By James Raia

How to improve your TV experience with headphones

When we talk about improving the TV set up in the living room, we tend to think about upgrading the audio system, buying a new TV model, and so on. Not many people realize, however, that their TV watching experience can be enriched with just the use of a pair of quality headphones.

Watching TV with headphones might seem unusual to some people but it is actually a great way of fully immersing yourself in the show. Because the audio will be transmitted directly to your ears, you will be able to hear all the sounds much more clearly than if you were to use a regular surround audio. No distractions and no background noise from other rooms. You will be surprised at the number of details you will suddenly be able to pick up in each scene. And no more of that dreaded moments when the explosions sounds or the film soundtrack gets too loud and you aren’t able to hear the dialogues.

Headphones for TV are also a great solution for anyone who lives with other people or has neighbors behind thin walls. You will be able to enjoy your favorite show at any volume without disturbing other people, even during the night. To get the most out of the experience, you need quality headphones. Be mindful that headphones for listening to music don’t always work great with TVs and vice versa.

Wired or wireless

This is a no-brainer. Sure, you could get a wired pair of headphones but depending on your sofa-TV setup, that cord might need to be quite long. You also won’t be able to freely move around and the cord will easily get tangled if it goes through the center of your living room. A wireless pair will surely benefit you more. Headphones made for TVs are equipped with an RF transmitter that you connect to your TV. If your TV supports Bluetooth, you can also use regular Bluetooth headphones. They are usually cheaper and easier to set up but their range is slightly lower. You can check reviews of the best wireless headphones for your TV here.

Latency

This is an important factor that many do not think too much about. Latency refers to the delay between the audio played on TV and the audio transmitted to your headphones. A slight delay is to be expected but if it gets too bad it will be clearly noticeable as you will see characters moving their mouth before any dialogue is heard. When looking for TV headphones online, make sure to check out what other people are saying about latency.

Comfort

If you are a regular binge-watcher you need something that sits comfortably on your head for hours. The best kind of headphones when it comes to comfort is the over-ear headphones. They also provide better sound quality than earbuds. Search for something with soft padding, memory foams, and adjustable frames to make sure your new pair of TV headphones won’t hurt your ears.