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ASTRO ship their A50 in a large box with a clear image of the headset on the front. The back lists some of the more prominent features and an overview of the available functions. The outside of the box is a cover that easily slides off and reveals the inner box.
The inner box contains no real information about the headset but it does showcase some attractive artwork.
Inside the box we find the headset stand, a USB power cable, a USB charging cable, an Xbox Live Chat Cable, an optical cable, the MixAmp, the headset and a quick start guide.
The display stand consists of three parts: a base, spine and beak. These slide in place to form a solid display stand, though the assembly did require some force. Luckily, ASTRO has incorporated high quality plastic which can withstand a decent amount of pressure. The manual states the stand is not meant to be taken apart after assembly, though I did find it is not entirely impossible, just difficult.
The display stand also functions as a base for the included MixAmp.
The top of the headband has a foam inner layer and the ASTRO brand name is displayed across its length.
The back of the right earcup houses the power button and EQ mode slider. Above the power button is an LED that lights up red when the headset is in use or is finished charging and blinks when it is running low on power. It lights up orange when the headset is charging and white when in pairing mode.
Below these controls we find the Master Volume wheel. The wheel has a rubber texture which makes it easy to control, without having to worry about your fingers sliding off.
Moving on to the outer shell of the right-hand earcup we can see the Game/Voice mixing functions. By pressing either side you can either isolate game sounds or decrease them to amplify voice chat. Here we can also see the only visible wiring on the headset on both sides which has been coiled in the middle.
The A50 headset has a boom mic which is activated automatically when placed in a down or forward position. Muting the mic is done by simply swinging it back into its upright position. The boom is slightly curved and flexibly, ensuring it doesn't snap off if you move it down too enthusiastically.
