A50 Headset + PlayStation 5 Setup Guide

This guide will provide you with all the information you will need to set up your A50 Wireless + Base Station Gen 4 with your PlayStation 5.

Note that since the PlayStation 5 does not include an optical port we have created the ASTRO HDMI Adapter for PlayStation 5 for outputting optical audio to your A50 Base Station. On PS5, the optical connection is needed to enable EQ profiles, Dolby surround sound processing, and Game:Voice balancing with the A50 Wireless + Base Station. This guide shows setup with the ASTRO HDMI Adapter but other HDMI Adapters can also be used if they include an optical output and support the HDMI version for the video features, resolutions, and refresh rates you need in your setup. Also, if your TV or monitor has its own optical output with bitstream / Dolby passthrough then you can connect your Base Station directly with the optical port on your display — no HDMI Adapter needed.

More information on the ASTRO HDMI Adapter for PlayStation 5 can be read here.

Here is the ASTRO equipment you will need to connect:

A50 Headset
A50 Base Station
Optical cable
2x Micro USB cable
ASTRO HDMI Adapter for PlayStation 5
HDMI 2.0b cable

Setup Video

Step by Step

Step 1: Make sure that both your A50 Headset and Base Station are updated to the latest available firmware from the ASTRO Command Center Software using a PC or Mac by following the instructions in this quick video tutorial.

Step 2: Connect the short HDMI cable into the HDMI Out port on your PlayStation 5.

Step 3: Connect the other end of the same HDMI cable into your PlayStation 5.

Step 4: Connect the Micro USB end of the second Micro USB cable into the Micro USB port on your HDMI Adapter.

Step 5: Connect the USB-A end of the same cable with a USB-A port on your PlayStation 5.

Step 6: Connect the HDMI cable that came with your PlayStation 5, or another HDMI 2.0b or HDMI 2.1 cable, into the HDMI Out port on your HDMI Adapter.

Be aware of the HDMI specification of the cable you are using as this is important for unlocking video options like 4K resolution and 120 Hz at 1080p. The cable included with the PS5 is HDMI 2.1.

Step 7: Connect the other end with an HDMI port on your display.

**Important Note: most TVs and displays only have one or two HDMI ports that support HDMI 2.0 or high bandwidth connections needed for 120+ Hz refresh rates. Also, many monitors only support 4K resolution or high refresh rates over their DisplayPort connections.

Step 8: Connect the Micro USB end of the included cable with the A50 Base Station’s Micro USB port.

Step 9: Make sure your Base Station is in PlayStation mode using the switch on the back of your Base Station.

Step 10: Connect the USB-A end of the same cable into your PlayStation 5.

Step 11: Connect one end of the included TOSlink optical cable with the Optical Out port on your HDMI Adapter.

Step 12: Connect the other end of the optical cable with the optical port on your A50 Base Station.

Step 13: Turn on your PlayStation 5.

Step 14: Navigate to the Settings menu on your PlayStation 5.

Step 15: Select the Sound menu option.

Step 16: Under Microphone settings, ensure that Input Device is set to USB Headset (Astro A50).

Step 17: Under Audio Output, set the Output Device to USB Headset (Astro A50).

Step 18: Under Headphones, set Output to Headphones to Chat Audio.

**Important Note: you should select Chat Audio and NOT All Audio so that voice chat is transmitted over the USB connection and game audio is transmitted over the HDMI connection. This enables the Game:Voice balance, EQ profile, and Dolby processing on your A50 Headset.

Step 19: Change HDMI Device Type to AV amplifier.

Step 20: Under AV amplifier, change Number of Channels to 5.1 ch.

Step 21: Under General, change Audio Format (Priority) to Bitstream (Dolby).

Step 22: Mute or turn down the speakers on your TV or home theater system.

Step 23: You’re good to go! Be sure to check in-game options regarding potential player muting or other audio setup, as these features can differ from game to game. Your A50’s mic can also be manually muted using the headset’s flip-to-mute microphone.

For information on video settings and how to achieve 120 Hz when connecting with an HDMI Adapter, see our ASTRO HDMI Adapter Frame Rates and Resolutions guide.