The best headphones for watching TV are right here!

Watching TV isn't often about drowning out sound in the room, but sometimes you need to keep things quiet for everyone's sake. The best TV headphones are a mix of great choices, but sitting at the top of this hill are the Sony WH-1000XM4's, thanks to the stellar combination of top-class ANC, great sound excellent and battery life.

Best overall: Sony WH-1000XM4

Sony has been doing well with its headphones lineup, and that's made especially clear by an industry stalwart like the WH-1000XM4. While TV viewing may not be the first thing you think of when looking at these cans, their set of skills are very much applicable to whatever's happening onscreen. So whether it's to block out the noise around you or keep noise away from someone else at home, these cans should have you covered both ways.

On the active noise canceling (ANC) front, Sony's unique QN1 processor and a dual-noise sensor work well together to keep ambient sound away. If your surroundings are quiet, you can always turn it off and enjoy rich sound at your preferred volume without disturbing anyone else. If you want to tweak the sound for any reason, you can always use the equalizer in Sony's Connect app to play around with the settings. For a little extra thump to explosions or dramatic soundtracks in any show or movie, try the "clear bass" slider.

It is nice that you can simultaneously pair with a second device, like your phone, so you can pause what you're watching and take an incoming call without taking off the headphones. Call quality is excellent, thanks to Sony's Precise Voice Pickup and Speak to Chat features, optimizing sound and volume during conversations.

Battery life is really good at up to 32 hours per charge, and fast charging is always an option when you want to get back up and running. Prepare in advance, though, because you won't be able to charge and listen to them while sitting on the couch watching something.

With the WH-1000XM4 now Sony's flagship, the WH-1000XM3 may eventually drop in price as these take over.

Pros:

• Class-leading ANC performance
• Long battery life
• Customizable sound
• Fast charging capable
• Great phone call quality
• Pair with two devices at once

Cons:

• No simultaneous charging & listening
• No difference in design

Best overall

Sony WH-1000XM4 - Black

$248 at Amazon $248 at Best Buy $248 at B&H

Best in class

The WH-1000XM4 take ANC up a notch and maintain the same great sound, battery life, and comfort as their predecessors.

Best value: Sony WH-RF400

Right off the bat, it's important to point out that the unique layout for the WH-RF400 has different pieces that make it less convenient for wall-mounted TVs. If yours is on a stand, it's likely going to be better for you. The reason why is because there is a cable that connects the headphones stand to the TV, plus the other one that needs to go to a power outlet. The headphones connect to the stand wirelessly, but you may need to unplug the headphones stand from the TV when you want to go back to the TV speakers.

Sony doesn't throw in bells and whistles here. There is no support for virtual surround or Dolby Digital, but you get long-range at up to 150 feet, making it easier to walk around the house wearing them while something is on. They also work with anything you're watching on TV, provided you make the right connection to the TV. That's either going to be through the TV's headphone jack or an RCA adapter. Unfortunately, there are no HDMI or optical audio ports on the stand. If you're more technically inclined, you could try using separately-sold adapters to make these work another way.

Given all these limitations, these headphones made the cut because they sound great and are not complex to set up. For someone who wants good sound at a good price and without any headaches related to using or maintaining them. The simplicity could be appealing, but if you spent a lot on a high-end TV, you should go to something above this anyway.

The 20-hour battery life is actually better than similar headphones that are more expensive. They recharge relatively quickly, but that won't matter as much if you leave them to charge every so often before the battery even gets too low.

Pros:

• Good sound quality
• Solid battery life
• Easy setup
• Excellent comfort
• Great range

Cons:

• No HDMI or optical audio ports
• Not ideal for wall-mounted TVs
• No Dolby Digital or virtual surround

Best value

Sony WH-RF400

$78 at Amazon $80 at Best Buy

Keeping it simple

Sony holds features back from the WH-RF400 in favor of a more simplified TV viewing setup that anyone can handle.

Best noise canceling: Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

While Sony wins out on ANC performance, Bose isn't far behind with the excellent NCH 700. They are worthy successors to the QC35 II, courtesy of better sound quality and outstanding ANC performance. They should do well to hold off background noises at home while watching whatever you like on your TV after you pair them via Bluetooth. There are 11 steps of ANC on here, so you've got some flexibility in applying it to your preference.

In turn, they'll be just as good at keeping the TV's sound away from others should the shoe be on the other foot. It helps that they're comfortable to wear for more extended periods. Bose used a softer headband and ear cups for a less restricting feeling, but in so doing, made the NCH 700 a little bigger and removed the ability to fold them.

You may forgive that based on how well they sound. Bose did an excellent job putting these headphones into a balanced territory without neglecting the bass. While music was the primary focus, the same principles apply to content on TV. If it's a dialogue-heavy show or a fast-paced action flick with gunfire and explosions, you won't be disappointed.

Battery life is pretty good at up to 20 hours per charge. And when they die, a quick 15-minute fast charge through USB-C can give you another two hours of playback.

Pros:

• Superb ANC performance
• Excellent sound quality
• Very comfortable
• Great battery life
• Fast charging

Cons:

• Non-foldable, bulky design
• Competitors beat their battery life
• More expensive than the top pick

Best noise canceling

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 - Silver Luxe

$379 at Amazon $379 at Best Buy $379 at Walmart

Feeling comfortable

Bose covers a lot of good ground with the NCH 700, including excellent ANC performance, sound quality, and comfort.

Best home theater: Sennheiser RS 175

When outfitting your home theater is your focus, Sennheiser's RS 175 are made to play the role of dedicated headphones. These aren't really the cans you would use to do anything else since they're an RF (radio frequency) pair operating through a 2.4GHz wireless connection. The base station connects to the TV, but the headphones connect wirelessly, and the range is between 100 to 300 feet, so you can move around a fair bit wearing these.

With a digital optical audio connection, you have an easy path to setting these up because most TVs from the last decade will have that port. If, for whatever reason, it doesn't, you can also use the 3.5mm headphone jack instead. The plug-and-play setup is great, and so is the scalability. If you want, you can add a second pair of RS 175 headphones to the same base station so you can watch along with someone else at the respective volumes you prefer.

They also sound great, with a rich and warm soundstage that should play well, no matter the content you watch. The Surround Sound setting is a mixed bag, as it's not as good as more current virtual surround technologies, but it's there if you want it.

Battery life is a steady 18 hours, depending on volume levels. That's plenty for binging any show, and recharging is easy because you can just do it when setting them back on the base station.

Pros:

• Great sound quality
• Excellent wireless range
• Easy setup and configuration
• Decent battery life

Cons:

• So-so surround sound setting
• Could feel constricting over long periods

Best home theater

Sennheiser RS 175

$200 at Amazon $198 at Walmart

Headphones made for your TV

The Sennheiser RS 175 has one job to do, making it easy and enjoyable to watch TV. Check on both counts.

Best surround sound: Creative SXFI Gamer

This one may be a surprise, but it won't be if you know Creative's Super X-Fi (SXFI) technology. The Singapore-based company has been working on its own virtual surround sound tech for the last couple of years, and in the SXFI Gamer, you get the kind of spatial audio performance you'd especially want for gaming. They won't match the best-dedicated gaming headsets on pure audio quality, but that's fine if hearing in 360-degrees gives you an edge while playing. The boom mic is just a bonus for multiplayer action.

These need USB-C (there's also a USB-A adapter), so they aren't wireless in any way, which is a bummer, yet understandable as a pair of gaming cans. You will need to go through the SXFI app to map your ears to a profile that personalizes the sound profile, which can be tedious, though necessary, to get the most out of the tech.

The good thing about the SXFI Gamer is that you can use them for non-gaming content, too. For instance, if you stream Netflix through your console, you will get the surround effect for movies and shows that support 5.1 surround sound. Another cool tweak is with Roku TVs or streaming devices. Use the Roku app on your phone, plug these headphones into the USB-C port, and you can use SXFI to watch whatever is on there in virtual surround. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack to plug into devices that way, though you lose out on the mic, and it kills the onboard LED lights.

Pros:

• Great virtual surround sound
• Excellent comfort
• USB-C and 3.5mm wired options
• Works with non-gaming content
• Customization options

Cons:

• SXFI app is a little tedious
• No wireless capabilities

Best surround sound

Creative SXFI Gamer USB-C Gaming Headset

$70 at Amazon $139 at Walmart

Hearing it from all sides

Creative puts all angles on blast with the SXFI Gamer, which stands out for its excellent virtual surround sound.

Best for game consoles: Razer Blackshark V2 Pro

Gaming headphones are about timing and precision. Razer is a top brand in the gaming business, so it stands to reason that it would make a good pair of cans for gamers. The beauty of the Blackshark V2 Pro is that they take what worked so well with the wired Blackshark V2 headphones and make them wireless. It's still largely a plug-and-play setup, where you can simply plug into the 3.5mm headphone jack on the controller for your console or plug in the wireless transceiver to make it all wireless.

There is a sound card embedded inside, giving you THX-certified 7.1 virtual surround sound, and you can get the whole experience whether you plug in for a wired connection or go wireless. You can also move the 9.9mm mic for better pickup. Unfortunately, Razer's Synapse desktop app is available on PCs, but not through consoles, so if you are to make any changes, you can't do it on a console.

Even if you don't care much for the surround effect, the Blackshark V2 Pro sound great without it. There is deep bass, with lively mids and highs for an excellent piece of gaming kit. The mic is responsive and may not need much adjustment out of the box. Razer also made them comfy to wear, so you won't feel a pinch unless you wear them for really long sessions.

Pros:

• Excellent sound quality
• THX surround sound effect
• Wireless and 3.5mm connectors
• Easy to set up
• Detachable microphone
• Also works with PCs

Cons:

• Adjustments need a PC

Best for game consoles

Razer Blackshark V2 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset

$140 at Amazon $140 at Best Buy $140 at Walmart

Gaming on point

Razer sticks to its gaming chops with a pair of headphones that sound great and provide plenty of flexibility.

Best for hearing impaired: Avantree HT4189

Avantree didn't exclusively make the HT4189 headphones for the hearing impaired, but there's plenty to like about them if that's who will benefit. These Bluetooth headphones communicate with a transmitter (comes included) for low-latency playback that eliminates lag. They're easy to set up, be it through RCA, digital optical audio, or the 3.5mm Aux-in jack.

The ear cushions are reasonably large enough to accommodate hearing aids, with soft padding to make it easier to wear them over longer periods. They sound great out of the box and last up to 40 hours per charge. The wireless range also goes up to 100 feet for extra flexibility when viewers get up and do something but still want to hear the TV.

The catch to all this is there's a good chance you may not be able to use the TV speakers at the same time, though it really depends on your TV. That's one reason why Avantree also sells the HT4189 as a bundle with two pairs and the transmitter. You don't have to get a second pair if you already have Bluetooth headphones because the transmitter will pair with them, except you will want to do it with a pair supporting the FastStream codec to reduce lag.

Pros:

• Great sound quality
• Easy setup
• Excellent battery life
• Pairs with two headphones at once
• Comfortable fit

Cons:

• May cut off TV speakers
• FastStream codec not widely supported

Best for hearing impaired

Avantree HT4189

$85 at Amazon $104 at Walmart $100 at Newegg

Bringing sound closer

The Avantree HT4189 could make life in front of the TV so much for the hard of hearing through a great setup and sound.

Best on a budget: Mpow 059

Budget-friendly options do exist for TV headphones, and the Mpow 059 are not just cheaper, but also more colorful than your garden variety pair of cans. The snazzy look complements what turns out to be a solid performer. If music was your primary motivation, these headphones might not be as good as others Mpow has come up with, but including a TV transmitter changes the perspective completely.

Mpow didn't radically change anything to pivot this way, so it is the same product, for the most part. It's a pretty straightforward setup to connect them to your TV, and once the base station connects to the headphones, there's not much else to do except listen. The bass-heavy sound signature may not always fit with every show or movie you watch, but you will appreciate it in those times where it makes a scene feel immersive.

Subjective as it is, you should find them to be a comfortable fit, which matters even more when considering the battery life. At up to 20 hours, it's a modest number and more than good enough to binge a few episodes or movies in one sitting. The transmitter stand is super convenient for keeping the headphones tidy, and since you can pair with another device at the same time, it might as well be your phone whenever calls come in.

Pros:

• Good bass-heavy sound
• Pairs with two devices at once
• Comes with transmitter stand
• Decent battery life
• Affordable price

Cons:

• Better for TV than music
• A little fragile

Best on a budget

Mpow 059 Plus Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

$26 at Newegg

Sound travels for less

Mpow reinvents its 059 over-ear headphones as TV-friendly cans, and the makeover works out well, especially at this price.

Bottom line

TVs have come a long way to accommodate different ways to hear what's happening onscreen. However, as their speakers have gotten progressively worse, alternatives can always lead to wireless Bluetooth headphones as a way to improve on that, which is why you see them here among the best TV headphones.

Right now, the Sony's WH-1000XM4 are the best on the market, owing to a combination of outstanding ANC performance, great sound, long battery life, handy controls, and a comfortable fit. Those attributes all carry over nicely to watching your favorite content on TV, and since you can still stay in touch through your phone, you're never really out of reach for those who need you.

Like others on this list, they're not dedicated TV or gaming headphones, and that's OK. The beauty of today's choices is they can cover the bases you want at any given time.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Ted Kritsonis loves taking photos when the opportunity arises, be it on a camera or smartphone. Beyond sports and world history, you can find him tinkering with gadgets or enjoying a cigar.

from Android Central - Android Forums, News, Reviews, Help and Android Wallpapers https://ift.tt/2GW8mbD