Trying to watch TV without disturbing anyone else in your household can be tricky. Whether you're trying to avoid waking a sleeping partner or little one or just looking to grab a quiet moment to yourself, you end up worrying more about the volume than enjoying whatever you're watching. We've all been there, and thankfully, there’s a simple solution that music lovers have long embraced: headphones. They are your secret weapon for immersive audio without disturbing the world around you.
Using headphones with your TV is now easier than ever. Most modern smart TVs and gaming consoles are equipped with Bluetooth, allowing for a seamless wireless connection. In addition, most streaming devices support Bluetooth headphone connections as well.
If your device doesn’t support Bluetooth, RF headphones are a reliable alternative. While audiophiles may still prefer the nuanced sound that wired headphones provide, today’s wireless options—which now include awesome earbuds—deliver exceptional quality without the hassle of tangled cords and offer the added benefit of doing household chores or other tasks while still hearing your TV.
Be it catching up on your favorite show, watching the game, or catching a movie, these are some of the best headphones for watching TV in your own audio bubble.
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are among the best headphones on the market, so it follows that they are an excellent choice for watching TV. Their superior sound quality out of the box and active noise canceling make them the ideal pair to watch your TV in a louder environment, as the headphones help cancel out ambient noise in the room. As mentioned in our Sony WH-1000XM5 review, the transparency mode is also quite fantastic, with a special mode that enhances voices specifically. This is really useful if you're trying to watch TV on wireless headphones so as not to wake a baby but still need to be able to hear the baby crying. As our reviewer opined, "The WH-1000XM5 are the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy right now."
The responsive controls on the body of the WH-1000XM5, which utilize just two buttons, offer convenient control over the headset. Users can tap the power button to get a readout of the current battery percentage, though this shouldn't come up too often as this headset offers substantial battery life. The controls can also be used to cycle through ANC and transparency modes.
It's important to point out that while the WH-1000XM5s support the LDAC codec for Hi-Res audio over Bluetooth, almost no mainstream television supports LDAC. Furthermore, Bluetooth transmitters for Hi-Res codecs are more likely to support aptX and others, as LDAC is a fairly locked-down codec, usable almost exclusively through Android devices. The lag you experience using these should be mostly imperceptible, though it depends which version of Bluetooth your TV supports.
For those looking to watch TV with headphones for long stretches but not looking to break the bank, 1More's SonoFlow fits the bill. These headphones offer a ridiculous 70 hours of battery life, USB-C charging, and active noise cancellation. They seem tailor-made for silently binging a television show or watching the Lord of the Rings: Extended Edition trilogy all the way through. In our hands-on review, we also noted that they are pretty comfortable over long stretches, which is perfect when using them for an hour or more at a time.
We also noted that while it may not be as advanced as its rivals at over double the cost, the "ANC performs admirably at flushing out much of the low-frequency noises you come across." For a budget pair of headphones, our reviewer was also impressed with the sound quality, noting the sound is "consistently good, providing a nice balance that could easily rival headphones costing more." It also supports wired playback for a wider set of use cases.
The SonoFlow is by far the best performing budget headphone for watching TV wirelessly. It offers impressive ANC and transparency modes for its price point, and supports LDAC, though again that isn't very relevant for watching TV.
The Sonos Ace headphones represent a remarkable achievement for a company that has never produced a wearable product in its 22-year history. Introduced with an innovative design and backed by Sonos’ renowned expertise in audio technology, these headphones have generated significant excitement in the market.
While the Ace headphones may not completely redefine sound quality — many discerning listeners might still prefer the rich audio signature of Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the exceptional noise-canceling features of Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, or the high-fidelity performance of Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless — they deliver impressive audio performance that is sure to satisfy most users. The Ace headphones are equipped with adaptive sound technologies that optimize the listening experience based on the environment, ensuring clarity whether you’re in a bustling café or a quiet home office.
They feature a sleek and comfortable design that makes them ideal for extended wear during your TV or movie watching sessions, with soft ear cushions and an adjustable headband. Battery life is another standout attribute; the Ace headphones offer up to 30 hours on a single charge, making them perfect for long listening sessions or travel.
With their blend of stylish aesthetics, commendable audio quality, and thoughtful features tailored for everyday users, Sonos has positioned the Ace as a strong contender in the competitive world of wireless audio, making for an excellent set of headphones to pair with your TV.
If you're something of an audiophile and are looking for a Hi-Fi yet wireless solution for watching TV, then the Pi8 just might be the perfect earbuds for you. Bowers & Wilkins needs little introduction, as they have been well established as one of the highest-performing speaker manufacturers in the space since 1966. Their foray into headphones has proved fruitful, and the Pi8 earbuds are an outstanding follow-up to the previous generation.
As our reviewer noted after hands-on testing, the sound quality in these things is incredible: "Thanks to the innovative Carbon Cone drivers and high-quality Bluetooth codec support, they deliver a truly immersive listening experience..." The Pi8 offers a few really neat features that enable higher-fidelity listening.
The coolest of these is the retransmission feature, powered by the case itself. If you hardwire your audio source—in this case, your TV, game console, or receiver—by connecting it directly to the case, the case can then retransmit the audio to the wireless earbuds using AptX Hi-Res codecs. This unlocks higher fidelity than connecting directly to the source via Bluetooth, which would be limited to AAC bitrates. The case itself can also charge wirelessly, something which the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds lack. The Pi8 boasts just about every bell and whistle possible, with the exception of spatial audio.
If you don’t want a clunky over-the-head pair of headphones keeping you immobile, consider getting a pair of the best wireless earbuds. It may sound a bit ridiculous, but the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are truly like a shrunk down version of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. At least in a lot of ways that make them great for TV watching. They’ve got that same Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound package for hi-res, low latency audio with aptX and the cool spatial audio features that make the headphones tick. It’s just now all in earbud form.
Overall, the concept translates quite well, with our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review stating that they are quite comfortable to wear, even for extended periods, and stayed in better for the long haul than other popular earbuds like the AirPods Pro. This means less immersion breaking from jamming loose, ear-canal-stretching buds and more time enjoying your programming.
We are including the AirPods 4 with ANC in this list because many users enjoy watching Apple TV. While the AirPods Pro 2 are superior in terms of performance, they are also older and more expensive. This may lead you to reconsider your choice if your primary purpose is to enjoy movies or TV shows.
But what if you're not an Apple user? Can you use these earbuds with an Android device? The answer is yes, you certainly can.
However, the AirPods 4 with ANC, like all AirPods products, lose many of their features when not paired with Apple devices. Most of the advantages, beyond the basic Bluetooth earbud functions, are unavailable. For most Android users, there are likely better options available.
That said, one thing remains clear: there is no better ANC in an open-ear earbud. Therefore, if you are unable to use eartips but still want ANC — whether on an iPhone or an Android device — the AirPods 4 with ANC may be the best choice for you.
Honorable mention: Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max is worth a mention thanks to the same advantages when paired with an Apple TV streaming device. Our reviewer said they were "darn-near perfect, with best-in-class noise canceling, the most remarkable transparency mode I’ve ever heard, balanced and detailed sound with plenty of deep and musical bass, and a very premium feel." The spatial audio lends itself to movies and TV, making them a convenient companion to your Apple TV device.
Radio frequency (RF) headphones are the preferred type of wireless headphones for TV and movies for the more AV inclined due to their ultra low latency. Developed by Sennheiser, a brand known for premium audio equipment in the home theater space, the RS 175 RF provide for very quick, low latency transmissions from a receiver to your headphones. Depending on what you’re watching, you may want to utilize the Bass Boost mode, and you’ll naturally want to utilize the built-in surround sound features.
When worn, the RS 175 RF should feel comfortable, with soft earpads, though we do find them to be a bit on the large side. On the outside, your fingers will find buttons with memorable textures to tap. These toggle the Surround Sound and Bass Boost modes as well as the volume. Ultimately, these headphones provide a super low latency wireless headphone experience for those that really care about minimizing latency as much as possible.
Native support for Hi-Res Bluetooth codecs in mainstream TVs is exceedingly uncommon, with very few models on the market today supporting it. So don't be surprised when your LDAC-compatible headphones don't sound as good as you expected when connected to your TV or streaming device, as formats like LDAC and ALAC are almost exclusively intended for mobile devices within certain ecosystems like Android and Apple.
If your headphones support AptX, then you can buy a third-party Bluetooth transmitter which, when connected directly to your TV or sound system, can transmit AptX HD or AptX Adaptive to compatible headphones. This has the potential to not only increase audio fidelity but lower latency as well.
John Alexander is a former ESL teacher, current writer and internet addict, and lacks the wisdom to know what the future holds. His writing has appeared in PopSci, HeadPhonesty, WIRED, and Digital Trends. When not working, he can be found playing board games, drinking too much tea, taking long walks, and attempting to read foreign language books.
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Andre Revilla is an entrepreneur and writer based in Chicago that has been covering and working in the consumer tech space for over a decade. Along with Digital Trends, he has contributed to XDA, Pocket-lint, and a number of other news and tech sites since 2010.
In 2016, he founded GoLCDs, a company that services phone repair shops across the country in component buybacks and recycling. In 2019, he founded Del Rey Barware, a bar tool brand serving bars, restaurants, hotels, and retail.
When he's not writing about the latest tech or working on his businesses, he can probably be found cooking, traveling, discovering new restaurants, and spending quality time with his wife and Peanut, their golden retriever.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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