Advice on setting up Astro A50 Wireless Headset

[Nortski]

So recently I received some PPI money and did the only logical thing with it.....bought a whole new Ryzen rig

I have a pair of Astro A50 Wireless headphones that I want to use with my new system. However; my new motherboard is the MSI Tomahawk B350 which does not have an toslink optical out port. It is my understanding that this is a requirement to be able to connect my headphones to it, via the MixAmp.

So my question is really: which sound card do you recommend that I purchase or is there another way I can connect my headphones and utilise the 7.1 audio?

Thanks in advance guys

 

[Nortski]

So I've just realised that that was a really dumb question as I've just plugged it into a USB port and hey presto!

So; can the USB port really output 7.1 audio?

 

[Dawelio]

So I've just realised that that was a really dumb question as I've just plugged it into a USB port and hey presto!

So; can the USB port really output 7.1 audio?

It won't be native/real 7.1 though... Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

When I had my Logitech G35's that are USB, I just went into windows and just used 2.1 basically, as it sounded just as good, if not better, than virtual 7.1.

 

[Nortski]

Would that be the same situation if I had a 7.1 sound card? I've read somewhere that the MixAmp that come's with the A50 processes the audio so there's little point getting a sound card.

So why is there an optical in port on this MixAmp then?

 

[NeverBackDown]

Any headphone has virtual 7.1. there's very few that have the physical drivers. Now this is my opinion and others here don't agree with it, but I can't hear a dang difference with these virtual 7.1 headsets vs a standard 2.0 headphone and it doesn't improve anything from directional audio(like footsteps) So I don't see the benefit of getting the mixamp. Honestly all that gaming headset stuff sounds the same to me, I've used Logitech, Astro, turtle Beach, and could never tell a difference. A mixamp won't improve that, from my personal experience with my friends. Astro A50 and mixamp. He can't hear a difference either but his brother can. I guess it just depends on yourself.