I have two jobs where I need to provide headphones for television viewing.  One is a new project and the second is retrofit into an existing install.

In the past I've used Sennheiser RF headphones connected to AVR or TV out, but wondering if something like a bluetooth transmitter might be a better solution.

It's a total of three TVs.  One has local AVR and sources in cabinet below with conduit path to TV... the other two televisions are connected to equipment in racks 100ft+ away.

Setting up the traditional Sennheiser RF headphones with charging base isn't really an option for the two TVs distributed from the rack because they're both just TVs and soundbars on the wall with no furniture below for the headphone charger/transmitter.

TVs have USB and analog audio out + toslink audio out... not positive if the analog audio out is fixed or variable (or user selectable) so was thinking about maybe a USB powered Bluetooth transmitter.

Cost isn't really an issue, but operation has to be bullet-proof.

I did some forum searches and most posts were a couple years old and talked about bluetooth transmitters that shut down when idle or if power is lost and required pressing a button to turn back on/pairing issues.

Does anyone have a solution they've tested and found to work well?

Forgot to mention that latency will be an issue because there will be times where clients are watching TV together with one spouse using headphones and the other spouse listening over speakers.

In this situation latency won't just create lip sync issues, but would also cause an echo effect for the viewer listening through headphones.

I don't have any experience with Bluetooth headphones... are all BT transmitters prone to latency and if so how bad is it?

Sennheiser MM550X sounds like the right item for the headphone end, just need to find a reliable sending unit, and that may be the issue.

But, I do believe that distance can be a serious issue with BT.




Anyway to send the audio signal to a bedside table, or whatnot, where the sending unit/charging base and the headphones could reside.

Seems like that would be the easiest way to make this work reliably.

The more I'm reading about BT it sounds like it might be a no-go due to latency.  I've read about APTX which reduces latency to around 100ms, but that's still going to be good enough.

My previous go-to solution was the Sennheiser Set840 which looks like it's still available, but not really sure how I'd wire to the base station for the two TVs without any furniture under them.

I have conduit paths back to the rack from both TVs so I could extend analog audio back to the rack, but then headphones will be out of range from the transmitters and transmitter/base really needs to be in the room to make it convenient for charging the headphones.

There's no way to get wire from the TV to another area in the viewing room at the existing job, but I could pre-wire analog wiring for the other job.

Bluetooth seems like such a simple and elegant solution until you bring up audio delay and transmitter & pairing reliability issues.

Budget is probably up to $1k per TV, but it has to work all the time, every time.  Not the type of clients that are willing to mess around pressing buttons to power transmitters back on or re-pair BT headphones.

I use the Bose noise cancelling 350 headphones with a Miccus Bluetooth transmitter. The sound is good and I haven't noticed any latency coming fixed audio analog out of a Sony tv. Might just be lucky.

Don't know if it applies here but in these cases we have used a zone out off of the audio matrix (in our case it's 100% the Zektor proaudio 16). The headphones themselves are like their own "zone" straight from the matrix out to the transmitter. If there is any latency, the built-in delay adjustments (on the lip-sync model) will accommodate for that. Output level adjustments too, etc. +1 on the Sennheiser RF units. We've used Sony too.

I looked at specs/facts from the Bose website and they specifically state the bluetooth headphones aren't recommended for TV because of the delay.

From the Bose website facts section:

---

Do these headphones work with my TV? Would they work with a Bluetooth transmitter?
 

The analog audio source isn't really the issue here, but getting analog audio (or digital audio) to the right place is.  I'm trying to find a solution for the rooms where there isn't a cabinet under the TV to place the headphone charger base/transmitter.

Bluetooth seemed easy because I could stick a small transmitter on the back of the TV connected to analog audio out and powered by USB and then client could store and charge Bluetooth headphones anywhere convenient... just don't think Bluetooth is going to cut it because of audio delay and possible unreliability of transmitter device.

The Sennheiser/Sony RF headphones would be an easy solution if I had a place to put the transmitter/charger base.

I'm loathe to suggest this but.....

[Link: monoprice.com]



If not this POS, I wonder if some other similar item might work. Wireless stereo to the wireless headphone base station.

I think it'd be worth some throw away money to try it and see if it actually worked.


Then there's this: [Link: idjnow.com]

The Sennheiser RS160.

1) The TX160 RF transmitter base is small & compact. Can easily fit behind TV.
2) You can have up to 4 of the HDR160 headphones paired to it. Sound quality is good and it's a closed headphone design, so keeps sound isolated.
3) Headphones plug into a charger. The Sennheiser factory setup is with a detachable 2way power splitter for the headphones & RF base. You can order a 2nd power supply (or any 5V supply w/4mm plug) to power RF base separate.

Cons:
1) Uses 2.4GHz channels, so need to have clear bands. If this is in an intensely RF congested area, may have problems.
2) If you do want to have more than 1 headphone listening at the same time, user has to have access to the RF base station. And a series of button pushes has to happen.

[Link: en-us.sennheiser.com]

Hi Brad,

I'd have to check power draw, but might be able to power the transmitter behind the TV from USB jack on television since it's 5vdc.

I don't think there will be a need for multiple headphones at one TV, but one property will have headphones at two different TVs.  I looked through the website and didn't see that there was a way to individually address/pair headphone to base station but your comment about pushing buttons to setup multiple headphones to a single base makes me think this might be possible.

Do you know if two of these units can be used in close proximity and not interfere with each other?

Both are large estate properties so not a concern about RF interference from neighbors, but both have Panasonic phone systems with portable stations running at 2.4Ghz.

I understand the RS160 has been discontinued, although you can still find them all over the place.

But:

As I said, the transmitter WILL shut down, and it requires a button push to get it going. I know this for a fact, since I have that set at home, and I installed a set at my in-laws.

The only thing I don't care for is where the volume control is, and how easy it is to hit the wrong button so you turn the things off, instead of raising, or lowering the volume.

Yes, you can use multi units in the same area.

Might can run RF base from a USB port, depends on the amperage needed.

Have them upgrade their cordless phones. Most modern cordless phones are DECT6.0 1.9GHz. Less interference and better range for the phone too.

Haven't heard the RS160 being discontinued yet. Doesn't say EOL with Sennheiser. You can also pair other Sennheiser headphones with KLEER technology to that TX160 RF base station.

I agree the power button on the HDR160 headphones, is in a stupid place (right between the vol +/-). Takes some getting use to. That could be a problem for large fingers or older people named Ken  :lol:

Was not aware of the power time out. Since the power button is right on the front, top, edge - seems easy enough to have the base velcro'd in place, at the bottom edge of the TV. Where customer can just walk up and blindly touch the power button to come on (assuming the TV isn't mounted to high).
Or mounted on the wall just below or side of the TV, where the button can be easily reached but still wired easily to the TV.

I've just been through this scenario and earned more battle scares than I want to admit. No matter,what you try, Bluetooth will end up with a delay. I tried all Options, and tried and tried to find a way to make the client's provided Bose headphones work. In the end, it's not possible. I have a sennhiezer 2.4 ghz set on the way. Will the 2.4 ghz fix the problem? I don't know, but that's what yhammy tech support said to do

I don't notice any sync issue with my 160's.