Here are the best wireless headphones for TV in 2023.
If you’re looking for comfortable, good-sounding, and user-friendly headphones to watch TV, check the list below.
We’ve even included wireless earbuds for watching TV with a dedicated station. More on that below.
Rating | Price | Wireless range | Battery (charging) | Surround sound | More info | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sennheiser RS 175
Best overall
|
4.5
|
Under $280
|
300ft+ (100m)
|
18 hours (docking station)
|
|
|
Sony WH-L600
Best from Sony
|
4.3
|
Under $300
|
100ft (30m)
|
17h
|
|
|
Sennheiser RS 195
Best high-end
|
4.2
|
Under $450
|
300ft+ (100m)
|
18 hours (docking station)
|
|
|
Sony MDR-RF995RK
Best Sony
|
4.0
|
Under $120
|
150ft+ (50m)
|
20 hours (docking station)
|
|
|
Sennheiser RS 120
Best under $100
|
4.1
|
Under $100
|
300ft+ (100m)
|
20 hours (docking station)
|
|
|
4.4
|
Under $160
|
150ft+ (50m)
|
35 hours (Micro-USB)
|
|
||
4.3
|
Under $100
|
100ft (30m)
|
12 hours (docking station)
|
|
||
Sennheiser RS 5000
Best earbuds for TV
|
4.2
|
Under $230
|
200ft (70m)
|
12 hours (docking station)
|
|
|
TV Ears Digital
Best for elderly
|
4.2
|
Under $130
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
|
1Mii B03Pro
Best Bluetooth transmitter
|
4.3
|
Under $80
|
295ft+ (90m)
|
/
|
|
You probably know how annoying it is when you don’t hear the television because you have to keep the volume down to not bother other people. Dedicated headphones for television solve this problem.
You can turn up the volume as much as you like without annoying people around you. And if you want, you can listen with headphones (as hearing aids), but others can still hear through the TV speakers (on most TVs).
We know 2 types of headphones for television:
- Wireless RF headphones (Radio Frequency)
- Bluetooth TV headphones
We’ve searched through many headphones to find the best ones. Find the leading models below.
Best Wireless Headphones for TV
1. Sennheiser RS 175
Sennheiser RS 175 are, in our opinion, the best headphones for television.
Sennheiser outdid themselves with these high-quality wireless headphones. They offer a ton of premium features and a super comfortable fit, making them a no-brainer choice.
- Natural sound
- Excellent wireless range
- Comfortable for long listening sessions
- Pricey
- No active noise cancellation
They have a very natural sound that’s perfect for everything from watching TV shows, anime, to action movies.
Furthermore, you get 2 virtual surround sound modes that recreate immersing spacial experience. There is also a bass mode that helps amp up the lows.
The transmitter stand acts as a charging station. (They charge when you put them on the stand).
The big over-ear ear cup with plush ear pads offer plenty of comfort for a full movie marathon. And with the 160ft (100m) range, you can walk around your home without worrying about the signal interruption.
Also, thanks to the closed-back design, they block most of the background noise and don’t leak the sound out.
2. Sony WH-L600
Sony WH-L600 are one of the best TV headphones for ease of use and excellent sound quality.
Sony headphones offer a bunch of modern ports and sound features that immerse you into the movie experience.
- Great sound quality for movies
- Support for virtual surround
- Comfortable fit
- Not the best build quality
Their sound profile is specially tuned to perform the best with video content. Stereo sound can truly immerse you into what’s happening on the screen.
Since different content needs its tuning, you can choose between 5 modes: Neutral, Sport, Movie, Gane, and Voice mode.
These wireless TV headphones also support a couple of most common surround standards, like Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, and DTS.
Accompanied with Sony’s Surround mode, you can expect great listening experience as if you have home theater headphones.
The design is mostly plastic, which contributes to lightness and comfort. Also, the base station boosts the signal up to 100 feet so that you can move freely around your house.
3. Sennheiser RS 195
If you’re in the market for a more premium option with great sound detail, you should consider the Sennheiser RS 195.
- Excellent sound
- Superb build quality
- Comfortable fit
- Expensive
- No active noise cancellation
Sound quality is natural and much better than the TV headphones of the past. It’s great for music and movies alike and especially excels at mid-range.
Also, the different modes of the RS 195 make them super convenient to use. If you’re looking to play audio books or use it for TV gaming, Sennheisers have a mode for you.
The construction quality is superb, and you can feel the high-end finish.
They feel comfortable for hours due to big over-ear ear cups and thick padding. Plus, the closed design makes them great at passive noise cancellation with no sound leakage.
Also, the 150ft (45m) range on these headphones is perfect for doing chores around the house and listening to music.
4. Sony MDR-RF995RK
The MDR-RF995RK are the best Sony wireless headphones for TV out there. If you’re a true Sony fan, these are an ideal choice.
- Great value for money
- Good comfort and fit
- Great sound (for movies)
- Sound leakage
P.S. There are other Sony models but these make the best value-for-money sense.
Sony MDR-RF995RK has a 40mm driver. This allows for accurate and precise music and shows. They sound better than most headphones.
One thing Sony’s excel at is listening to audiobooks at home. The Sony MDR-RF995RK does an excellent job when it comes to voice representation.
A major drawcard for these headphones is interference-free connectivity that uses a unique technology to make sure you get an uninterrupted signal to your headphones.
They’re also comfy (with pleather ear pads and adjustable headband) and charge up with the charging station (a stand too) up to 20 hours (on a full charge).
Add a decent range, good background sound isolation (therefore little sound leakage), and a comfortable fit, and you’ll understand why these are so popular.
5. Sennheiser RS 120
The RS 120 are the best TV headphones under $100. More affordable yet still great for the job.
- Affordable
- Open design ensures bigger soundstage
- Fun, bassy sound with good clarity
- Hissing sound after 3 minutes without signal
The internal amplifier packs quite a nifty unit within the headphones.
The audio quality has been optimized for bass boost with excellent clarity and detail. It’s a lot better than you would expect from a pair of headphones under $100.
Besides, the open design makes for better soundstage and more immersive sound effects, which is always a plus when watching movies.
One of the features is that you can sync more than one set of headphones to the base station. Also, the docking station is more stylish than most of the other headphones on this list. This is surprising due to the price point.
If you’re looking to stay under the $100 mark, these are the best TV headphones for you.
For similar check the best Bluetooth headphones under $100.
6. Avantree Opera
Avantree Opera provide clear vocals and rumbly lows.
Avantree Opera offer a great TV-watching experience for users with difficulties understanding the dialogue.
- Clear dialogue with zero lag
- Bass boost for movies
- Long battery life
- The included headphones don't support aptX
Intended for users with hearing difficulties, the Opera focuses on providing excellent vocal clarity above anything else. They’re also bass-boosted to amplify the movie-watching experience.
Most importantly, there’s no visible audio lag when watching video content (since they support aptX LL). Lips are perfectly in sync, and the audio quality should satisfy most casual users.
Over-ear earpads fit comfortably for long listening sessions. Likewise, the battery life is rated for 35 hours, which is enough for at least a few days of use.
The base station offers plenty of wired and Bluetooth connections and supports multi-device pairing (it transmits audio to 2 headphones simultaneously). They even have a built-in mic for making phone calls.
On the other hand, this wireless headset doesn’t support any fancy surround sounds like Dolby or DTS.
7. Avantree HT280
Avantree HT280 is another solid and affordable TV headphone priced under $100. Headphones come with a dedicated charging and connecting station.
- Solid value for the price
- Good passive isolation
- No virtual surround sound support
If you’re all about the sound quality, these are not the headphones for you. They deliver decent sound for the price point.
But they do have a handy customized volume controls feature. This allows you to get a 30% increase in volume for those suffering from hearing loss.
They deliver good results in all the main categories. A transmission distance of 100 feet. Twelve hours of battery life on a single charge. And a simple auto-connect between the transmitter and headphones.
The stand is also a charger, and replaceable batteries make it easy to keep them powered up. Plus, closed-back ear cups are effective at keeping the ambient noise out.
8. Sennheiser RS 5000
For the best wireless earbuds, take a look at the RS 5000. Solid performance and sleek design.
- Great sound quality
- Speech Intelligibility feature
- Comfortable
- Only one user can listen to TV
As usual, Sennheiser delivers. These wireless earbuds offer a wide frequency range, providing good clarity from bass to treble.
The best thing about the RS 5000 is the Speech Intelligibility features, which mutes the unwanted noise (like a crowd in a TV show) and boosts the speaker’s voice.
Because of that, they’re geared primarily towards elder users who have some trouble hearing dialog.
You can change the audio input from a remote (which also works as a battery charging station).
Under-the-chin design might be a bit unconventional, but that doesn’t hurt their comfort. In the box, you get tons of ear tips to achieve a perfect fit quickly.
Also, if your hearing is worse on one side, you can easily adjust volume levels to only one earbud.
9. TV Ears Digital
The best wireless earbuds for watching TV. They also support many modern connection options and can pair with multiple devices simultaneously.
- Can get very loud
- Various analog and digital inputs
- Support for 2 earbuds
- Boring design
Since they primarily exist to boost the sound for hard-of-hearing users, they don’t put that much effort into sounding Hi-Fi.
Instead, their audio output can get incredibly loud (120dB) and maintain voice clarity, with a Digital model also supporting surround option.
TV Ears have a rather basic design, but for home use, you can’t complain much.
The newer Digital model sports support for modern TVs, offering both analog and digital audio ports.
The base station has a dock for 2 earbuds. That’s great since it allows another family member to watch the same TV.
Buds also pack user-friendly controls, allowing you to adjust the loudness independently with volume control.
10. 1Mii B03Pro
The best option for watching TV with low audio latency using Bluetooth.
This Bluetooth transmitter connects to any wireless headphones. You can convert your current headphones into wireless headphones, and it’s more affordable.
- Audiophile-grade DAC
- Wide range of Bluetooth codecs
- Outstanding connection range
- No support for surround sound
- Bulkier than competition
While quite chunky, the B03Pro is packed with high-end tech. It can be used as both transmitter and receiver, a center point of your audio/video home system. That makes it a versatile pick.
Bluetooth transmitter support aptX Low Latency and aptX HD Bluetooth codecs. Furthermore, it has a built-in audiophile-grade DAC (digital-to-analog converter) for the best sound quality possible.
Moreover, it offers an outstanding connection range up to 295 feet. You can connect at least 2 Bluetooth-enabled devices to play simultaneously (Dual-Link).
Since the B03Pro also acts as a receiver, you can use it to connect to your audio system in play music wirelessly over Bluetooth.
Honorable Mentions
Artiste ADH300 – These wireless TV headphones are the best you can find for under 70$. You’ll get the entertaining sound quality that’s suitable to enjoy movies and music with punchy bass response. Solid TV-viewing experience at this low price range. (Check ADH300 price)
JVC EXOFIELD XP-EXT1 – Home theater headphones with a big price tag. They support different sound modes and surround options, ranging from Dolby Atmos to DTS:X, which replaces the need for a home theater system. The audio quality of these TV headphones provide an excellent listening experience for both movies and video games. (Check XP-EXT1 price)
Power Acoustik HP902R – Budget wireless headphones for TV that use AAA batteries. These Power Acoustik wireless headphones for TV don’t replace your home theater experience, but they offer a good enough TV sound for watching TV shows. (Check HP902R price)
Avantree Audition Pro – Good wireless TV headphones with Bluetooth connectivity and aptX support. To make them work your need either smart TVs that supports Bluetooth connectivity or have a separate wireless transmitter. (Check Audition Pro price)
Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2 – Over-ear headphones with ANC that can eliminate loud family members around you. With their bassy sound presentation, they make a great choice for home theater headphones. (Check BackBeat PRO 2 price)
Why are there no on-ear headphones in the guide?
Because on-ear headphones usually don’t offer the same comfort as over-ears, which is crucial to watch TV. And since you’ll be using them at home the bigger size of the over-ears isn’t a problem. So, we advise you to get the bigger, comfier ones.
How Do Wireless Headphones Work for TV?
There are two main methods that headphones connect to a television.
The first method is via radio waves. There is a transmitter that sends out radio signals. The radio signals are like the radio signals sent out by your wireless router.
The headphones then connect to the transmitter via those radio waves. There have been reports of this signal reducing the range of your Wi-Fi signal. This only occurs if the transmitter and your wireless router are placed next to each other.
The second more modern method used is Bluetooth connection. The transmitter connected to the television sends out a Bluetooth signal. As a result, you can connect any of your own headphones that support Bluetooth to your television. You’ll hear any audio that is coming from the TV set with your headphones.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to use Bluetooth headphones for watching TV?
Almost all TVs have Bluetooth. Therefore, if you already have a good pair of wireless headphones, you don’t need dedicated headphones for television.
The other factor is if your TV doesn’t have Bluetooth. Then you’ll need a Bluetooth transmitter. It creates a wireless connection with your headphones so you can listen to your favorite shows on the television.
Are Bluetooth headphones good for watching TV?
Using Bluetooth technology is a great option if you already have a fitting Bluetooth pair of headphones.
One concern is a slight audio latency with the transmission (with older versions). This audio lag can be eliminated if your wireless headphones and transmitter support the aptX Low Latency codec (or any other latency-reducing codec).
Matija Ferjan is a seasoned audio enthusiast reviewing headphones since 2015. He has personally tested hundreds of headphones and earbuds. He’s an active member of the Headphone Audio community and a true nitpicker, always looking for the “best-value-for-money” headphones.