I know, this is a long one. But I thought it would be better to have all comparisons in one vid, rather than releasing 6 separate vids. Maybe not the best plan for clicks/viwes, but hopefully this was more helpful 👍
@@TheTechne I mostly play Fortnite and you had mentioned how great footsteps sound in the A50x. Are the Maxwells comparable to the A50s in that regard or is there a difference? I’m trying to make up my mind between those too headsets. The weight of the maxwells wont bother me since I only play a couple of hours at a time. Also I only play on Xbox so all the pass through options on A50s I wouldn’t use. I plan on using them mostly for gaming
Hi a50s all day long I have the audeze Maxwell for my PS5 and there boring and too too too heavy and the app sucks they been sitting on my desk for two months now I don't even use them anymore I've been using the Logitech pro x 2 wireless and the I just ordered these a 50x there like the Cadillac of headphones or the king happy holidays stay safe and happy gaming to all
@@MrManutd1130The weight will definitely bother you even if you have ripped neck muscles and are a body builder. I remember the day I got my dream wireless headset that works with all my consoles/PC/phones and supports all the audio codecs like apt/aptZ/Qualcomm/ D:XTS/ Atmos etc and I didn't realize just how heavy my old headset was until I put on a a Feather light pair that I would literally walk out the front door and forget I was wearing them. Your neck and spine will thank you when you are older...trust.
I love that you update comparisons to other options people might be thinking about when something new comes out. Most review channels just cover something at launch and then not much or nothing at all after that. Sometimes opinions can change over time and issues can show up months down the line, so it's refreshing to see someone that frequently revisits the other stuff that came out in the last year or so.
Amazing round up! I hate to say it but the A50X seems to be the best for me. I’m thankful that I can afford them but I just don’t want to pay that much just because it’s ridiculous lol. I might wait for an Amazon open box haha.
@@fabianocooper on PS5 you can control the overall system volume with the edge. So if you max out the A50 volume then use the edge for system control you should be good.
@@Wickery. I’ve had several pairs of them. I think the biggest upgrades are the drivers and Bluetooth for me personally since I mainly play on PC now. If you play on multiple platforms then of course the ability to switch between all of them is very nice. And the mic is really good.
That's how I'm feeling. Over all, they seem to be the best option for me. I care a lot about comfort with a good mic quality since I'm gaming with friends for long periods of time. I like a good audio quality but I have stuck with my Arctis pro's because of the hotswappable battery. Sure, I can use my standalone mic, and I use the el gato wave 3, but I am tired of using the mic and getting in my way or just over my keyboard. So, I haven't decided what I like besides this.
@@TA_0629had em since launch and it’s stayed pretty much the same. It’s an amazing headset, I do love it… but I should love it and it should be amazing for its price. Still decide carefully, I wouldn’t upgrade from my Astro a50 gen 4s if they are working perfectly. My a50s had physical issues (from smashing em playing Elden ring lol) so I upgraded and don’t regret it one bit.
mine came in the mail today and cant wait to set them up. I do have all my consoles essentially on one desk but the biggest headache is my cable management. gonna have to take apart every wire and re manage them again since it’s a pass through
@@benjaminhunter3157 100%. graphene drivers are on a whole new level than the 4th gens a50 (my old daily) if you can get past the overly cable clutter of a setup these things provide and have actual use for the play sync then 100%. cant beat the simultaneous bluetooth usage also.
@techne thanks for doing the comparison. I think one big point your missing with these Astro’s is the hdmi pass through allows them to do chat/ game mix on any console. None of the other headsets you compared can offer game/chat mix on the PlayStation specifically. It’s the same reason why Astro on Gen 4 used optical for the audio to be able to separate the audio channels. With the new consoles no longer using optical and most monitors also not having an optical output moving to hdmi makes sense. Now I understand that if you do not need that then these are an expensive headset compared to others in their category. But they do offer something the others don’t and I have always felt that there will never be a perfect headset for everyone. You need to get the best one that serves your needs best.
@@AnDr3w066I am not justifying the price based on this one feature. And like I said very person needs to decide what works best for them. I have been lucky enough to try just about every gaming headset, and to me this offer what I am particularly looking for in a complete package. I like Techne video I think he didn’t particularly like this headset because it didn’t offer what he was looking for. Like he said his setup is not conducive to this headset so the value for him is low, my comment was just this headset has some things that others do not and should be commended for that. I think helping highlight these things can assist buyers of making a better complete purchase.
That is true however they really shit the bucket with these, they’re great sounding yeah but they’re a pain in the ass that don’t even work out of the box since you have to go purchase another cord even though they’re 400 dollars. On top of that they have to be plugged into the wall and require at minimum 4 different cords running to them and the Bluetooth is only to the base station so they can’t be used standalone major L.
Happy to see Astro's updated with new drivers. I loved my A50's 4th gen, but now use Maxwell's and cannot use anything else now. They are nowhere near as heavy as the reviewer makes them out to be, I use them on 4-5 hour sessions no problem. The planar drivers are the secret sauce. Clearest, best sound in a wireless headset. Still have love for Astro's tho..,
The Maxwell’s definitely feel heavy. YMMV, but I found myself wanting to take them off quite often, which is not what you want to be thinking about when you’re playing games.
Loved this review. I have been in the market for a headset again and recently went from the astro A40 to the Pro X 2 and really didnt care for the Pro X 2 that much. My friend just got the Nova Pro from steel series and let me use them for a day and really did not care for them either. This video helped me decide to go with the new A50x. After seeing all the comparisons. I agree the price is super steep for a headset but it definitely made me want them more than others. Thank You.
@@amandalopez1478 me personally was the way they fit my head and wasn’t a fan of how they fit around my ears. I also felt like my Pro X 2 from Logitech had way better sound compared to them. Which they are only $250. Compared to the $300-$350. Still a great headset. Just didn’t suite my needs personally :)
I actually don't think the land of $350 and a little bit above is unheard of when you are talking quality sound. Building a home cinema in your house changes your mind about that. I have a friend who don't care about those things and just plays from stock speakers on whatever he got. I convinced him to watch one of his favourite movies at my home, and you could tell he got that feeling of being in the theatre again. Some time later he asked what speakers I was rocking 😅
@@amandalopez1478 I partly was as well, but I really disliked the mic on that one. everything else about them seemed great. I don't care to use stand alone mics as much but I care a lot about mic quality. So that is partly pulling me towards the Astro A50x's over the Nova. that said the whole dock thing and how much that adds to the price throws me off.
Fantastic review as always! But in my comparisons i have the maxwell and i have the nova pro wired with game dac as well but my maxwells have more bass and deeper bass as well as better highs with similar EQs they are in a leauge on its own it the sound department nothing compares to them comfort wise they are comfy but the nova pro wired is deff more comfy.
Despite the weight and spicy earpads for long hours, I will pick Audeze Maxwell anyday. Listening to music, playing games is a god sent on this amazing headset. Astro headsets have been too bassy/boomy for me, audeze's audio is absolute best and very well tuned. The mic technology on the Audeze is also very very good. Noise suppression is top notch! Connecting the headset to either my PC, PS5 or mobile phone/tablet is smooth and easy.... though I wish they let you use both dongle and bluetooth at the same time instead of only one. Which gaming headset allows you to listen to LDAC 24bit/96hz audio other than Audeze? So in love with the audio, but yeah, as he says, it's kinda spicy on the ears after using it for a while and will have to take it off for it to cool down.
Was gonna say the same thing. You'd honestly have to pay me to use those Astros over the Maxwells. I haver the much older Cloud Orbits/Mobius' and they're heavy as well and before swapping pads, they got a bit warm after a while of gaming, but the weight never was an issue. Maybe I'm not a sissy and can handle a lil bit of extra weight on my head, but I've literally worn mine for 10+hrs straight and never had an issue. Comfort is definitely a priority, but not higher than the sound quality and mic quality for me tbh.
Hi I have the audeze Maxwell for my PS5 and there too too too heavy for every day use and there boring and the app sucks they been sitting on my desk for two months don't even bother picking them up I've been using the Logitech pro x 2 wireless every day I've just ordered these astro a50x for PS5 there like the Cadillac of headphones or the king stay safe and happy gaming to all
As a pc gamer who wanted to try the Blacksharks, I have both after using astro a40/a50 wireless for years I hope these new A50x are better but -I use the Blackshark buttons/audio mix buttons way more than Ive used the Astros buttons including the chat/game blending -Razer allows you to customize the audio profiles for the headset itself when you cycle them with the headset button, just like the astros -The Volume knob is very nice with an audible 'stop' beep when its maxxed out -headset microphone is VERY good in quality, but you have to fiddle with it to make it work, and give it extra force to pop in if you take it out - if you can't tell it works, use the mic side tone in the Synapse software to help. But it is a finnicky thing. Astro headsets are very BASS heavy, Razer blacksharks are NOT Razer is STRONG in the Middle/Treble range, Astros are weak in the Treble and mids. Astro A50x could be slightly better with their USB base station, but I wouldn't bet on it. The regular Astro A50's don't go much past 25 feet in my house, the Razers reach much further. Both Wireless headsets are affected by my microwave. Both make use of Spatial Audio, THX for Razers/Dolby for Astros I ended up getting DTS.X and it works for both of them. But for directional audio, Astros will make it more pronounced, slightly. Even vs Razer and THX Spatial enabled. Astros with DTS.X and THX spatial Audio enabled makes for an interesting level clarity but nothing gets too pronounced. Blacksharks using Both DTS.X and THX Spatial sound worse than just using THX. Astros headsets are 'ok' for listening to dubstep, average for metal The Razers might lack in bass but really make everything else in dubstep for 'tweeter' noises to be very distinct, and thats those titanium drivers. For gaming only, if nothing else matters, I would choose the Blacksharks. For movies and a cinematic experience, the Astros would give you that movie theatre feeling. I would NOT pay full price for Astros. Blacksharks aren't bad for $200 but don't every dollar saved the better. Blacksharks definately HUG the shit out of my head but its not headache inducing yet, even after a day of gaming. I will be getting new cushions in the mail. I probably will give away my astro a50's because after all these years, the BASS really distracts from a lot of the audio quality I listen for. I am getting the Turtle Beach Stealth Pros for fun today in the mail. Lets see how it goes.
Hi. Amazing video. I am currently using the Arctis Pro Wireless headset. You left out an exciting thing that the Nova Pro Wireless can do. The ability to be connected to Bluetooth AND 2.4 GHz. Very useful for listening to music, playing a game with audio or taking calls on the phone while using or waiting for the next game to start on the PC. "Simultaneous 2.4GHz & Bluetooth mixes game & mobile audio" as said by SteelSeries. That was one of the main reasons I decided to buy those headsets (and the extra removable battery).
I owned the Siberia 840s and loved them until my kids broke them, so I'm surprised to see the newer Steelseries Nova Wireless Pros aren't just blowing most of the competition out of the water.
I am a Hi-FI lover so taking away from the challenge the Audeze which for their price give a sound performance unattainable for all the others, in my opinion the crown of the best headphones still today goes to the Nova Pro and not for the sound performance nor even for comfort, despite reaching an excellent level but for only one reason: replacing and recharging the batteries. During the day I use a 7.2 system to use the PC but living in an apartment I cannot use it at night especially for the LFE frequencies. Having wireless headphones with a constantly charged battery is essential and none of the competitors yet provide this feature, which has now become imperative. It doesn't matter if you forget to charge them or if you accidentally connected the wrong USB, you always have a charged battery.
I’m a headset fiend I currently have the turtle Beach stealth pro, the black shark, V2, pro,arctis nova pro wireless, and now I’ll be picking up the Astra A50 X to replace them all. The only thing that would make this a complete banger of a headset would be if It had a replaceable battery on the side and one that goes on the dock.
I’m in the market for a new headset. My Arctis Pro Wireless kicked the bucket after a great 4 years. I’m purely a console player, which one would you recommend?
Been waiting for this! One of the only you tubers showing the headset right now. I've got the Razer Blackshark V2 for the Mic, but I prefer Logitechs hardware. So let's hope this mic is good in comparison!
The astros mic sounds insanely good compared to all these other high end gaming headsets, I would argue if you do youtube or even stream, you could literally just use the A50X's mic over a stand alone mic
just received mine. it replaces the "old" A50 for me now. sits better, lighter. The sounds are really better en the mic is clear (people didn't know i got a chance, but they said ... you're mic sound really clear and nice today). The astro A50 an X version stays the best for me.
Beware of Astro's product quality, been through two pairs of A50s the first pairs battery died randomly with no warning all the time. I had to get loud with customer support just to get them replaced after getting the run around about factory resetting them several times and making sure I had the most up to date firmware. This 2nd pair doesn't have battery issues but the headband piece wont click in properly with the rubber frame so I've had to buy 3D printed clips off of Etsy to keep the headband piece in place on this 2nd pair. This 2nd pair has also had out of the blue rapid battery drain once also and I don't live in some absurdly cold climate that would explain that.
Yeah thanks ✊🏻 great comparison, that price just hurts to much for me to upgrade my A50’s and as I only play on Xbox I just wouldn’t get the use out of that base station
I would only like to know 2 things. 1- if the jack connection is still possible through a jack to type C adapter to connect to an audio mixer. 2-If the error where the crown came off the earphone is solved, like generation 4. I would greatly appreciate it if you answered those questions.
Nice video as always!! I personally don’t care for astros clamp force or the way they feel on my head at all. The razer Kiara pro are pretty comfy. But I just saw turtle beach atlas and those look awesome
The microphone on the A50x sounds phenomenal. Seriously, it's the best sounding mic I've ever heard, at least from what I can hear in your test. The BlackShark V2 Pro also sounds really good, but the A50x is on another level. It's so good I even thought you were using another mic to record it lol
@@cun7us I brought the headset, I also have the A50 non X which I prefer as it’s more firm on my head and the wireless range is better when walking in other rooms
One thing I’d love for your to add which I find extremely important. Sound to me is the most important thing and while you cover high mids and lows you don’t touch on the other key aspects of sound. How is the surround sound on the headset in a game. Meaning depth of field, spatialization, transitional sounds, separation between highs mids and lows on its plane given sound plane. I had the audeze 150mm driver for the Xbox I don’t remember the model but while the highs mids and lows were superior to my gen 3 Astros the surround performance compared to my A50 were lacking. Yes those were technically 2.0 and not marketed as surround via software but it made a huge difference in immersion. Those huge planar drivers unfortunately made me experience some hearing loss, but now I find myself with the same issue. Do these maxwells sound flat from a dimensional atmospheric perspective vs the new Astros, I don’t know. Would just love to see you cover this aspect more in your sound section
I have used both the maxwells and the a50x . Let’s call the aspects you are asking about the surrounding sound just to make my comment easier. My opinion Maxwell sound great no fatigue and you can hear everything very clearly but the surround sound is very limited. The A50x are def an upgrade over gen4 they sound much better tighter bass response clearer mods and highs but where they shine is their surround sound. But I will say this depending what you want to do with your headset might change what you buy, if you also want to listen to a lot of music then I would def recommend the maxwelll because you get a great sounding headset for both. I have a separate headphones for music so for me I was more interested in just the gaming aspect and while I didn’t find the Maxwell uncomfortable the weight was def noticeable and the a50x are way more comfortable
First of great review and thanks for the time and info here!! Far as weight I agree, I game with Nova pro wireless and my Maxwells. I prefer the maxwells as the weight really don't bother me much with the WC setup both strap and cushions. I don't notice the weight until I'm on the PC using my 3D printers and moving around when needing to look up or down they get "slidey" on my head. But just gaming looking forward...zero issues for hours. My maxwells I just use Sonar too and leave the Audeze EQ app flat. Makes adjustments easier. Turn on headset and sonar switches to it automatically, same with my Nova pros! Turn off headset...automatic back to my edifier 1280DB's... Sonar is amazing! This is my 2 cents for those who may care.
Great informational video on gaming headsets. I will never go with turtle beach again. I purchased Turtle Beach - Ear Force Elite 800 Jan 2019 They broke during COVID I sent all my information in,I purchase them from Amazon 3 year warranty . Turtle beach never got back with me .I Kind of forgot about it because they were my second go to headset . Now I have a $250 paper weight that several other buyers experience the same issue with the turtle beach breaking . All I can say I was a pretty loyal turtle beach customer until this happened . Now I'm looking to update my wireless gaming headset I do like the features and look of the turtle beach but I just can't go with turtle beach after they left me hanging during COVID.
I actually really enjoyed this video and how you added some humor to the review cuz there was a lot of headsets you talked about. Thanks for the review. Anyways one thing I wanna say is that I have the Arctic Nova Pro wireless and I got extremely lucky because I bought them when they were on sale for $250. That really surprised me. Anyways I’ve had them for a while now and I really do love them. I do have a few small gripes about them but overall they are amazing. I love the simultaneous Bluetooth feature as you stated and they definitely get spicy cuz after a long game session you can see the sweat built up. Might have to get one of those ear pillows you were talking about. Also I’m glad you mentioned the mic problem with these because the amount of times I’ve had teammates that complained about my mic being too low is insane. Ig the last thing I’ll say is the base station is very neat because you could even control it straight from the headset. Most of the time when I need to adjust something it is very quick and easy thanks to the little oled display. The headset not having an app is ok by me because the base station is noice. That’s it for my rambling
I’m still not a fan of the price or having to use that HDMI Passover on console. Like mentioned I’d love for another version to release that can connect via a usb dongle or something else. I just don’t want all the extra wires in my setup when I’m attempting to use a wireless device.
As someone who has dabbled in audiophile territory with planar magnetic headphones, sennheiser's and Beyerdynamic's headphones and have tossed many a gaming headset into the trash, I can say the A50X is damn good for a gaming headset. Good soundstage, no distortion, no tinnyness, just good balanced full bodied audio that works for movies, music and games. Only issue with the A50x is the size, 2 1/2 knuckle width for ear clearance, adult ears are on average 3 knuckles. Next iteration Astro should use 50mm and increase the cup size as well as extend the height adjustment for larger heads / VR users.
You cannot control chat volume on the stealth pro when using a PS5. You can with the astro 50 x. For me that means an awful lot. The turtle beach relies upon you navigating to the system settings on the ps5, stupid when your mod flow in a game.
Same price to the arctis nova pro but for one console ton20$ bucks less, It isn't so expensive in comparison with high end gaming headset brands.with this you are future proof and you can use it on all consoles and sources. For me it's an absolute Banger and worth the price. Tank you for you're test.
Here's the issue, both the Astros and Maxwells have pages and pages of bricked units on reddit where they won't update. I personally have witnessed bricked A50s and no matter what you do the firmware will not update. So with that in mind, neither headset is a good pick.
Have the Astro A50 gen 4. Got base stations for PS5 and XSX. Use optical too but XSX so buggy with the HDMI audio extractor. Going with the A50X cause it’s multi platform and it caught up with the times! Great unbiased review!
The drivers are better. The mic is better. The battery life is better. They have Bluetooth so you take calls while gaming. Overall I’m pleased with them
@@DominicWatch Drivers are better, mic is better, the software is much more accessible and modern, they’re 5 years newer and they have “better battery life”
The turtle beach stealth pros are good, but if you guys didn’t know, the stealth pros are prone to having its mic start to make static sound, I had mines replaced through warranty but I’ve seen that a whole lot of other people have been having problems with their mic too. Because of that, I haven’t opened my new stealth pros, it’s completely sealed and decided to get the Astro a50x’s, still need to try them but as far as the stealth pros, great headset, but the boom mic is very very fragile.
Great vid! Still struggling to decide what headset to get. I have a big head and those tension points usually tend to break or wear down after just a couple of months of regular use.
Hi first off just wanted to say thank you for such a phenomenal comparison…truly it’s hard to find any better. Secondly, couldn’t you switch the cushions of the A50x for Wicked Cushions of the regular A50?
My maxwells are nothing short of incredible, its the full package experience.. and additionally, im yet to charge them haha.. just hit 20% recently.. ive used them for about 60hrs.
Same here, I was thinking after 2 long sessions of gaming and watching movies, it's time for some charge, and then I go into the app, and just see 70 % left 😂 The only other headset I have owned that did battery life like that were the Hyper X ones with claimed 300 hours, but they sound shit compared to the Maxwell.
Got a question I’m hoping Techne or someone can answer. I have the Viruoso XTs and I’ve done a ton of tuning using my own eq mix as well as Techne’s and gadgetry tech. I can not for the life of me get any type directional audio. IE I can MINIMALLY tell footsteps behind or in front of me (95% of the time I can’t differentiate). And I had zero awareness if footsteps were above or below me. BUT, I got the TB Stealth Pros and when I say it was night and day difference, that’s a complete understatement. Zero complaints. Was I missing a setting on the Virtuoso XT?? I kept the virtual surround off like 90% of TH-camrs recommended but I didn’t think that would completely lose me all directional sounds. Let me know if anyone has thoughts on this. Thanks and great vid as usual Techne!
This device is baffling. - Seems incompatible with pass through capture cards. - No optical port - No aux port - If you have the headset set to pc, you **lose** the HDMI image to your TV from your console. - 6 cables, 2-3 of which are required and not included. - Seemingly not compatible with hdmi eArc so there is no way to listen to your tv via the headphones because there is also **no optical port**. - Requires power from a wall outlet, a requirement the previous A50s did not have. Why couldn't we just have the A50 Gen 4 with Bluetooth. That was literally the only thing missing. This device is a mess. Any chance you can roll out a software update so I can pair these headphones with my A50 Gen 4 base?
Hey Techne, great video as always. I'm assuming you could use this as a pass through for your TV as well by using one of the spare hdmi slots on the base station? Wonder how these would spund for watching movies?
Phenomenal comparison. Thank you! If I’m getting right for fps gaming turtle beach stands above others, right? I’m now on nova pro wireless and thinking for an upgrade. I’m a 80% of time on fps gaming( rainbow six and call of duty) do you recommend turtle beach or astro a50x?
@@jorgeheredia9029 I’ve got the A50x. I sold my nova pro wireless and it’s a new experience. I can definitely say two are good but the bass and clearing of sound coming from Astro is a step higher. I don’t have any for turtle beach but I think it can not compete in all segment with A50x.
Great review! Thinking of purchasing the astro a50x currently use steelseries 7 pro for pc. But would the usb a pass through be worse thsn the usb c pass through the steel series uses?
I play alot of CoD, I also like listening to my music at the same time. Would u recommend the Nova 7x over the Nova Pro Wireless and the a50x? Kuz i been looking at all 3.
Did Astro/Logitech get the enormous software issues fixed with the Astro A50X? I had to reset the A50 and the base station multiple times a month. This reset process wasn't even "just reset and go". I resetted it multiple times on one day to get it even back to connect to the base station. This whole process sometimes took 2-3h. I therefore replaced it with the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, but I do miss the sound and microphone quality of the A50.
Thank you again for another awesome video! Question about the A50x: can you set an EQ per input so when you cycle to that device, the corresponding EQ is used?
Do you think it’s worthwhile getting the A50X for £287? I think just returned the Nova Pro which I had for £270 but the mic was awful. The A50X sounds a lot better here.
Does the A50x top headpiece come off like the original A50? My a50s headband would always fall off my big head cause I would have to stretch them a bit. So I had to put a rubber band on the headband.
Wait, when did the Maxwell add simultaneous BT? I sold mine for that reason. The CEO said it was impossible to add because they only put one BT antenna which is used by the dongle.
@@TasmanianTiger88 Oh, that's what I thought. To be fair, BT wasn't the only reason I got rid of it. It was mostly because of the poor soundstage and imaging, but the BT made it unusable for casual play for ME.
Hi techne I play on ps5 only and I have both astro a50x and turtle beach stealth pro I don't know which ones to keep yet which ones would you keep or choose because I don't want to downgrade what's your opinion thank you your the best
A lot of people complained about having to buy different base stations for each console.. either way compatibility with all consoles, pc, switch should be the standard.
hi, great video. Here is the summary of the question: I would like to order the Astro A50 X in white version for use on PS5 only. I would like to use this model without the HDMI relay because I want to avoid any form of latency. Is it possible to operate by usb without HDMI? If so, what are the changes to cable and HDMI usage? Is it only the mixed cat?
So I have a ps5 , for competitive gaming which one do you recommend overall if price wasn’t an issue ? I just want the best sound and to be able to hear everything
@TheTechne Hope you're doing well. I just bought Nova Pro Wireless last week, and upgrade from my good old 9X. I was thinking to ge tthe Maxwell's, however, simultaneous Bluetooth is very important to me. Did I made the right choice?
No I would not get the audeze Maxwell mine been sitting on my desk for two months now there too too too heavy and there boring and the app sucks and cheap I've just ordered these astro a50x for the PS5 there like the Cadillac of headphones or the king stay safe and happy gaming to all
@@jamesstevens968 "and there boring" - you don't own them mate, stop capping. They're the best earphones on the market for audio quality. That's not even subjective.
@@mdc123-v2vBest on market, except using it on ps5 which dulls the sound down because of atmos/sureound/tempest which is nice to bring forward. Good mic anyways though
Great videos man, but you gotta cross check those facts please! The A50x app you’re touting .. doesn’t work on all platforms, only when you’re connected to xbox and PS…
My #1 concern when shopping for headsets was the mic quality and versatility. I also wanted Bluetooth so I can use the headset on my cell if I wanted to make calls…currently using Beats Studio buds and AirPods Pro and getting tired of having inner ear soreness from long calling sessions when working from home. I am getting my V2 Pros (2023) tomorrow and I am now worried about the issues I keep hearing. Hoping to not deal with that because it was hard enough finding a pair of headphones that did everything I wanted to do with a nice mic without paying over $250
Tube buddy didn't know that the best title would be "I wasn't prepared for what happened when this thing came out of the water while surfing!" and then have a thumbnail with a red arrow pointing to a black circle. and then nothing really happens in the video.
I would go with V2 Pro 2023 from Razer or G Pro X 2 from Logitech. Price performance is right and both are quite comfortable. I would have a question about this 2: G Pro X2 would be better for FPS, but not for COD because it goes around wildly. Would the V2 Pro 2023 be better for COD, as it has fewer pitches and more bass?
Dont go V2 Pro 2023 from Razer, i did that and their headsets are having connectivity issues, they batches are comming defective, had the same issue and when i did my researc they are having a whole lot of headsets defective.
I can hear a slight noise (which you don't notice while playing because you are concentrated). And the volume is reset to MAX again and again when I turn my PS5 back on. Otherwise, they are completely okay. They are just very comfortable
I have the A50 non X and i love them. However the charging dock although the main selling point isa bit fiddly as you dont hit the pins first time. Are the newer ones better?
I'll get them when my A50 Gen 4s stop working but I've had them for years and they still work perfectly. I hope they come out with separate ones for PCs that are cheaper. Just take out all the stuff needed for the consoles and drop the price back down to like $200-$250. If neither of those happen, I'm not getting them.
I very much enjoy your breakdowns/reviews, man. And, this was going well all the way to the end (ha!). I'm not sure how you can flag Astro for the price when you made it clear that most of the headsets in this breakdown are @ the +300 range?! I agree with one of your points - if you are over 300 - you are already in the high end of "gamer" cans, no?! Thanks for all the videos!
I have the A50 gen 4, and the two tiny screws on the left ear cup kept coming out. I had to put loctite on them to get them to stay in. Also the A50 do disconnect a lot while gaming . I thing I'm going to try turtle beach stealth pro
You'll love them. I had the A50s in 2021, Steel Series Arctis Pro in 2022, and went with the Stealth Pro's last month... Normally, I wouldnt have considered the Turtle Beach, but wow, they crushed it. They are significantly better than any headset I've ever had. COD footsteps can be heard with pinpoint accuracy.. feels like im cheating sometimes. Enjoy.
For the Germans Ich hatte das a50 gen 4 für ps5 (mit usb) Und hab nun das a50x Es ist eine Entwicklung, man bekommt wieder eine Bühne, das ins Spiel gesogen werden, die Disco (mit der richtigen Einstellung) Klare Kauf Empfehlung:)❤️👌 Lautstärke ist höher als beim alten 😁👍🏼
I know, this is a long one. But I thought it would be better to have all comparisons in one vid, rather than releasing 6 separate vids.
Maybe not the best plan for clicks/viwes, but hopefully this was more helpful 👍
Maxwell price dif is the baked in atmos license on the Xbox version
When should we expect to see a a50x software video to show best eq settings etc…
@@DoMiNuSxX1 I shoed it in the main video. On the phone app
no this is perfect. these aren't cheap and I don't mind a longer video to confirm my purchase. thank you!
Hey man saved me time, you did my headset comparison straight off the rip. Thanks for the great content Techne 👍
Dude thanks for being one of the first youtubers to review this headset. Can always rely on you uploading quick and giving honest reviews.
And thank you for watching ❤
@@TheTechne I mostly play Fortnite and you had mentioned how great footsteps sound in the A50x. Are the Maxwells comparable to the A50s in that regard or is there a difference? I’m trying to make up my mind between those too headsets. The weight of the maxwells wont bother me since I only play a couple of hours at a time. Also I only play on Xbox so all the pass through options on A50s I wouldn’t use. I plan on using them mostly for gaming
Hi a50s all day long I have the audeze Maxwell for my PS5 and there boring and too too too heavy and the app sucks they been sitting on my desk for two months now I don't even use them anymore I've been using the Logitech pro x 2 wireless and the I just ordered these a 50x there like the Cadillac of headphones or the king happy holidays stay safe and happy gaming to all
@@MrManutd1130The weight will definitely bother you even if you have ripped neck muscles and are a body builder. I remember the day I got my dream wireless headset that works with all my consoles/PC/phones and supports all the audio codecs like apt/aptZ/Qualcomm/ D:XTS/ Atmos etc and I didn't realize just how heavy my old headset was until I put on a a Feather light pair that I would literally walk out the front door and forget I was wearing them. Your neck and spine will thank you when you are older...trust.
I love that you update comparisons to other options people might be thinking about when something new comes out. Most review channels just cover something at launch and then not much or nothing at all after that. Sometimes opinions can change over time and issues can show up months down the line, so it's refreshing to see someone that frequently revisits the other stuff that came out in the last year or so.
Amazing round up! I hate to say it but the A50X seems to be the best for me. I’m thankful that I can afford them but I just don’t want to pay that much just because it’s ridiculous lol. I might wait for an Amazon open box haha.
Is it possible to control the A50X's volume and chat/game mix with the DualSense Edge? Thanks
@@fabianocooper on PS5 you can control the overall system volume with the edge. So if you max out the A50 volume then use the edge for system control you should be good.
@@Juice_VII have the original a50 gen 4 and I’m thinking if it’s worth the upgrade. That price point is insane tho and my a50s work just fine so idk
@@Wickery. I’ve had several pairs of them. I think the biggest upgrades are the drivers and Bluetooth for me personally since I mainly play on PC now. If you play on multiple platforms then of course the ability to switch between all of them is very nice. And the mic is really good.
That's how I'm feeling. Over all, they seem to be the best option for me. I care a lot about comfort with a good mic quality since I'm gaming with friends for long periods of time. I like a good audio quality but I have stuck with my Arctis pro's because of the hotswappable battery. Sure, I can use my standalone mic, and I use the el gato wave 3, but I am tired of using the mic and getting in my way or just over my keyboard. So, I haven't decided what I like besides this.
Awesome video, very helpful that it's one massive video and not multiple small ones
the microphone quality alone is the main reason I'm going to get the A50X, it sounds so good.
So is still good after one month later? Or issues ?
@@darksamus8 No issues on my end thankfully.
After some months with them. How are they holding up?
@@TA_0629 I like them a lot, no issues so far.
@@TA_0629had em since launch and it’s stayed pretty much the same. It’s an amazing headset, I do love it… but I should love it and it should be amazing for its price. Still decide carefully, I wouldn’t upgrade from my Astro a50 gen 4s if they are working perfectly. My a50s had physical issues (from smashing em playing Elden ring lol) so I upgraded and don’t regret it one bit.
mine came in the mail today and cant wait to set them up. I do have all my consoles essentially on one desk but the biggest headache is my cable management. gonna have to take apart every wire and re manage them again since it’s a pass through
Nice, I have a set of steelseries nova pro, but i dont like the ANC nubs. would you recommend the A50 X
@@benjaminhunter3157 100%. graphene drivers are on a whole new level than the 4th gens a50 (my old daily) if you can get past the overly cable clutter of a setup these things provide and have actual use for the play sync then 100%. cant beat the simultaneous bluetooth usage also.
@techne thanks for doing the comparison. I think one big point your missing with these Astro’s is the hdmi pass through allows them to do chat/ game mix on any console. None of the other headsets you compared can offer game/chat mix on the PlayStation specifically.
It’s the same reason why Astro on Gen 4 used optical for the audio to be able to separate the audio channels.
With the new consoles no longer using optical and most monitors also not having an optical output moving to hdmi makes sense. Now I understand that if you do not need that then these are an expensive headset compared to others in their category.
But they do offer something the others don’t and I have always felt that there will never be a perfect headset for everyone. You need to get the best one that serves your needs best.
Very niche to justify the price hike
@@AnDr3w066I am not justifying the price based on this one feature. And like I said very person needs to decide what works best for them. I have been lucky enough to try just about every gaming headset, and to me this offer what I am particularly looking for in a complete package.
I like Techne video I think he didn’t particularly like this headset because it didn’t offer what he was looking for. Like he said his setup is not conducive to this headset so the value for him is low, my comment was just this headset has some things that others do not and should be commended for that. I think helping highlight these things can assist buyers of making a better complete purchase.
That is true however they really shit the bucket with these, they’re great sounding yeah but they’re a pain in the ass that don’t even work out of the box since you have to go purchase another cord even though they’re 400 dollars.
On top of that they have to be plugged into the wall and require at minimum 4 different cords running to them and the Bluetooth is only to the base station so they can’t be used standalone major L.
Happy to see Astro's updated with new drivers. I loved my A50's 4th gen, but now use Maxwell's and cannot use anything else now. They are nowhere near as heavy as the reviewer makes them out to be, I use them on 4-5 hour sessions no problem. The planar drivers are the secret sauce. Clearest, best sound in a wireless headset. Still have love for Astro's tho..,
yeah my neck is weak but i dont feel maxwells on my head at all
The Maxwell’s definitely feel heavy. YMMV, but I found myself wanting to take them off quite often, which is not what you want to be thinking about when you’re playing games.
@CloudTheHeroX maybe u should work on that girlie neck lol
Thanks. The comparisons helped me a lot! 👍
Bought and returned them the same exact day. Did the same exact thing with the 30s.
Loved this review. I have been in the market for a headset again and recently went from the astro A40 to the Pro X 2 and really didnt care for the Pro X 2 that much. My friend just got the Nova Pro from steel series and let me use them for a day and really did not care for them either. This video helped me decide to go with the new A50x. After seeing all the comparisons. I agree the price is super steep for a headset but it definitely made me want them more than others. Thank You.
I was thinking of getting the nova pros... what didn't you like ab them?
@@amandalopez1478 me personally was the way they fit my head and wasn’t a fan of how they fit around my ears. I also felt like my Pro X 2 from Logitech had way better sound compared to them. Which they are only $250. Compared to the $300-$350. Still a great headset. Just didn’t suite my needs personally :)
I actually don't think the land of $350 and a little bit above is unheard of when you are talking quality sound. Building a home cinema in your house changes your mind about that. I have a friend who don't care about those things and just plays from stock speakers on whatever he got. I convinced him to watch one of his favourite movies at my home, and you could tell he got that feeling of being in the theatre again. Some time later he asked what speakers I was rocking 😅
@@amandalopez1478 I partly was as well, but I really disliked the mic on that one. everything else about them seemed great. I don't care to use stand alone mics as much but I care a lot about mic quality. So that is partly pulling me towards the Astro A50x's over the Nova. that said the whole dock thing and how much that adds to the price throws me off.
hey 6 months later how do you feel? I’m looking at buying them as i want a headset i can use for both my xbox and ps5
i have no problem using the Maxwell for 6-7 hours daily, i barely felt them on my head, best wireless headset i’ve tried
you are the best was waitting for a video like this thank you so much keep going !!!!!
Fantastic review as always! But in my comparisons i have the maxwell and i have the nova pro wired with game dac as well but my maxwells have more bass and deeper bass as well as better highs with similar EQs they are in a leauge on its own it the sound department nothing compares to them comfort wise they are comfy but the nova pro wired is deff more comfy.
Despite the weight and spicy earpads for long hours, I will pick Audeze Maxwell anyday. Listening to music, playing games is a god sent on this amazing headset. Astro headsets have been too bassy/boomy for me, audeze's audio is absolute best and very well tuned. The mic technology on the Audeze is also very very good. Noise suppression is top notch! Connecting the headset to either my PC, PS5 or mobile phone/tablet is smooth and easy.... though I wish they let you use both dongle and bluetooth at the same time instead of only one.
Which gaming headset allows you to listen to LDAC 24bit/96hz audio other than Audeze? So in love with the audio, but yeah, as he says, it's kinda spicy on the ears after using it for a while and will have to take it off for it to cool down.
Was gonna say the same thing. You'd honestly have to pay me to use those Astros over the Maxwells. I haver the much older Cloud Orbits/Mobius' and they're heavy as well and before swapping pads, they got a bit warm after a while of gaming, but the weight never was an issue. Maybe I'm not a sissy and can handle a lil bit of extra weight on my head, but I've literally worn mine for 10+hrs straight and never had an issue. Comfort is definitely a priority, but not higher than the sound quality and mic quality for me tbh.
Hi I have the audeze Maxwell for my PS5 and there too too too heavy for every day use and there boring and the app sucks they been sitting on my desk for two months don't even bother picking them up I've been using the Logitech pro x 2 wireless every day I've just ordered these astro a50x for PS5 there like the Cadillac of headphones or the king stay safe and happy gaming to all
question. what does spicy earpads mean? never heard anyone (till this video) use the term spicy earpads before.
Spicy as in they get hot after prolonged usage. Make sense now?@@sozansound2
As a pc gamer who wanted to try the Blacksharks, I have both
after using astro a40/a50 wireless for years
I hope these new A50x are better but
-I use the Blackshark buttons/audio mix buttons way more than Ive used the Astros buttons including the chat/game blending
-Razer allows you to customize the audio profiles for the headset itself when you cycle them with the headset button, just like the astros
-The Volume knob is very nice with an audible 'stop' beep when its maxxed out
-headset microphone is VERY good in quality, but you have to fiddle with it to make it work, and give it extra force to pop in if you take it out - if you can't tell it works, use the mic side tone in the Synapse software to help. But it is a finnicky thing.
Astro headsets are very BASS heavy, Razer blacksharks are NOT
Razer is STRONG in the Middle/Treble range, Astros are weak in the Treble and mids.
Astro A50x could be slightly better with their USB base station, but I wouldn't bet on it. The regular Astro A50's don't go much past 25 feet in my house, the Razers reach much further.
Both Wireless headsets are affected by my microwave.
Both make use of Spatial Audio, THX for Razers/Dolby for Astros
I ended up getting DTS.X and it works for both of them. But for directional audio, Astros will make it more pronounced, slightly. Even vs Razer and THX Spatial enabled.
Astros with DTS.X and THX spatial Audio enabled makes for an interesting level clarity but nothing gets too pronounced.
Blacksharks using Both DTS.X and THX Spatial sound worse than just using THX.
Astros headsets are 'ok' for listening to dubstep, average for metal
The Razers might lack in bass but really make everything else in dubstep for 'tweeter' noises to be very distinct, and thats those titanium drivers.
For gaming only, if nothing else matters, I would choose the Blacksharks.
For movies and a cinematic experience, the Astros would give you that movie theatre feeling.
I would NOT pay full price for Astros.
Blacksharks aren't bad for $200 but don't every dollar saved the better.
Blacksharks definately HUG the shit out of my head but its not headache inducing yet, even after a day of gaming. I will be getting new cushions in the mail.
I probably will give away my astro a50's because after all these years, the BASS really distracts from a lot of the audio quality I listen for.
I am getting the Turtle Beach Stealth Pros for fun today in the mail. Lets see how it goes.
Great upload techne. Literally touched every point. Don't know another youtuber that can do it better.
Thanks a bunch
My biggest dislike of the Blacksharks is no swivel, this option should be on every single headset
I appreciate the in-depth comparison with many different headsets.
I got the Blackshark V2 Pro. I am impressed with the quality of the microphone for streaming!
If the only thing to complain about is the price... It's a Winner.
Hi. Amazing video. I am currently using the Arctis Pro Wireless headset. You left out an exciting thing that the Nova Pro Wireless can do. The ability to be connected to Bluetooth AND 2.4 GHz. Very useful for listening to music, playing a game with audio or taking calls on the phone while using or waiting for the next game to start on the PC. "Simultaneous 2.4GHz & Bluetooth mixes game & mobile audio" as said by SteelSeries.
That was one of the main reasons I decided to buy those headsets (and the extra removable battery).
I owned the Siberia 840s and loved them until my kids broke them, so I'm surprised to see the newer Steelseries Nova Wireless Pros aren't just blowing most of the competition out of the water.
Did you give your kids a good beating for breaking your shit?
I remember 15 years ago, the noble prize was won for the discovery of graphene, good to see it's finally being implemented!
The mic upgrade is amazing I think it's the best mic for a gaming headset tbh
I am a Hi-FI lover so taking away from the challenge the Audeze which for their price give a sound performance unattainable for all the others, in my opinion the crown of the best headphones still today goes to the Nova Pro and not for the sound performance nor even for comfort, despite reaching an excellent level but for only one reason: replacing and recharging the batteries.
During the day I use a 7.2 system to use the PC but living in an apartment I cannot use it at night especially for the LFE frequencies. Having wireless headphones with a constantly charged battery is essential and none of the competitors yet provide this feature, which has now become imperative.
It doesn't matter if you forget to charge them or if you accidentally connected the wrong USB, you always have a charged battery.
I’m a headset fiend I currently have the turtle Beach stealth pro, the black shark, V2, pro,arctis nova pro wireless, and now I’ll be picking up the Astra A50 X to replace them all. The only thing that would make this a complete banger of a headset would be if It had a replaceable battery on the side and one that goes on the dock.
I’m in the market for a new headset. My Arctis Pro Wireless kicked the bucket after a great 4 years. I’m purely a console player, which one would you recommend?
@@Larry_Veri Personally always been a fan of astro over the rest. They are all in the same price vicinity for the most part
Been waiting for this! One of the only you tubers showing the headset right now. I've got the Razer Blackshark V2 for the Mic, but I prefer Logitechs hardware. So let's hope this mic is good in comparison!
The astros mic sounds insanely good compared to all these other high end gaming headsets, I would argue if you do youtube or even stream, you could literally just use the A50X's mic over a stand alone mic
just received mine. it replaces the "old" A50 for me now. sits better, lighter. The sounds are really better en the mic is clear (people didn't know i got a chance, but they said ... you're mic sound really clear and nice today). The astro A50 an X version stays the best for me.
Beware of Astro's product quality, been through two pairs of A50s the first pairs battery died randomly with no warning all the time. I had to get loud with customer support just to get them replaced after getting the run around about factory resetting them several times and making sure I had the most up to date firmware.
This 2nd pair doesn't have battery issues but the headband piece wont click in properly with the rubber frame so I've had to buy 3D printed clips off of Etsy to keep the headband piece in place on this 2nd pair. This 2nd pair has also had out of the blue rapid battery drain once also and I don't live in some absurdly cold climate that would explain that.
Keep telling people about wicked cushions. Heard of them from you months ago and now all 3 of my headsets have them. They are amazing!
dont fuck the audio quality?
Yeah thanks ✊🏻 great comparison, that price just hurts to much for me to upgrade my A50’s and as I only play on Xbox I just wouldn’t get the use out of that base station
I would only like to know 2 things.
1- if the jack connection is still possible through a jack to type C adapter to connect to an audio mixer.
2-If the error where the crown came off the earphone is solved, like generation 4.
I would greatly appreciate it if you answered those questions.
Nice video as always!! I personally don’t care for astros clamp force or the way they feel on my head at all. The razer Kiara pro are pretty comfy. But I just saw turtle beach atlas and those look awesome
The microphone on the A50x sounds phenomenal. Seriously, it's the best sounding mic I've ever heard, at least from what I can hear in your test. The BlackShark V2 Pro also sounds really good, but the A50x is on another level. It's so good I even thought you were using another mic to record it lol
I think he forgot to switch it from his main mic ngl lol
@@Cyb3rRust It's just that good, I didnt believe it either until he did the finger test
@@mjcato1 That's true. I've heard multiple mic tests from other reviewers and it's consistently good throughout.
@@cun7us I brought the headset, I also have the A50 non X which I prefer as it’s more firm on my head and the wireless range is better when walking in other rooms
@@mjcato1 interesting. I literally just bought mine today from Amazon so will be getting it next week. Can't wait to try it out.
As someone who has their PC and PS5 on their desk... and I already use usb switches to change platforms... the a50x is an absolute win
One thing I’d love for your to add which I find extremely important. Sound to me is the most important thing and while you cover high mids and lows you don’t touch on the other key aspects of sound. How is the surround sound on the headset in a game. Meaning depth of field, spatialization, transitional sounds, separation between highs mids and lows on its plane given sound plane. I had the audeze 150mm driver for the Xbox I don’t remember the model but while the highs mids and lows were superior to my gen 3 Astros the surround performance compared to my A50 were lacking. Yes those were technically 2.0 and not marketed as surround via software but it made a huge difference in immersion. Those huge planar drivers unfortunately made me experience some hearing loss, but now I find myself with the same issue. Do these maxwells sound flat from a dimensional atmospheric perspective vs the new Astros, I don’t know. Would just love to see you cover this aspect more in your sound section
I have used both the maxwells and the a50x . Let’s call the aspects you are asking about the surrounding sound just to make my comment easier. My opinion Maxwell sound great no fatigue and you can hear everything very clearly but the surround sound is very limited.
The A50x are def an upgrade over gen4 they sound much better tighter bass response clearer mods and highs but where they shine is their surround sound.
But I will say this depending what you want to do with your headset might change what you buy, if you also want to listen to a lot of music then I would def recommend the maxwelll because you get a great sounding headset for both.
I have a separate headphones for music so for me I was more interested in just the gaming aspect and while I didn’t find the Maxwell uncomfortable the weight was def noticeable and the a50x are way more comfortable
First of great review and thanks for the time and info here!! Far as weight I agree, I game with Nova pro wireless and my Maxwells. I prefer the maxwells as the weight really don't bother me much with the WC setup both strap and cushions. I don't notice the weight until I'm on the PC using my 3D printers and moving around when needing to look up or down they get "slidey" on my head. But just gaming looking forward...zero issues for hours. My maxwells I just use Sonar too and leave the Audeze EQ app flat. Makes adjustments easier. Turn on headset and sonar switches to it automatically, same with my Nova pros! Turn off headset...automatic back to my edifier 1280DB's... Sonar is amazing! This is my 2 cents for those who may care.
Great Video. How would you compare them to the A40's with mixamp.?
Great informational video on gaming headsets. I will never go with turtle beach again. I purchased Turtle Beach - Ear Force Elite 800 Jan 2019 They broke during COVID I sent all my information in,I purchase them from Amazon 3 year warranty . Turtle beach never got back with me .I Kind of forgot about it because they were my second go to headset . Now I have a $250 paper weight that several other buyers experience the same issue with the turtle beach breaking . All I can say I was a pretty loyal turtle beach customer until this happened . Now I'm looking to update my wireless gaming headset I do like the features and look of the turtle beach but I just can't go with turtle beach after they left me hanging during COVID.
Just ordered my a50x today. Can't wait for them to come in.
Return them and get the maxwells. Thank me later
Let me know if they’re great
Wasn’t impressed at all with the maxwells. Going to give these a try.
Must buy for playstation 5 owners - 2.1 and 4k 120fps fantastic
Does the updated nova pro anc smaller nub affect the comparison? Or would you still choose the a50x?
I actually really enjoyed this video and how you added some humor to the review cuz there was a lot of headsets you talked about. Thanks for the review. Anyways one thing I wanna say is that I have the Arctic Nova Pro wireless and I got extremely lucky because I bought them when they were on sale for $250. That really surprised me. Anyways I’ve had them for a while now and I really do love them. I do have a few small gripes about them but overall they are amazing. I love the simultaneous Bluetooth feature as you stated and they definitely get spicy cuz after a long game session you can see the sweat built up. Might have to get one of those ear pillows you were talking about. Also I’m glad you mentioned the mic problem with these because the amount of times I’ve had teammates that complained about my mic being too low is insane. Ig the last thing I’ll say is the base station is very neat because you could even control it straight from the headset. Most of the time when I need to adjust something it is very quick and easy thanks to the little oled display. The headset not having an app is ok by me because the base station is noice. That’s it for my rambling
I’m still not a fan of the price or having to use that HDMI Passover on console. Like mentioned I’d love for another version to release that can connect via a usb dongle or something else. I just don’t want all the extra wires in my setup when I’m attempting to use a wireless device.
Maxwell, use them all day, every day.
A strong neck, just like mine 😂
As someone who has dabbled in audiophile territory with planar magnetic headphones, sennheiser's and Beyerdynamic's headphones and have tossed many a gaming headset into the trash, I can say the A50X is damn good for a gaming headset. Good soundstage, no distortion, no tinnyness, just good balanced full bodied audio that works for movies, music and games. Only issue with the A50x is the size, 2 1/2 knuckle width for ear clearance, adult ears are on average 3 knuckles. Next iteration Astro should use 50mm and increase the cup size as well as extend the height adjustment for larger heads / VR users.
You cannot control chat volume on the stealth pro when using a PS5. You can with the astro 50 x. For me that means an awful lot. The turtle beach relies upon you navigating to the system settings on the ps5, stupid when your mod flow in a game.
Same price to the arctis nova pro but for one console ton20$ bucks less, It isn't so expensive in comparison with high end gaming headset brands.with this you are future proof and you can use it on all consoles and sources. For me it's an absolute Banger and worth the price.
Tank you for you're test.
A great comparison by one of my favourite reviewers, keep up the great work 👍
Holy shit man, the A50X microphone absolutely shits all over the other mics, bar the Audeze Maxwell. Really impressive .
XT sounds better to me
Here's the issue, both the Astros and Maxwells have pages and pages of bricked units on reddit where they won't update. I personally have witnessed bricked A50s and no matter what you do the firmware will not update.
So with that in mind, neither headset is a good pick.
Have the Astro A50 gen 4. Got base stations for PS5 and XSX. Use optical too but XSX so buggy with the HDMI audio extractor. Going with the A50X cause it’s multi platform and it caught up with the times! Great unbiased review!
I agree but if the a50 gen 4s work just fine is it worth the upgrade with the price point? That’s what I’m trying to decide right now
@@Wickery.nope
What is the difference between the A50 and the A50x?
The drivers are better. The mic is better. The battery life is better. They have Bluetooth so you take calls while gaming. Overall I’m pleased with them
@@DominicWatch Drivers are better, mic is better, the software is much more accessible and modern, they’re 5 years newer and they have “better battery life”
The turtle beach stealth pros are good, but if you guys didn’t know, the stealth pros are prone to having its mic start to make static sound, I had mines replaced through warranty but I’ve seen that a whole lot of other people have been having problems with their mic too. Because of that, I haven’t opened my new stealth pros, it’s completely sealed and decided to get the Astro a50x’s, still need to try them but as far as the stealth pros, great headset, but the boom mic is very very fragile.
The clamping force is crazy on stealth pros. First time I've ever heard anyone say it's light lol
This is the exact reason why I returned them
now that steelseries has upgraded their nova pro witch one would you still recommand between the 2 ?
Great vid! Still struggling to decide what headset to get. I have a big head and those tension points usually tend to break or wear down after just a couple of months of regular use.
May go with the corsair ones. That build is real tempting.
The corsairs might be a great pick for u. If your on pc
Hi first off just wanted to say thank you for such a phenomenal comparison…truly it’s hard to find any better. Secondly, couldn’t you switch the cushions of the A50x for Wicked Cushions of the regular A50?
they are confirmed to be compatible
Great Video...I think the Astro A30 are a great pair of headset for the price...I got the A40 and the Nova Pro wireless....and they are all great
My maxwells are nothing short of incredible, its the full package experience.. and additionally, im yet to charge them haha.. just hit 20% recently.. ive used them for about 60hrs.
Same here, I was thinking after 2 long sessions of gaming and watching movies, it's time for some charge, and then I go into the app, and just see 70 % left 😂 The only other headset I have owned that did battery life like that were the Hyper X ones with claimed 300 hours, but they sound shit compared to the Maxwell.
everything is great on the maxwells but the mic is mediocre at best. the a50x, virtuoso xt and razer blackshark has a better mic.
@Dabby724 the mic is adequate though.. its not like people can't hear you.. I've never had any complaints.. easy trade off for that sound though
Great video bro, been waiting for this!
Got a question I’m hoping Techne or someone can answer. I have the Viruoso XTs and I’ve done a ton of tuning using my own eq mix as well as Techne’s and gadgetry tech. I can not for the life of me get any type directional audio. IE I can MINIMALLY tell footsteps behind or in front of me (95% of the time I can’t differentiate). And I had zero awareness if footsteps were above or below me. BUT, I got the TB Stealth Pros and when I say it was night and day difference, that’s a complete understatement. Zero complaints. Was I missing a setting on the Virtuoso XT?? I kept the virtual surround off like 90% of TH-camrs recommended but I didn’t think that would completely lose me all directional sounds. Let me know if anyone has thoughts on this. Thanks and great vid as usual Techne!
This device is baffling.
- Seems incompatible with pass through capture cards.
- No optical port
- No aux port
- If you have the headset set to pc, you **lose** the HDMI image to your TV from your console.
- 6 cables, 2-3 of which are required and not included.
- Seemingly not compatible with hdmi eArc so there is no way to listen to your tv via the headphones because there is also **no optical port**.
- Requires power from a wall outlet, a requirement the previous A50s did not have.
Why couldn't we just have the A50 Gen 4 with Bluetooth. That was literally the only thing missing. This device is a mess. Any chance you can roll out a software update so I can pair these headphones with my A50 Gen 4 base?
Hey Techne, great video as always. I'm assuming you could use this as a pass through for your TV as well by using one of the spare hdmi slots on the base station? Wonder how these would spund for watching movies?
eArc passthrough is not working for me with these headphones.
@@BarderBetterFasterStronger yeah not ear passthrough possible but you could use a apple tv or possibly a google chrome?
Phenomenal comparison. Thank you!
If I’m getting right for fps gaming turtle beach stands above others, right?
I’m now on nova pro wireless and thinking for an upgrade. I’m a 80% of time on fps gaming( rainbow six and call of duty) do you recommend turtle beach or astro a50x?
Same question, want them for ps5
@@jorgeheredia9029 I’ve got the A50x. I sold my nova pro wireless and it’s a new experience. I can definitely say two are good but the bass and clearing of sound coming from Astro is a step higher.
I don’t have any for turtle beach but I think it can not compete in all segment with A50x.
Great review! Thinking of purchasing the astro a50x currently use steelseries 7 pro for pc. But would the usb a pass through be worse thsn the usb c pass through the steel series uses?
think it another way all other wireless headsets you connect to the pc with a usb dongle anyways....
Astro A50X costs 520 USD in Sweden, our SEK is worthless and high taxes. Fuck me. Still gonna buy them :S
I play alot of CoD, I also like listening to my music at the same time. Would u recommend the Nova 7x over the Nova Pro Wireless and the a50x? Kuz i been looking at all 3.
Did Astro/Logitech get the enormous software issues fixed with the Astro A50X? I had to reset the A50 and the base station multiple times a month. This reset process wasn't even "just reset and go". I resetted it multiple times on one day to get it even back to connect to the base station. This whole process sometimes took 2-3h. I therefore replaced it with the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, but I do miss the sound and microphone quality of the A50.
Great video. Though you can't put aftermarket parts on a headset, and then compare comfort apples to apples.
You are the best headset reviewer on TH-cam keep up the amazing work
Ehhh thanks a bunch
Thank you again for another awesome video! Question about the A50x: can you set an EQ per input so when you cycle to that device, the corresponding EQ is used?
I think I read that you can set it per game.
Wonder if input lag increases with the HDMI passthrough on the Astro A50X?
It doesn't
Do you think it’s worthwhile getting the A50X for £287? I think just returned the Nova Pro which I had for £270 but the mic was awful. The A50X sounds a lot better here.
Does the A50x top headpiece come off like the original A50?
My a50s headband would always fall off my big head cause I would have to stretch them a bit. So I had to put a rubber band on the headband.
Wait, when did the Maxwell add simultaneous BT? I sold mine for that reason. The CEO said it was impossible to add because they only put one BT antenna which is used by the dongle.
I don't think they have, haven't checked on mine as of now, it's not a deal breaker for me, because those 90mm drivers make up for anything else 👌
@@TasmanianTiger88 Oh, that's what I thought. To be fair, BT wasn't the only reason I got rid of it. It was mostly because of the poor soundstage and imaging, but the BT made it unusable for casual play for ME.
Hi techne I play on ps5 only and I have both astro a50x and turtle beach stealth pro I don't know which ones to keep yet which ones would you keep or choose because I don't want to downgrade what's your opinion thank you your the best
Techne is always my go to for new peripherals that come out. Thank you for what you do
thank you for the support!
A lot of people complained about having to buy different base stations for each console.. either way compatibility with all consoles, pc, switch should be the standard.
hi, great video. Here is the summary of the question: I would like to order the Astro A50 X in white version for use on PS5 only. I would like to use this model without the HDMI relay because I want to avoid any form of latency. Is it possible to operate by usb without HDMI? If so, what are the changes to cable and HDMI usage? Is it only the mixed cat?
So I have a ps5 , for competitive gaming which one do you recommend overall if price wasn’t an issue ? I just want the best sound and to be able to hear everything
Thank you for comparing them…es and techno vibe is so cool 🙂
@TheTechne Hope you're doing well. I just bought Nova Pro Wireless last week, and upgrade from my good old 9X. I was thinking to ge tthe Maxwell's, however, simultaneous Bluetooth is very important to me. Did I made the right choice?
No I would not get the audeze Maxwell mine been sitting on my desk for two months now there too too too heavy and there boring and the app sucks and cheap I've just ordered these astro a50x for the PS5 there like the Cadillac of headphones or the king stay safe and happy gaming to all
@@jamesstevens968 "and there boring" - you don't own them mate, stop capping. They're the best earphones on the market for audio quality. That's not even subjective.
@@mdc123-v2vBest on market, except using it on ps5 which dulls the sound down because of atmos/sureound/tempest which is nice to bring forward.
Good mic anyways though
Would this be better than Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS-USB for streaming ? not comparing being wired vs wireless.. just sound quality
Great videos man, but you gotta cross check those facts please! The A50x app you’re touting .. doesn’t work on all platforms, only when you’re connected to xbox and PS…
My #1 concern when shopping for headsets was the mic quality and versatility. I also wanted Bluetooth so I can use the headset on my cell if I wanted to make calls…currently using Beats Studio buds and AirPods Pro and getting tired of having inner ear soreness from long calling sessions when working from home. I am getting my V2 Pros (2023) tomorrow and I am now worried about the issues I keep hearing. Hoping to not deal with that because it was hard enough finding a pair of headphones that did everything I wanted to do with a nice mic without paying over $250
Tube buddy didn't know that the best title would be "I wasn't prepared for what happened when this thing came out of the water while surfing!" and then have a thumbnail with a red arrow pointing to a black circle. and then nothing really happens in the video.
I would go with V2 Pro 2023 from Razer or G Pro X 2 from Logitech. Price performance is right and both are quite comfortable. I would have a question about this 2: G Pro X2 would be better for FPS, but not for COD because it goes around wildly. Would the V2 Pro 2023 be better for COD, as it has fewer pitches and more bass?
Dont go V2 Pro 2023 from Razer, i did that and their headsets are having connectivity issues, they batches are comming defective, had the same issue and when i did my researc they are having a whole lot of headsets defective.
I can hear a slight noise (which you don't notice while playing because you are concentrated). And the volume is reset to MAX again and again when I turn my PS5 back on. Otherwise, they are completely okay. They are just very comfortable
The G Pro X 2 is too over priced for the sound quality and the mic really sucks.
Very thorough, incredible really. Nice work.
thank you
Amazing video as always! What settings did you use on Fortnite for the great positional audio? Was Dolby Atmos used?
no atmos, but I show the eq I preferred in the main vid
Hi, great video. Is it possible to control the A50X's volume and chat/game mix with the DualSense Edge on the PS5? Thanks
I have the SS nova 7 since day 1. Best headset ever
I have the A50 non X and i love them. However the charging dock although the main selling point isa bit fiddly as you dont hit the pins first time. Are the newer ones better?
Literally had my A50s for 2 months and the internal battery popped itself and the gen 4 is insanely hard to find a replacement battery
I'll get them when my A50 Gen 4s stop working but I've had them for years and they still work perfectly. I hope they come out with separate ones for PCs that are cheaper. Just take out all the stuff needed for the consoles and drop the price back down to like $200-$250. If neither of those happen, I'm not getting them.
I very much enjoy your breakdowns/reviews, man. And, this was going well all the way to the end (ha!). I'm not sure how you can flag Astro for the price when you made it clear that most of the headsets in this breakdown are @ the +300 range?! I agree with one of your points - if you are over 300 - you are already in the high end of "gamer" cans, no?! Thanks for all the videos!
I love my Nova Pro. Still need to get wicked cushions though.
I have the A50 gen 4, and the two tiny screws on the left ear cup kept coming out. I had to put loctite on them to get them to stay in. Also the A50 do disconnect a lot while gaming . I thing I'm going to try turtle beach stealth pro
You'll love them. I had the A50s in 2021, Steel Series Arctis Pro in 2022, and went with the Stealth Pro's last month... Normally, I wouldnt have considered the Turtle Beach, but wow, they crushed it. They are significantly better than any headset I've ever had. COD footsteps can be heard with pinpoint accuracy.. feels like im cheating sometimes. Enjoy.
@ambrogi1982 that's what I heard they are great for call of duty
For the Germans
Ich hatte das a50 gen 4 für ps5 (mit usb)
Und hab nun das a50x
Es ist eine Entwicklung, man bekommt wieder eine Bühne, das ins Spiel gesogen werden, die Disco (mit der richtigen Einstellung)
Klare Kauf Empfehlung:)❤️👌
Lautstärke ist höher als beim alten 😁👍🏼