Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

Wait, really? Why? Just to fuck the consumer? That sucks.

Most of the new mixamps will work with one console and PCs and Macs. None worth with both consoles.

The A50 wireless one does. (I bought it a year ago, and I use it with both consoles.)

You must have bought the Gen 2 -- right before the Gen 3 A50s came out.

The Gen 2 has that small mixamp that works on both Xbone and PS4 regardless of which version you have.

The Gen 3s use a base station that does not work on both consoles. They just finally started selling the base-stations a la carte though, so if you really want to use the new A50s (with the DRASTICALLY improved battery life and other minor upgrades) with both consoles, you can just spend another $100 to get one more base station and have one headset working on both.

Well, that's crappy. I may be misremembering (it's been a while), but the Astros rep at the PAX booth in 2015 told me that they had to change the system to have digital audio for the comms on Xbox (PS4 always had it). The new models were about to come out at that time.

Yeah... I talked to the Astro guys at their PAX booth in 2016, and the new models still hadn't come out (but were about to within a couple months).

Yeah, I think you're talking about the new A50. He didn't mention that to me in 2015, he only mentioned a new wired mixamp for the Xbox that would use USB for comm audio like the PS4 always has. The catch was platform exclusivity.

Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

Wait, really? Why? Just to fuck the consumer? That sucks.

Most of the new mixamps will work with one console and PCs and Macs. None worth with both consoles.

The A50 wireless one does. (I bought it a year ago, and I use it with both consoles.)

You must have bought the Gen 2 -- right before the Gen 3 A50s came out.

The Gen 2 has that small mixamp that works on both Xbone and PS4 regardless of which version you have.

The Gen 3s use a base station that does not work on both consoles. They just finally started selling the base-stations a la carte though, so if you really want to use the new A50s (with the DRASTICALLY improved battery life and other minor upgrades) with both consoles, you can just spend another $100 to get one more base station and have one headset working on both.

Well, that's crappy. I may be misremembering (it's been a while), but the Astros rep at the PAX booth in 2015 told me that they had to change the system to have digital audio for the comms on Xbox (PS4 always had it). The new models were about to come out at that time.

Yeah... I talked to the Astro guys at their PAX booth in 2016, and the new models still hadn't come out (but were about to within a couple months). I had the Gen 2 PS4 model that I used on both systems at the time, but the battery life sucked, and I still hated having to use a chat cable from my headset to the controller on the Xbone. He actually recommended that I return them to Best Buy and get the new Gen 3s as soon as they were available (I had told him that I had the replacement plan). I knew that would mean losing the cross-platform functionality, but since I don't touch my Xbone very often I figured it was worth it.

I recently started playing my Xbox more again though, so I just pulled the trigger on getting another base station. It kinda sucks to spend that extra $100, but I'll actually have a set I really like that will work on both systems and be truly wireless. (It really bothered me that I was paying so much for a wireless headset and Microsoft still forced me to have a wire going from my head to my lap. Apparently the Gen 3 A50s with the new base stations are actually wireless now on Xbox)

Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

Wait, really? Why? Just to fuck the consumer? That sucks.

Most of the new mixamps will work with one console and PCs and Macs. None worth with both consoles.

The A50 wireless one does. (I bought it a year ago, and I use it with both consoles.)

You must have bought the Gen 2 -- right before the Gen 3 A50s came out.

The Gen 2 has that small mixamp that works on both Xbone and PS4 regardless of which version you have.

The Gen 3s use a base station that does not work on both consoles. They just finally started selling the base-stations a la carte though, so if you really want to use the new A50s (with the DRASTICALLY improved battery life and other minor upgrades) with both consoles, you can just spend another $100 to get one more base station and have one headset working on both.

Well, that's crappy. I may be misremembering (it's been a while), but the Astros rep at the PAX booth in 2015 told me that they had to change the system to have digital audio for the comms on Xbox (PS4 always had it). The new models were about to come out at that time.

Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

Wait, really? Why? Just to fuck the consumer? That sucks.

Most of the new mixamps will work with one console and PCs and Macs. None worth with both consoles.

The A50 wireless one does. (I bought it a year ago, and I use it with both consoles.)

You must have bought the Gen 2 -- right before the Gen 3 A50s came out.

The Gen 2 has that small mixamp that works on both Xbone and PS4 regardless of which version you have.

The Gen 3s use a base station that does not work on both consoles. They just finally started selling the base-stations a la carte though, so if you really want to use the new A50s (with the DRASTICALLY improved battery life and other minor upgrades) with both consoles, you can just spend another $100 to get one more base station and have one headset working on both.

Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

Wait, really? Why? Just to fuck the consumer? That sucks.

Most of the new mixamps will work with one console and PCs and Macs. None worth with both consoles.

The A50 wireless one does. (I bought it a year ago, and I use it with both consoles.)

So you DO play on your PS4! :)

Yeah, I did say wired headsets. The gen2 mixamp I bought in 2015 works with both (or did). I'm sure it's just me, but I've routinely had problems with Astros--and after the plastic parts of my A40s started breaking down (granted, after several years of use), I began looking at alternatives. When the connections on my gen2 mixamp started acting up, I had to find a used one because Astro doesn't sell that model mixamp anymore. If I knew of a similar option other than the super-expensive Creative SoundBlaster, I'd be on it. I might be interested in the Sennheiser except that they look like they're not very adjustable (I've got a huge noggin), and I doubt that they sound better than what I have already invested in.

Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

Wait, really? Why? Just to fuck the consumer? That sucks.

Most of the new mixamps will work with one console and PCs and Macs. None worth with both consoles.

The A50 wireless one does. (I bought it a year ago, and I use it with both consoles.)

Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

Wait, really? Why? Just to fuck the consumer? That sucks.

Most of the new mixamps will work with one console and PCs and Macs. None worth with both consoles.

If you start a party, bring up the new Guide, then scroll down to the settings gear, you are *supposed* to get a settings pane that shows mic enable/disable, and mic monitoring volume.

If this works, it would solve my problem! However, since I'll be using headphones more often now, some of these posted models look sweet too. Either way it seems I can get what I want.

Thanks everyone!

As for playing back your own vocals? Maybe there's a setting somewhere in the XB1 audio options. I don't think that's specific to any given headset.

Yup. Mic monitoring.

It is practically hidden in the latest version of the dash-- so much so that I can't seem to reliably access it.

If you start a party, bring up the new Guide, then scroll down to the settings gear, you are *supposed* to get a settings pane that shows mic enable/disable, and mic monitoring volume.

However, many times it just doesn't show up-- you only get the option for "all settings" and these headset-specific options are no longer on the page for the other audio settings.

I know we discussed this last night during the raid, i just wanted to post here so others will see it as well.

Mic monitoring is available in menu if your mic is plugged directly into the controller's 3.5mm jack. So you can't use the adapter that comes with most headsets. On the elite controller, there is 3.5mm jack to the left of the headset adapter plug. I don't know if these are on the standard controllers, or just an elite thing.

Once you are plugged directly into that jack, you can hit the guide button and go down to the little speaker icon right above the settings gear cog icon. It will have mic monitoring options there. If you have an adapter plugged in, that menu will only show BEAM streaming options.

Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

Wait, really? Why? Just to fuck the consumer? That sucks.

For whatever it's worth, I think the wireless A50s are totally worth the money. Didn't think it'd be such a big deal, but being wireless is really great. And it works on both platforms. The only negative is that they're sort of uncomfortable with glasses, but I haven't really found a headset that isn't. It's totally fine, it just takes a little extra time and effort to get them set just right to be comfortable.

That said, I'd totally consider those Sennheisers if I was looking. I've head multiple sets of Sennheisers for music and I've loved them all. I think very highly of their headphones, so I'd expect their gaming specific sets are probably pretty good too.

It ticks me off how troublesome and inflexible headsets are--even the ones that are expensive. Looking at you, Astros. I had problems the first six months I had an Xbox until I settled on a piecemeal solution. I had to buy a replacement for the mixamp I have from eBay--Astros has made it so the new ones for wired headsets are single platform only. :(

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KK8ZLEC/ref=twister_B00OZP5HG8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Planning on getting a Switch by the end of the year and maybe a PS4 (or whatever Sony announced next) next year. A MixAmp that works with all of those and the One would be nice. :)

It relies on having optical out for the 5.1 positional audio. If the switch does not have that, then you are going to be in stereo land. I remember someone mentioned here that the new slim PS4 systems also don't have optical out.

There is a breakout cable included which has mic and stereo headphone plugs though. I have no idea if you actually need the mixamp for chat.

I understand there's be no problem using it on the PC, but how about other consoles?

Works fine on the PS4. Mine is older and it works great.

As for playing back your own vocals? Maybe there's a setting somewhere in the XB1 audio options. I don't think that's specific to any given headset.

Yup. Mic monitoring.

It is practically hidden in the latest version of the dash-- so much so that I can't seem to reliably access it.

If you start a party, bring up the new Guide, then scroll down to the settings gear, you are *supposed* to get a settings pane that shows mic enable/disable, and mic monitoring volume.

However, many times it just doesn't show up-- you only get the option for "all settings" and these headset-specific options are no longer on the page for the other audio settings.