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Posted 20 hours ago

ASTRO Gaming A50 Wireless Gaming Headset + Charging Base Station, Game/Voice Balance Control, 2.4 GHz Wireless, 15 m Range, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Mac - Black/Gold

£9.9£99Clearance
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This headset has the best price-to-quality ratio of any wireless Xbox headset out there, and should be the first thing you consider if you don't need Bluetooth, and don't want to break the bank. Just hold down the red power buttons on both until they start turning white. Once they are fully white, the syncing process will be complete. Plug the headset into the Xbox again and then try to see if the mic is working this time around.

The first solution to try is the simplest one here, which is to just unplug the cord of the Astro A50 from the base. But there is a specific way this needs to be done for the mic to start working again. Firstly, players need to assign a party with the players that they intend to talk to and/or run the game that they plan to play. One more thing that can be done is trying to sync the Astro A50 headset with the base station that you have for it so that the device and its built-in microphone start working properly. Doing so is pretty easy. The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 2) is arguably the best entry-level wireless headset for Xbox users, with direct-to-Xbox connectivity and a decent array of features. It's not to be confused with the Stealth 600 Gen-2 MAX however, which is a different headset entirely (although, confusingly named). The Gen-2 MAX is a fair bit more expensive owing to its monstrous 48-hour batteries and multi-platform USB dongle. This regular Gen-2 is a pure Xbox wireless headset, and I am recommending it for those who want to ditch the cables without ditching their bank liquidity.Once the “Get” becomes “Launch” hit the “Launch button to launch the ASTRO Command Center software. In terms of budgetary overheads, a cheaper wired headset can often output superior sound quality than an equivalently priced wireless headset. Some of that budget goes towards radios and batteries in a wireless headset, whereas a wired headset can pour those savings into higher-quality speakers or overall materials and construction. It's not always the case, to be sure, but it often is. The Elite Pro 2 as a wired headset doesn't sport a huge amount of features that a fully wireless system often does, deferring to 3.5mm connectivity through an Xbox controller as its primary interface with your console. Where it does deliver is big, cavernous sound which works incredibly well coupled with Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos. The sound profile is cinematic while also giving you tactical spatial awareness, and is one of the few headsets I can definitively attribute additional kills to in games like Battlefield and Call of Duty. The microphone is no slouch either, although you probably won't be creating content on it, it does the job for communication online.

Next up, we have our roundup for best wired Xbox headsets. If you don't fancy wireless for whatever reason, whether you just prefer the versatility of 3.5mm across multiple devices like PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and so on, there are other benefits to getting a wired headset.The CloudX also lives up to its namesake, with a cloud-like fit and weight making it one of the most pleasant headsets to wear on the market. There's a reason this headset has only received minimal changes since its introduction over five years ago — if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

For those who think the multi-receiver, ANC-enabled, Bluetooth-laden Arctis Nova Pro might be overkill for their gaming needs, the Astro A50 is the next-best option. The Astro A40 TR + MixAmp is a great set up for content creators, given that you can mix a PC source with a SPDIF optical source (like direct from a TV) and mix the sound devices into a single stream. It's essentially the wired version of the Astro A50, although it's a bit too expensive to recommend generally. (Image credit: Future) How to chooseThat being said, each headset is unique essentially based on a wide variety of factors, so we tend to focus on a general idea of what you'll be getting out of each headset's soundscape. Some headsets prioritize a more realistic and balanced cinematic experience, while others focus on tactical play, emphasizing highs that might give away an enemy position, for example. Some headsets even let you configure this using accompanying apps or software tools, or even onboard switches and features. Turtle Beach's "Super Human Hearing," for example, gives priority to frequencies where sound effects like footsteps or enemy movements may sit. The software will not detect any other ASTRO Gaming products prior to the generations of products mentioned above, and is not compatible with the C40 TR Controller Or A20 Wireless Headsets.

The audio profile on the A50 is balanced and pleasant out of the box, although not what I would call mind-blowing. Using the apps though you can set up dedicated profiles for specific games, which elevates the experience by a large amount. The Stealth 600 audio punches well above its weight, with great bass and treble. The headset also has decent software for added configurations, with decent mic-monitoring side-tone atop a flip-to-mute microphone. Turtle Beach's audio profiles tend to skew toward tactical play, emphasizing sound effects that might give you an edge in games like Call of Duty. I can safely say I have gotten kills as a result of Turtle Beach's headsets due to their sound tuning. Another thing to watch out for are the two different modes that are available on the base station. The Astro A50 headset was made for PC and Xbox gamers alike, and there are two different settings that can be chosen depending on which of the two platforms that users have.Wired headsets on Xbox also come with some basic spatial sound for free using your console's Windows Sonic algorithm, and also some basic mic monitoring through Xbox party chat — although on-board solutions tend to be better, they're usually exclusive to more expensive wireless headsets. Indeed, the main downside of a wired headset is that they often sport less features than wireless headsets. In addition, using a wired headset with an Xbox controller that is plugged in and charging also can introduce nasty distortion into your sound mix, and also for those listening to you through party chat on your microphone. Wireless headsets sidestep some of these limitations, but it comes at a price. While writing this guide, I paid careful attention to the fact that not every headset is ideal for every person. There's certainly not a "one-size-fits-all" approach to choosing the best Xbox headset for you, especially when you consider things like features you want (or need), and what your general setup is like.

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