Headphones can be a great addition to your home theater, whether you're looking to simplify your setup or if you want to enjoy movies and TV shows without disturbing those around you. Unlike many headphones designed for casual use, the best headphones for movies and TV shows tend to offer audio settings like surround sound and bass control to help you get the most out of your content. They also usually have wireless designs to eliminate audio cables running from the couch to your TV. While Bluetooth wireless headphones can have high audio lag, which can cause your audio and visuals to fall out of sync with one another, many dedicated TV headphones use specialized docks and transmitters to ensure low latency and reduce annoying lip-sync issues.
We've tested over 910 pairs of headphones, and below you'll find our recommendations for the best TV headphones. See our recommendations for the best wireless gaming headsets, the best audiophile headphones, and the best wired headphones.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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Best TV Headphones
The best wireless headphones for TV we've tested are the Sennheiser RS 195 RF Wireless. These home theater headphones have a transmitter-dock that delivers a low audio latency wireless connection, ensuring your visuals and audio stay in sync. It's compatible with most TVs and audio/visual receivers (AVRs) via their analog 3.5 mm and optical connectors. The headphones also support personalized sound profiles, so you can adjust their tuning to compensate for your hearing (or any mild hearing loss). And, you have access to a virtual surround feature that emulates audio in a three-dimensional space, like a home theater. That said, their default bass-heavy sound provides extra thump and rumble across action scenes without going too far and overwhelming dialogue. However, their performance is sensitive to the earpads' fit around your ears; if you wear glasses or have thick hair that can interrupt the seal, you may experience less bass output.
These over-ears have a comfortable fit, but don't distribute pressure well. Some places where they contact your head, like below the earlobe and the top of the head, can get sore after a while. On the upside, they're well-built, and their stand acts as a charger when you're not using them. They last around 19 hours continuously and use rechargeable AAA batteries. However, they take more than eight hours to fully charge, so you'll want to plug them in overnight. There are also buttons on each ear cup that let you adjust the volume without reaching for the remote, and toggle between music and speech modes to improve audio quality.
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Best Mid-Range TV Headphones
If you're happy to trade less customization to save some cash, the Sennheiser RS 175 RF Wireless are worth checking out. They're part of the same lineup as the Sennheiser RS 195 RF Wireless and offer similar performance but at a lower price. You may also find the RS 175-U RF, the refresh that should perform similarly to this one. Like our top pick, these headphones have a transmitter-dock that can connect to virtually any TV or AVR, while providing a low-latency connection so you don't encounter any lip-sync error. Plus, they have a dedicated button to boost the bass and a virtual surround feature to emulate a home theater listening experience. They aren't as sturdy, though, and are missing a few extra features, including the RS 195 RF's personal hearing profiles, so you can't tune them as you wish.
Their rechargeable AAA batteries provide about 24 hours of continuous playback but take more than eight hours to recharge, which can be a problem if you forget to charge them overnight. You don't have the option of using them wired if the battery is dead. Their sound also depends on their fit and positioning on your head, so adjusting them is important for a consistent sound, and you may notice a drop in bass if you have thick hair or wear glasses.
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Best Budget TV Headphones
Although the Insignia Digital Wireless Headphones are less comfortable than the Sennheiser RS 175 RF Wireless, they're still worth considering if you want something even easier on the wallet. Their sound profile isn't as bassy as either of the previous Sennheiser options, but there's enough on tap that you'll still feel explosions. Plus, their wireless transmitter-dock has low enough latency to ensure minimal lip-sync error, making them a sufficient home theater companion for cheap (though not without trade-offs).
Unlike the previous picks, these headphones don't have any sound customization features, and they can sound different depending on your physical characteristics: it's important to take the time to adjust their fit if you have thick hair or wear glasses, since they can break the earpads' seal and cause you to experience less bass. These over-ears have nearly 16 hours of continuous battery life, which is shorter than the picks on their list. That said, it should be more than enough for a late-night movie.
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Best Bluetooth TV Headphones
Wireless Gaming (In Development)Sound Signature:WarmLatency - Dongle:N/ASee all our test resultsLatency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency):msIf you're looking for a more flexible, casual-use headphone that also works well for TV, the Sonos Ace are the best Bluetooth headphones for TV use we've tested. They allow you to answer calls (which our previous picks can't) and connect with other devices like smartphones and computers without issue. While Bluetooth codecs tend to have high audio lag and these headphones lack a transmitter-dock like the previous picks, they support aptX-LL, a low-latency audio codec that helps keep your audio and visuals in sync while watching your favorite shows. The main trade-off here is that not all source devices have additional codec support, so you'll need a Bluetooth adapter or transmitter that supports it. Some TVs and AVRs have built-in support for this codec, but it's rare.
These headphones also integrate with the brand's soundbars, such as the Sonos Arc and Sonos Arc Ultra, via a proprietary feature that lets you pass audio from your soundbar straight to your headphones. These over-ears are amazingly comfortable and last for over 35 hours off a single charge. Their warm sound profile also adds a reasonable amount of extra boom to TV shows and movies without overwhelming dialogue. Unlike other picks on this list, the Sonos have an active noise cancelling (ANC) system that competes with some of the best headphones we've tested, easily blocking out distractions in the kitchen or neighboring rooms while you fully immerse yourself in your favorite film.
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Best Low Latency TV Headphones
Wireless Gaming (In Development)Sound Signature:BalancedLatency - Dongle:msSee all our test resultsLatency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency):N/AThe Astro A50 X are wireless gaming headphones that offer a range of connectivity options via their base station. They stand out from other picks on the list because the dock offers HDMI 2.1 video passthrough capabilities, allowing you to connect a variety of HDMI-enabled devices to your TV, like consoles, Blu-ray players, and 4k TV boxes. This allows you to entirely circumvent your TV's operating system and apps, which some prefer, especially since your TV can track what you watch. Their dock also supports a low-latency audio connection, so your video and audio stay in sync for all the sources you connect. That said, they're more expensive than our top pick and may be overkill if you don't connect many devices to your TV.
They have a balanced sound profile that's well-suited for movies, with enough rumble and thump for action-packed sequences, as well as a detailed mid-range that keeps dialogue sounding clear. There's also 26 hours of continuous battery life, which will get you through movie marathons without needing a recharge. That said, their semi-open design lets in more background noise, so you'll want to use them in a quiet space.
Recent Updates
Sep 14, 2026:
We've checked that our picks are still relevant and in stock, and made minor text changes to improve readability and streamline the decision-making process.
Jun 17, 2026:
We've removed the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless from the Notable Mentions as they're difficult to find in stock. We've also swapped our budget pick to the Insignia Digital Wireless Headphones as the Avantree HT5009 Wireless are hard to find in stock. The remaining picks are still available at major retailers.
Nov 28, 2025:
We've replaced the Shura Aonic 50 Wireless with the Sonos Ace as a better option for Bluetooth TV Headphones with double the battery life, and much more effective ANC.
May 02, 2025:
Due to recent price changes, the Logitech G433 are our new choice for 'Best Mid-Range TV Headphones', and the Avantree HT5009 Wireless are our choice for the 'Best Budget TV Headphones.'
Feb 04, 2025:
We edited this text for accuracy and compliance with our recent Test Bench 1.8 but haven't changed our picks.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best headphones for watching TV for most people to buy. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, check out this list of headphones, which we've sorted via dongle latency from low to high. But be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones for watching movies or TV shows. Personal taste, media content, home environment, and listening habits will matter more in your selection, especially if you have a lively home or wish not to disturb anyone around you with leakage.