It's past midnight, and you're in the mood for clearing your long weekend watchlist. Leave your laptop behind. With a pair of wireless TV headphones, you can make use of the biggest screen at home, no matter the hour.
Play games, catch up on the latest TV show or stream a blockbuster movie, without disturbing a snoozing household or compromising on the cinematic experience. Wireless headphones designed for televisions create an audio bubble just for your ears. Expect bass, high trebles and mid frequencies just the same.
Unlike conventional Bluetooth headphones, these come with a dedicated transmitter that plugs into the TV. So, even if you don't own a Bluetooth-enabled television, the transmitter will guarantee a wireless connection, much like a bridge.
"Dedicated headphones for TV are wireless over Bluetooth, RF (radio frequency) or IR (infrared). While you can connect any Bluetooth audio device with the smart TVs of today, RF and IR headphones come with their own receivers or transmitters that connect to the TV," said Chris Fernando, a Dubai-based tech journalist and reviewer.
These transmitters offer multiple connectivity options - some through the TV's 3.5mm audio jack (analogue), RCA (audio/video cables), or optical input (digital). According to Fernando, sounds transmit the best over a digital optical connection, especially when it comes to home theatre systems.
Another aspect that could be of concern is the wireless range of your headphones. There's nothing like a drop in connection to ruin a TV marathon. Your typical Bluetooth range is capped at about 30 metres, but RF headphones can extend to an incredible 100 metres. Fernando says if your TV sits in a bigger room that requires a longer wireless range, then RF technology is your best bet.
Audio features that support surround sound and enhanced bass also help TV headphones stand out. You may want to factor in latency, as well. The lower the audio delay in milliseconds, the more synced dialogues will be, with the video on the screen.
"Near-zero latency is only achieved in wired connections, so you should expect some delay with wireless headphones. But, the lag is in milliseconds and can't be detected by the ear. Overall, it's negligible," explained Fernando, who adds that older TV models might cause a further delay. Our expert picks Sennheiser, Bose, Sony and Anker as the top manufacturers of RF headphones.
We considered various aspects, like battery life, sound quality, low latency and comfort levels, to draw up a list of the best-rated wireless headphones for TV. Browse them below with their respective pros and cons, and shop via Amazon Prime to get free, fast delivery on some of these.
1. Best Overall: Sennheiser RS175-U Digital TV Wireless Headphones with Transmitter
Pros
- Access to surround sound and bass boost
- Quick setup via digital or analogue audio cable
- 18 hours of battery life
- Transmitter acts like a docking station
- Comfortable to wear
Cons
- Takes eight and a half hours to charge
The RS 175-U by Sennheiser arrives with a transmitter that doubles as a docking and charging station. Drop the RF headphones on the stand and get up to 18 hours of wireless entertainment. With the help of this powerful transmitter, expect up to 100 metres of audio clarity over radio frequency, staying strong even from room to room. There are easily accessible sound controls on the ear can, letting you activate surround sound and bass boost with tactile buttons. Whether you're going for a digital or an analogue connection, all the required audio cables are in the box. Buyers have tried the pair out with movies, YouTube, Netflix, audiobooks and game consoles, leaving five stars. Those who wear glasses found no trouble adjusting to the headphones, praising the soft cushion lining the ear cans and the headband.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh80.83 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh57 and two years for Dh94.
2. Best Battery Life: Avantree HT41899 Dual Bluetooth 5.0 Wireless Headphones (Set of 2)
Pros
- Long 40-hour battery life
- Both headphones have independent volume controls
- Easy to set up, per reviews
- Inputs include old-school RCA cables, also included in the box
- Comes with a headphones stand
Cons
- No additional sound features
Tune into late-night TV shows with your partner, using this set of two headphones. They run for a whopping 40 hours on a single charge, and connect to the TV via the included transmitter that has digital, analogue and RCA inputs. The compact transmitter reduces latency to less than 40 milliseconds, meaning perfectly in-sync video and audio. Each pair of headphones has its own individual control panel for volume. When you're done for the day, you can drop the headphones on the included stand by the TV. Reviews notice some noise isolation, thanks to the ear-sealing cups, which are enough to drown out noisy home appliances.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh64.10 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh46 and two years for Dh75.
3. Best Wireless Range: Sony MDR-RF855RK Home Entertainment Headphones
Pros
- Comfortable to wear
- Large 40mm drivers
- Battery life can go up to 20 hours, say reviews
- Sleek transmitter, with RCA and analogue inputs
Cons
- Transmitter doesn't have a digital input
Large 40mm neodymium drivers add clarity to your soundscape, in this wireless pair by Sony. Designed for home theatre systems, these headphones give you a transmission range of 100 metres over radio frequency. You won't even know they're on for hours on end, thanks to the soft ear cushions and head pad. Like our previous picks, the ear cans come with volume control, saving you the trouble of fetching the remote controller. Plop them into the stylish charging/docking station overnight and get 18 hours of battery. Reviews say the number can sometimes extend to 20 hours of continuous use. Senior users who are hard of hearing leave five stars, and say they do not have to strain to listen to the TV anymore. The only drawback is that the transmitter doesn't have a digital (optical) input - a workaround is using a digital-to-analogue converter.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh29 and two years for Dh47.
4. Best All-Rounder: Avantree Ensemble Wireless Over-Ear Headphones
Pros
- Large 40mm drivers
- Connects via digital, analogue and RCA inputs
- Space-saving transmitter
- Long 35-hour battery life
Cons
- Setup can be complicated
This single pair by Avantree is also worth considering. It carries 40mm drivers for a powerful audio experience, a space-saving transmitter with digital, analogue and RCA connections, and less than 40 milliseconds of latency. Given the price, you're getting more bang for your buck, given the 35-hour-long battery life. Juice it up for two hours on the dock, and it's good to go again for a while. Compared with our Sennheiser and Sony picks, the range on these Bluetooth headphones is limited to just 30 metres. Reviewers like how they can crank up the volume on these, while the rest of the family has the TV audio dialled down. They do note that less tech-savvy users can find the setup a tad complicated.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh44.67 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh35 and two years for Dh57.
5. Best Budget: BANIGIPA Bluetooth Headset
Pros
- Decent noise isolation
- Value for money
- Large 40mm drivers
- Fast charging within two hours
Cons
- Doesn't come with a Bluetooth transmitter
Snap up this budget-friendly pair for your Bluetooth-enabled TV. Its low price tag owes to the lack of a transmitter, so if you don't own a TV with Bluetooth, you might just have to purchase a receiver separately. With these headphones, you're also foregoing other expensive features like deeper bass. You're still getting large 40mm drivers that deliver high-fidelity stereo sound. Among the wireless TV headphones listed here, this pair charges the fastest, only within two hours for 20 hours of non-stop entertainment. Users in the reviews are surprised by the quality, highlighting some noise isolation that blocks ambient sounds. However, they can be snug on wider heads, they note.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
