- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Design
- Sound
- Isolation
- Microphone
- Active Features
- Connectivity
- In the box
- Compared
- Conclusion
- Discussions
Astro A10
HEADPHONES REVIEW
Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
- 25% Critical Listening
- 25% Office
- 25% Commute/Travel
- 10% Sports/Fitness
- 9% Gaming
- 6% TV
- 80% Sound
- 10% Build Quality
- 7% Comfort
- 3% Breathability
- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC Pairing
- 24% Stability
- 23% Portability
- 11% Sound
- 10% Breathability
- 8% Comfort
- 6% Wireless Range
- 5% Controls
- 5% Battery
- 4% Noise Isolation
- 4% Leakage
- 24% Comfort
- 21% Sound
- 16% Noise Isolation
- 8% Leakage
- 7% Battery
- 7% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 4% Build Quality
- 4% Microphone
- 2% Controls
- <1% Multi-Device Pairing
- <1% USB Audio
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Latency
- <1% Analog Audio
- <1% Line In
- <1% USB Input
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Power Supply
- <1% Dock Charging
- 22% Sound
- 17% Comfort
- 15% Default Latency
- 10% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Build Quality
- 4% Optical Input
- 3% Battery
- 3% Analog Audio
- 3% Leakage
- 2% Noise Isolation
- 2% RCA Input
- 2% Multi-Device Pairing
- 2% Line In
- 2% Line Out
- 2% Power Supply
- 1% Dock Charging
- 20% Sound
- 20% Default Latency
- 15% Comfort
- 12% Microphone
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Battery
- 5% Base/Dock
- 3% Build Quality
- 3% Wireless Range
- 3% Microphone Control
- 2% Channel Mixing
- 2% Wired
- 2% Volume Control
- 2% App Support
- 1% Bluetooth
The Astro A10 are above-average gaming headphones with a decent sound but limited customization options. They have a decently comfortable fit and negligible latency since they're wired. Unfortunately, this means they're not as convenient as the Astro A50 and other wireless gaming headsets we've tested. They also have no app support and lack a few connectivity options to make them a good gaming headset. Note that we tested the Xbox One variant of this headset, but we expect similar results for the PS4 variant.
| Design | 6.5 |
| Sound | 7.3 |
| Isolation | 4.7 |
| Microphone | 8.6 |
| Active Features | 0 |
| Connectivity | 5.5 |
- Decent sound quality.
- Low latency wired connection.
- Decently comfortable and durable design.
- Poor control scheme.
- Poor noise isolation.
- No customization options.
Check Price
Design
- 28% Comfort
- 5% Controls
- 10% Breathability
- 12% Portability
- 4% Case
- 29% Build Quality
- 12% Stability
The Astro A10 have a sturdy and durable design. They are not as versatile as the Astro A20 but they are decently comfortable but a bit tight on the head. This makes them a bit more stable than most gaming headphones but they still won't be ideal for strenuous activities like exercising or sports. They also have a fairly barebones control scheme that only provides volume control and no microphone, multi-purpose button, or channel mixing options.
The Astro A10 have the same design as the A50 but feel a bit cheaper and more plasticky. They're a bit more discrete than the A50, only having bright colors inside the ear cups a few highlights on the boom mic but they still look like gaming headphones you wouldn't use outdoors especially since you can't remove the microphone. On the upside, the headband looks and feels sturdier than the more expensive model and the microfiber covered ear pads give it a slightly more high-end vibe than the HyperX Cloud Stinger or the Logitech G430. They're bulkier than the Logitech G Pro and the Turtle Beach Recon 50X.
The A10 are comfortable headphones with decently spacious ear cups that fit well around most listeners' ears. They're tighter on the head than the Astro A50 which may get a bit fatiguing during long gaming sessions, and they're also somewhat bulky and heavy. But on the upside, they're well padded and covered in a microfiber coating that feels nice on the skin. They won't be the ideal headphones for all listeners due to their tight fit, but they should be comfortable enough for most.
- 21% Ease of use
- 21% Feedback
- 14% Call/Music Control
- 14% Volume Control
- 10% Microphone Control
- 5% Channel Mixing
- 10% Noise Canceling Control
- 5% Talk-Through
The Astro A10 have have a limited button layout that only gives you control over the volume. You can't turn off or reduce the microphone level, there's no multipurpose button or additional features, and the volume slider doesn't have any discrete points for those who prefer a consistent volume setting. On the upside, the volume slider, being the only control option you have, is pretty easy-to-use.
- 100% Avg.Temp.Difference
- 20% Volume
- 80% Transmitter required
The Astro A 10 are decently well-built despite being made entirely out of plastic. They do not have the premium design of the A50s but the headband is more flexible and feels a lot more durable. The ear cups are also dense enough to withstand a couple of drops and mild impacts without getting damaged. The cable is thick, rubberized and detachable so you can always replace it if ever it gets worn down by regular wear and tear.
The A10, like most gaming headphones, are not made for sports and therefore do not have a very stable design. They are quite tight on the head which makes them a bit more stable than most, but they will quickly fall if used while exercising or doing more strenuous activities. On the upside, the cable is detachable so if ever it gets hooked by something it will not pull the headphones off your head.
Sound
- 21% Bass
- 20% Mid
- 19% Treble
- 5% Frequency Response Consistency
- 9% Imaging
- 20% Soundstage
- 6% Total Harmonic Distortion
The Astro A10 is a decent sounding pair of closed-back over-ear headphones. Their bass delivery is consistent, well-extended, and punchy, but a bit hyped which slightly overpowers lead instruments. Their mid-range is decent but sounds a bit honky on vocals. They also have a well-balanced treble and very good imaging which is important for accurate localization of instruments and sound effects. Additionally, they don't have a large and out-of-head soundstage, and their distortion is rather elevated.
- 90% Std. Err.
- 10% Low-Frequency Extension
The Astro A10 have a very good bass. Their low-end (LFE) is extended down to 18Hz, which is great. This means the A10 won't have any problems producing low rumbles and thumps. Mid-bass shows a wide 5dB bump that extends into high-bass. This adds a bit of excess punch and body to the bass and kick instruments. Overall, the bass is deep and punchy but slightly overpowering.
- 100% Std. Err.
The mid-range of the Astro A10 is about average. Low-mid is quite flat and within 0.2dB of our target response. The 10dB dip around 650Hz, could push vocals and lead instruments slightly to the back of the mix, but because the dip is quite narrow, this effect will be subtle. The 5dB bump in high-mid however, will have a noticeable effect by adding to the intensity and projection of lead instruments. Overall, the mid-range sounds a bit uneven and honky.
- 100% Std. Err.
The Astro A10 have a good treble. The response is mostly flat and well-balanced. The only remark is the notch around 5KHz, which has a subtle negative effect on the detail and articulation of vocals and other lead instruments. Overall, the treble of the Astro is quite well-balanced, and the notch at 5KHz won't be an issue for most.
- 100% Avg. Std. Deviation
The Astro A10 performed well in our frequency response consistency test. The maximum deviation across our human subjects in the bass range is less than 3dB, which is great. In the treble range, below 10KHz, the maximum deviation is about 6dB, which is good. This means that these headphones will have good consistency in delivering bass and treble across different users and re-seats.
The imaging of the Astro A10 is very good. Their weighted group delay is 0.31, which is good. The graph shows that the group delay never goes above our audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and transparent treble. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were exceptionally matched helping with accurate localization and placement of object (such as voices, footsteps, and instruments) in the stereo image.
- 15% PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
- 15% PRTF Size (Avg.)
- 30% PRTF Distance
- 20% Openness
- 10% Acoustic Space Excitation
- 10% Correlated Crosstalk
The soundstage of the Astro A10 is sub-par. The ear cups of the A10 are relatively deep, which could explain the decent shape of the PRTF. However, its level (PRTF Size) is quite low, and the 10KHz notch (PRTF Distance) is almost non-existent. The resulting soundstage will be perceived to be relatively open and larger than that of on-ears and in-ears, however, it won't have an out-of-head quality like the HD 800 S does.
- 50% Weighted THD @ 90
- 50% Weighted THD @ 100
The harmonic distortion performance of the Astro is about average. The overall amount of harmonic distortion is quite low and within very good limits, however, the spikes in THD at 200Hz and especially at 5KHz, could make the sound of those frequencies a bit harsh and brittle.
Isolation
The Astro A10 do not have the best isolation although they create a fairly good seal around your ears. This is most likely due to the slightly porous padding material used to improve breathability but it also makes them worse to use in loud, noisy environments like a gaming competition. You will easily hear the chatter and ambient noise of your surroundings and the headphones leak quite a bit at higher volumes so they also won't be ideal to use in quieter environments without distracting those around you.
- 29% Bass
- 29% Mid
- 28% Treble
- 14% Self-Noise
The isolation of the Astro A10 is sub-par. In the bass range, which is important for blocking out the rumble of airplane and bus engines, they provide no isolation. In the mid-range, where the bulk of voice frequencies are located, these headphones achieve a poor isolation of only 2dB. In the treble range, where sharp sounds such as S and Ts sit, they reduce outside noise by a decent 22dB.
The leakage of the Astro A10 is mediocre. The significant portion of their leakage is spread between 500Hz and 6KHz, which is a relatively broad range. The average level of leakage, however, is not very loud. Overall, the leakage sounds fuller than that of in-ears/earbuds and could become audible to people around you at loud volumes and in moderately quiet environments.
Microphone
- 50% Recording Quality
- 50% Noise Handling
The boom microphone of the Astro A10 is excellent. Speech recorded/transmitted with the mic will sound full, rich, and detailed, but lacking a little bit in airiness. This won't affect the intelligibility of transmitted speech, and it will be easily comprehensible. It also does very well in noisy situations and is able to separate speech from ambient noise even in very loud environments, such as a subways station.
- 20% LFE
- 25% FR Std. Dev.
- 30% HFE
- 20% Weighted THD
- 5% Gain
The recording quality of the boom mic is excellent. The LFE (low-frequency extension) of 20Hz, indicates that speech recorded/transmitted will sound quite rich and full. The HFE (high-frequency extension) of 6KHz, indicates speech that sounds quite bright and detailed, but lacking in brilliance and airiness.
- 100% SpNR
The microphone of the Astro A10 is great at noise handling. In our test, the microphone achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 38dB, making these headsets suitable for even very loud environments.
Active Features
- 90% Battery
- 10% App Support
These headphones do not have any active features.
- 60% Battery Life
- 25% Charge Time
- 10% Power Saving Feature
- 5% Audio while charging
These headphones are passive and have no battery life.
The Astro A10 are not compatible with Astro Command Center.
Connectivity
- 10% Bluetooth
- 33% Wired
- 10% Base/Dock
- 22% Wireless Range
- 25% Latency
These headphones only have a wired connection. On the upside, they are compatible with most consoles, and they have negligible latency which is good for gaming and watching movies.
- 80% Multi-Device Pairing
- 20% NFC
- <1% PS4 Compatible
- <1% Xbox One Compatible
These headphones are wired and do not have a Bluetooth connection. If you want a gaming headset that supports Bluetooth check out the Turtle Beach Elite 800.
- 13% Analog
- 9% USB
- 26% PS4 Compatible
- 26% Xbox One Compatible
- 26% PC Compatible
The A10 have a wired connection that provides volume control and microphone compatibility support for consoles as long as you plug them into the Xbox or PS4 controllers.
- 5% Optical Input
- 22% Line In
- 5% Line Out
- 22% USB Input
- 4% RCA Input
- 9% PS4 Compatible
- 9% Xbox One Compatible
- 9% PC Compatible
- 2% Power Supply
- 13% Dock Charging
The Astro A10 do not have a dock. If you need a headset with a dock that also has a wired connection for gaming or watching movies, then consider the SteelSeries Arctis 7.
- 77% Obstructed Range
- 23% Line of Sight Range
These headphones do not have a wireless range since they only connect via a regular audio cable with an in-line remote.
- 34% Default Latency
- 33% aptX Latency
- 33% aptX(LL) Latency
The wired connection of these headphones has negligible latency which is suitable for gaming and home-theater.
In the box
- Astro A10 Headphones
- Audio cable
- Manual
Compared to other Headphones
The A10 are simple, wired gaming headphones. They have an excellent microphone and a low latency connection but won't be as versatile as some of the other wireless gaming headsets in this comparison. They also have no customization options which is a little disappointing. See our recommendations for the best wireless gaming headsets, the best headsets for Xbox One, and the best PS4 headsets.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger is a better headset than the Astro A10. It is more comfortable and isolates noise better than the A10. It sounds better, but is prone to inconsistencies in its bass and treble delivery among wearers, where the Astro A10 doesn’t have this problem. The Astro A10 is slightly better designed, though, and feels more well-built. The microphone performance of these two headsets is very similar, but the recording quality of the Astro A10s is a bit better. They’re both decent gaming headsets, but the Astro A10 are usually more expensive than the HyperX Cloud Stinger. If you care more about build quality, get the A10; if you prefer better sound, go for the Stinger.
The Astro A20 Wireless are better gaming headphones than the Astro A10. Their wireless design gives you more freedom and more range to play from your couch. You also get channel mixing and a mic mute switch, which are features the A10 is lacking. On the other hand, the A10 will give you a gaming experience without any delay and their microphone is noticeably better than the wireless A20. However, the A20 have better sound quality and have a companion app that lets you EQ the sound to your liking. Unfortunately, you can’t use the headset wired, so you’ll need to keep it charged, which you won’t have to do with the wired A10.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 are a slightly better gaming headset than the Astro A10, mostly due to their slightly more convenient wireless design. However, if you prefer a wired option, the A10 are a better choice. The Stealth 600 have a better range, and they're a bit more comfortable. They also have a better default sound quality than the Astro A10, but not by much. On the upside, the Astro are better built and feel a lot more durable than the Turtle Beach. They also have no battery life to worry about since they are wired.
The Astro A10 are a better wired gaming headset than the Turtle Beach Stealth 300. The A10s have a better build quality with a more premium-looking design than the Stealth 300. They also sound better and have a better boom mic for voice chat. The Stealth 300, on the other hand, are a bit more comfortable than the Astro since they're not as tight on the head. Also, since the Stealth 300 are active, you can switch between 4 audio presets directly on the headphones. This makes them slightly more customizable than the Astros, although a full app would have been preferable.
The SteelSeries Arctis 3 2019 Edition are better headphones than the Astro A10. They are more comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions, have a better control scheme, and have a slightly better sounding audio quality. The Arctis 3 are also Bluetooth-compatible, which means you can stream music from your phone while playing on consoles. On the other hand, the Astro A10 feel slightly better made and less plasticky than the Arctis 3, but that’s about it.
