As an extra treat, we also got the chance to sample the Astro A50 Mod Kit for the Astro A50 Wireless Gaming Headset we reviewed here. The A50 Mod Kit allows you to swap out the soft fabric ear cups and headband padding with leatherette ones. For gamers that prefer the value of sound isolation over the impressive comfort level of the A50’s standard paddings, this is a welcomed option. Aside from its practical audio application, the A50 Mod Kit is also a means of changing the look of your A50, swapping out its somewhat more colorful components with a subtle solid black variant. This kit, of course, works for both the Xbox One/PC and the PS4/PC versions of the latest (3rd) generation of the Astro A50 Wireless Gaming Headset.
The ear pads themselves are exceptionally easy to swap out as they are connected with magnets. The headbands are a bit trickier to remove however, challenging you to apply just the right about of strength and force to get the job done. There are little plastic hooks that keep the headband secure, leading to a sturdy overall wearing experience. With that sturdiness comes some resistance to swapping, which is intimidating considering that you do not want to risk hurting your $300 A50 in the process.
As a testament to the A50’s build, the headset’s frame seemed strong enough to withstand considerable tugging and pulling when trying to dislodge the headband. So consider it simply one of those things where if you do it once, you can comfortably do it again and again with much less worry.
As for the most important aspect, the comfort and added performance, I can start off by saying that these leatherette components are definitely comfortable in their own right. I personally prefer and mostly use leatherette padded headphones in general as I want that passive sound isolation. These pads are pretty comfortable and felt right at home with me. Sound is definitely more isolated with the leatherette pads than with the standard A50 fabric pads. I felt like it allowed me to appreciate the A50’s excellent sound quality that much more.
That said, I do honestly feel that the A50’s standard fabric paddings are more comfortable than the leatherette ones. I say that as a point of comparison and not to say that the leatherette set makes the A50 uncomfortable. The leatherette ear pads however do improve the sound isolation to the point that convinced me that they should be on the A50 at all times. As for the headband, I could honestly take or leave it. The fabric headband just felt more comfortable on my hairless head than the leatherette one. So I found the hybrid of the standard fabric headband with the A50 Mod Kit leatherette ear pads allowed for the optimal enjoyment of the A50.
I do like what the A50 Mod Kit brings to the table in terms of options for the 3rd gen Astro A50 Wireless Gaming Headset. The Astro A50 Wireless Gaming Headset comes in at $300 and is meant to be a long term investment. So this kit gives your A50 more after-purchase options to bring the A50 closer to your idea of the perfect headset. For $40, you can get the A50 Mod Kit for your Xbox One or PS4 A50 Headset here…
