Astro Gaming recently launched the newest version of the A50 wireless gaming headset, and it promises to deliver the best audio experience a gamer can get.
Technical product manager at Astro Gaming, James Lang, explains that there are two new versions of the A50: one for the PlayStation 4/PC and the other for Xbox One/PC. Both include a base station for charging, and the A50 itself has about 15 hours of battery life. The included base station (which can be purchased separately) has battery status and headset mode indicators, and complements the Astro Command software suite, which lets users customize their presets and equalizer settings.
Additionally, the base station accepts multiple audio inputs and combines it into one stream, which helps console gamers put their content onto video services such as YouTube or Twitch without needing additional audio equipment. Other features include microphone settings to optimize for home gaming tournaments or streaming, but the A50 cannot be used at eSports tournaments because rules prohibit wireless headsets.
The A50 also includes one of Astro’s signature features: support for mod kits. The headset has a removable headband and ear cups, which can be switched out for customized versions. But unlike models such as the A40 TR, the A50 does not support customizable headphone tags to show off support for artists or brands. The A50 currently has one mod kit at launch—black leather ear cups for improved noise isolation—but more are expected to release sometime in the future. Astro Gaming has worked with publishers to create game-branded mods for its headsets before, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the company were to do it again with the A50.
Although the A50 and Astro Command software has many tools for streamers to use, Lang explains that the headset is still targeted for the broad gaming audience.
“I think there’s a lot of crossover now,” Lang said. “A lot of people who are streaming are also just hardcore gamers. Anyone who has the desire for the best audio experience in their homes is our target user.”
With developers such as EA putting increased emphasis on home tournaments, we asked Lang whether this approach was impacting the way Astro approached headset design and promotion. “We’ve always had a focus on eSports and pro gaming,” Lang replied. He discussed how the company got its start ten years ago in the Halo pits by offering efficient communications solutions so that players wouldn’t have to wear a hodgepodge of different devices.
“We’re one of the first companies to take eSports and pro gaming seriously, so that’s always been in our DNA. Everything we do is focused at that consumer, the aspiring home pro, or streamer,” he said.
Since pro-teams can’t use the A50 in tournaments, we asked if that posed additional challenges to promoting it compared to Astro’s other headsets. Lang said, “I don’t think so. We’re a pro gaming company through-and-through.” The A50 uses much of the same technology as last year’s A40 TR, but wireless. “It takes all of those pro elements and puts it in a more user-friendly, wireless environment.”
Lang also discussed how Astro engaged with current fans by taking their needs into consideration when designing the new headset. Astro took all feedback it received over the past five years to help design a headset from the ground up. While the iconic design of the Astro headset remains relatively unchanged, the internal technology was rebuilt for a truly superior audio experience.
Astro continues to stand out from the competition using a “laser-focus on who our consumer is,” Lang explained. “We have a lot of respect for pro gaming, and we have a lot of pro gamers in the office. So, we pay lot of attention to what their needs are and we deliver on it without a lot of gimmicks. That’s always been our ethos; solve the problems that pro gamers have, then those solutions tend to work for lots of different people.”
Lang compared Astro’s pedigree in pro gaming to how Porsche and Ferrari have pedigrees in pro racing.
A significant percentage of Astro’s audience is comprised of aspiring pro gamers. When asked what he thought the difference was between a pro gamer and gaming enthusiast, Lang replied “Dedication. People in all walks of life may have the talent, but not the drive. Or they don’t have or want to spend ten hours a day [practicing].” Lang added that most of what it boils down to is the question: “Are you going to put in the practice necessary to make it?”
Promotional videos and streams can only go so far when conveying an audio experience. So how does Astro get gamers to try on its headsets to fully understand the experience? “That’s a big challenge for us,” Lang said. “That’s why we go to so many events. We’re always at PAX and we were at Rooster Teeth this year, and we will be in the future.”
Astro Gaming has been the official headset at PAX events for the past few years. At events, the company partners with a variety of game developers and studios to showcase their games at their booths because “they understand that their game shows better when it’s using good audio.” Astro has also worked with developers to create custom presets for their games.
“Once you get them on someone’s head, 90 percent of the time, people get it,” Lang added. “It clicks immediately, and I honestly think using a headset is better than using a surround sound system, especially with first-person shooters and games that have audio cues. You’re much more in tune with the positional cues than you are with a surround sound system.”
When asked how Astro approached audio design for uses outside of gaming, such as movies and music, Lang said, “As long as you create a good audio experience, it should be compatible across whatever media you’re listening to.”
So, what are the critical elements to a high-end audio experience? “Comfort,” said Lang. “It starts with comfort. If it’s not comfortable, it doesn’t really matter how good it sounds, because you’re not going to want to wear it. Then it’s just tuning the audio to get it just right.”
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