the washing up! This really is a great feature, and obviously the headset un-mutes when the mic is lowered back to the mouth.

I have also tested the A10’s with my trusty iPhone 6+. As I usually listen to music whilst in the car you get used to how certain songs sound. When listened to music with the Astro’s I found myself hearing different sounds within the songs, which led to a music listening binge one afternoon which I haven’t done in years. If I had one criticism of the A10’s, music did sound a bit heavy on the bass and a bit too light in the higher frequencies which led to some bass heavy songs sounding slightly muffled.

So, onto gaming, which is where the A10’s will get most of their use. Quite simply these are brilliant. As mentioned earlier, my party commented on how much clearer I sounded when using these and I was able to crank up the volume without it having a detrimental affect or any bleed through to voice chat. And lets remember, these are a £55 headset. For that price, these are pretty amazing, and unless I win the lottery these will be my headset of choice for the future.

£55. Lets just let that sink in. And for that you get a headset that is superb for gaming. Voice chat is clear, the headset is comfortable to wear for long periods and the games sound great. And its pretty good for music as well. You really can’t go wrong with the Astro A10’s.

More information on the Astro A10’s can be found at the official website – www.astrogaming.co.uk

Many Thanks to Astro Gaming for supporting This Is Xbox! 

The post Astro A10 Headset review appeared first on THUMBSTiX.

Quite simply, this is my favourite headset. Of course, there are things I would like to see improved, there is no such thing as the perfect headset but for me, this comes close.

Setting up the headset is simple, after updating the firmware via your PC all you need to do is plug the wireless charging station into the Xbox via USB, whack in the optical cable and the chances are you are already using the right settings in the audio section of the settings on the Xbox.

The first issue I had with the headset was typically the microphone, in Party Chat, I was muffled or not loud enough, but thanks to the excellent Astro Command Centre software on the PC I was able to make changes to the microphone settings in seconds, as a result I was told I was clearer than I had ever been. It doesn’t matter how good a headset sounds if you don’t have a decent microphone attached it, in this case, Astro has done a great job.

The stand-out feature of the new generation A50’s is the wireless charging station. Once plugged in, it displays the headset’s battery life and whether surround sound is activated. at the back, there is a 3.5-mm jack that lets you do things such as plug your phone in for background music or output your game audio to a capture card. If you want to use your headset on the PS4 you can but at a price. Astro has released standalone wireless charging stations for each console for £90, cheaper than buying another A50!

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As for the headset itself, it looks great, boasting a great design with green metallic features (blue for the PS4) mixed with sleek black features. It’s nowhere near as stylish as a Lucidsound headset but it’s still a great design. Thanks to the wonderfully comfortable foam ear cups and the 13.4-ounce frame, you can wear this headset all day without realising. You can purchase MOD kits that introduce leather, noise cancelling ear cups, but there is no immediate need for those as the foam cups are so nice.

It’s also full of features, the separate Mix Amp has gone, instead, you can find it on your right earcup, allowing you to mix game and chat volume just by raising your hand. The Dolby 7.1 Surround sound is superb, allowing me to fully immerse myself in my gaming. I’ve been playing plenty of Rainbow Six Siege with the TiX team, and thanks to the crisp sound I’ve been able to pinpoint footsteps and create a better awareness of my opponents, I’d go as far to suggest it’s made me a better player.

With every game I played, I noticed new sounds I hadn’t noticed before. In FIFA 17 for example, the crowd chants were so clear, even Rocket League surprised me with sound effects I’m sure weren’t there before. I didn’t just use the headset for games, I used them to watch the Sutton United vs Arsenal game, which was great as you could pick up the instructions from the management and their excellent use of the word ‘f***’. It was great plugging in my iPhone to listen to some tracks to Spotify, classic Oasis tracks were given a new lease of life thanks to A50’s.

The battery life is impressive, with at least 15 hours of gaming time available on one charge, thanks to the charging station though I was never short of charge. You can also plug in a micro USB to the headset to charge if you get caught short while playing. A feature you won’t even realise is the very clever built-in accelerometer, which automatically powers the headset down if you lie it down for 30 seconds, it turns back on when you pick it up.

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I briefly mentioned the Astro Command Cente at the beginning of the review and how useful it was to adjust the levels of the microphone. The centre also gives you the ability to customised the sound on the headset. If you are feeling brave you can really dig into all sorts of levels, but there also some presets for you to download and use. Although it’s quite intuitive there doesn’t appear to be enough game specific presets which is a shame.

The Astro A50’s will set you back around £220 at the moment, and over £300 if you add a second charging station for the PS4, but in my opinion, it is well worth it. It’s a fantastic sounding headset that is built well and deserves a place in your gaming world.

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