Astro A40 vs A50 [Gen 4, 2019]

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Differences Summary
Connectivity and Controls
Headphone Audio Quality
Microphone Audio Quality
A40 MixAmp vs A50 Base Station
Astro Command Center Software
Comfort and Build Quality
Wireless vs Wired
Verdict

Differences Summary

The Astro A40 is a wired headset while the A50 is wireless. The A40 comes with a 3.5 mm cable that can be used in any device that accepts headsets through a 3.5 mm port including Astro’s own MixAmp Pro. The A50 only pairs with Astro’s Base Station which then is plugged in via USB to a PC or console.

Connectivity and Controls

Astro A40 TR

The Astro A40 TR is a wired headset that uses a detachable 3.5 mm cable.

For PC, you might need a splitter cable which only comes in the box of the A40 by itself (not when bought together with the MixAmp). Additionally, laptops might not accept mic inputs through their 3.5 mm jack, so make sure yours does before getting this without the MixAmp.

On its own, the Astro A40 has no controls on it. There’s just a mic mute switch on the in-line cable. You can also remove the mic entirely. To access more controls, you’ll need the MixAmp.

MixAmp Pro TR

The MixAmp Pro TR (I’ll just refer to it as MixAmp) can be purchased separately or together with the A40 TR which is how I got it.

The MixAmp Pro works with PC, but there are different versions for Xbox and PlayStation. I used this device with the PS4 with full functionality using the optical cable and USB-A wire included, but on the PS5 you’ll require an HDMI to optical adapter.

The MixAmp controls allow you to:

change the gain of the headphone audio
balance the volume between “game” and “chat” channels
toggle Dolby Audio on or off
switch between 4 customizable EQ presets

Astro A50

The Astro A50 is a wireless headset that comes with the Base Station, but you can also buy the latter separately if you need to use the A50 on different consoles. There is a PlayStation and Xbox version of the Base Station and either one works with PC.

I’ll compare the Base Station and MixAmp more in a later section, but the Base Station connects to a PC or console via USB-A (and optical cable if required). The headset pairs with the Base Station itself to ensure low latency and enable the Base Station’s software features like headphone EQ and mic noise gates.

The base station allows you to charge the A50 by setting it on the connectors. There is no bluetooth functionality with the A50 - it only pairs to the Base Station.

The controls of the A50 are on the right ear cup. They include:

on/off switch
Dolby Audio toggle button
EQ presets cycle button (3 customizable presets)
headphone gain slider (actual gain, not system volume)
game/voice mix buttons

Lastly, the A50 mic has a flip up to mute function which is not present on the A40.

Headphone Audio Quality

Astro A40

The Astro A40 smokes every gaming headset in its price range and below that I’ve tested. The MixAmp makes things louder, but it is not needed to get the best sound quality out of these.

As of this writing, Razer, HyperX, and SteelSeries have nothing comparable that can touch the A40’s headphone audio quality.

This is one of the only gaming headsets that has legitimate bass that you can feel, but it’s also clean and not muddy. It doesn’t get into Skullcandy or Sony Extra Bass territory, but it’s refreshing to finally get this from a “gaming” headset.

The highs and mids have good detail without being sharp. The sound is super full and bucks the trend of tinny, hollow headsets that are common on the market.

Using the MixAmp and Astro Command Center, the A40’s sound signature on its “NATURAL BASS” or flat EQ setting is a tad dark (bass heavy) for FPS games, but the device is quite responsive to EQ adjustments. I’ll get into software later, but the “ASTRO” preset in the MixAmp boosts the upper mids to help out with FPS games and hearing footsteps.

You can take things a step further with the Astro A40 Mod Kit which turns the A40 into a closed back design and adds pleather ear cups. Here is my full review of the Mod Kit.

Astro A50

The Astro A50 has very similar audio quality to the A40, but it’s not quite as good. The overall frequency response curve is the same with very rich sound. However, the weaknesses that come with being a wireless device are apparent.

The is a constant audible hiss in the A50 which is common in many wireless headphones. This gets louder the higher the gain is. In addition the clarity isn’t quite as good as the A40. It’s not easy to notice and probably won’t negatively affect gameplay or music enjoyment, but it’s there.

Ultimately, both the Astro A40 and A50 have excellent headphone audio quality for a wide variety of use cases. Watching movies, listening to music, and playing both immersive and competitive games were simply amazing with both headsets. Their premium pricing is justified.

Microphone Audio Quality

Both the A40 and A50 are just above average for headset mics. They have fuller sound than most, but the sound is still muffled and just not that detailed. The A40’s mic is slightly clearer than the A50 - probably because the latter is wireless.

All the noise gates provided by the Astro Command Center are pretty brutal, so while they reject background noise quite well, they cut out your voice hard also.

I give these mics a giant “meh”, and as I always say I avoid using headset mics whenever possible.

A40 MixAmp vs A50 Base Station

MixAmp Pro

Here’s what the MixAmp Pro does:

Allows you to adjust the gain of headphones connected to the device. The maximum volume my PC motherboard can put out is about 80% of the volume that the MixAmp can. The signal is clean, with imperceptible noise to my ears.
Allows you to adjust the volume between “game” and voice”. On PC, you can set different sound sources such as Discord or your game to either the MixAmp’s game or chat channels. You can adjust the volume of them using the MixAmp’s dials.
This can also be done on consoles. I have the PlayStation version, so I was only able to test on PS4, but using the optical cable takes in the game sound, and the PS4 can be set to only send chat audio through USB. On PS5, you need an HDMI to optical adapter.
Allows you to swap between equalizer presets. There are 4 default presets that come with the MixAmp, but you can customize or swap them out using the Astro Command Center software.
Access Astro Command Center software to make headphone adjustments, set mic side tone, and toggle between different mic noise gates.
Enable (or disable) Dolby Audio. This is really just an echo effect and bass reduction that applies to all sounds coming from the MixAmp. It defaults to on, but it sounds terrible and does not help with “positional audio” so I always turn it off.

Overall, the MixAmp is useful and convenient. Is it necessary? No. Does it suddenly transform the audio quality of your headset or headphones? No. EQ is always nice, but you don’t need the MixAmp for that unless you’re on console.

Should you get the MixAmp Pro? Only if you have a lot of extra money to burn or if you already have an A40 and absolutely love it and want more out of it.

A50 Base Station

The Astro A50 with its Base Station largely does what the A40 MixAmp does, just in a much more streamlined way. It still connects to the Astro Command Center software, but be aware that you cannot use a MixAmp and A50 with the Command Center at the same time. Here are the differences:

Game/voice mix on the A50 has been moved to the headset itself and controlled by two buttons on the right ear cup.
There are only three EQ presets on the A50. The headset makes a different number of beeps to let you know which preset you’ve chosen since there is no indicator light.
You can store/charge your A50 in the base station. Keep in mind if the base station is not connected to a PC or console, the A50 can only be charged using the USB port on it. You cannot plug the Base Station into the wall and charge the A50 like that.

Astro Command Center Software

Astro Command Center can be accessed when plugging the MixAmp Pro or Base Station into your PC. To adjust the settings on the A50 Base Station, your A50 must be paired and on or physically connected to the Base Station.

The software is good - nothing outstanding. It lets you set custom EQ presets even to the specific Hz value in the advanced settings. It only lets you boost up and down by up to 7dB, and the equalizer is only 5-band, but it’s still good.

astro a50 microphone settings command center

I don’t like any of the microphone noise gate settings, and find even the weakest one to be too aggressive in cutting out my voice. But at least it makes you aware it’s the software doing this, not your mic itself.

I also don’t like how with the MixAmp the sidetone stays active even with the mic “muted”. I’ve seen other people having problems with muting the mic when using with the MixAmp as well.

I haven’t been able to dabble with the Stream Port settings as I haven’t been able to use these at a live event (yet), but I can update this if or when I do.

Comfort and Build Quality

The Astro A40 and A50 have very similar builds. There is 90 degree swivel for resting them on your shoulders on both. The ear cushions are soft fabric that feel like ear muffs. The headband padding is made of the same material.

There are plastic adjustment frames on both (though they look like metal), and aside from the somewhat thin plastic at the top, these are both very well built.

If you’re into pleather instead, you can buy the Mod Kit which is available for either device. They’re not interchangable, so if you’re getting it for the A40, make sure to get the A40 version of the Mod Kit.

I give the A40 and A50 a tie overall in comfort. They excel in this category, even beating out the HyperX Cloud II. The lack of metal holds them back though, especially compared to devices like the HyperX Cloud II and Alpha.

Wired vs Wireless

So which one to buy?

As I’ve detailed in this review, both the A40 and A50 are premium headsets that dominate the market in terms of sound, comfort, and features. Choosing between the two is really about which you care about more: performance or convenience.

The wired nature of the A40 makes it a strictly superior option when it comes to sound quality. But as you could see in some of the above pictures, all of those wires combined with the bulky MixAmp, can get really messy, really quick.

It’s just awkward to have them around especially if you’re not at a desk and you’re gaming on a couch instead.

The A50 is more convenient, but its wireless design comes with a couple serious issues you should be aware of.

First, the audio hiss can get annoying and it’s not ever going away. The louder the volume, the worse it gets.

Secondly, the battery saving measures on this thing are extreme, and they are a dealbreaker for me. There are sensors inside that try to put it to sleep at any opportunity. The device will auto shut off if it’s not completely upright at all times.

Leaning back in your chair, looking down at your phone, placing the headset around your neck and utilizing the swivel can all instantly turn off your headset in the middle of whatever you were doing. It’s extremely irritating and Astro says it’s a feature, not a bug.

Turning off after not receiving audio for a few minutes makes sense, but the entire auto shut off system should be customizable.

Verdict

I fully recommend the Astro A40, but I only recommend the A50 if you have a lot of extra cash and you don’t care about the audio hiss and auto shut-off issues. The A40 is the best headset I’ve used in its price range by a wide margin.

The MixAmp is a luxury addition, so unless you’re loaded I would skip it unless you have a specific use case that requires it.

Product Listings

Astro A40 TR (alone): https://amzn.to/3qfdyLV
Astro A40 TR with MixAmp: https://amzn.to/303c7W9
Astro A40 TR Mod Kit: https://amzn.to/3EUCn3A
Astro MixAmp Pro TR: https://amzn.to/3kewJlb
Astro A50: https://amzn.to/3bPjzq0
Astro HDMI Adapter for PS5: https://amzn.to/3o3Kswl

Differences Summary