Sometimes, when I watch a movie at night, I worry about how loud I run my sound system. I like to feel the explosions as they happen, but I also don't want my neighbours to know I'm watching Top Gun again.
Sennheiser may have solved that problem with the RS 275 TV Headphones bundle.
Launching in Australia from 17 February, the RS 275 combines the ultralight HDR 275 headphones with the BTA1 digital transmitter to deliver what Sennheiser is calling "heart-stopping full-range sound" at whatever volume you want, without disturbing anyone else in the house.
The secret sauce here is Auracast transmission technology, which uses the LC3 Bluetooth codec to deliver ultra-low latency between what you see on screen and what you hear through the headphones.
The system offers up to 50 metres of range, so you can wander into the kitchen for snacks without missing a beat.
Sennheiser says the HDR 275 headphones will run for up to 50 hours on a single charge. That's more than enough for a Lord of the Rings extended edition marathon, with time left over for a few episodes of your favourite series.
When they do need charging, you can top them up via the transmitter's USB-C port or any household charger.
The headphones themselves are designed for comfort during those marathon viewing sessions. Sennheiser has kept them lightweight, with breathable fabric cushions that won't make your ears sweaty after a couple of hours. The ear cushions and battery are both user-replaceable, which is a nice touch for longevity.
The setup looks straightforward. The headphones come pre-paired with the transmitter, and Sennheiser has colour-coded all the connection cables so you know what goes where.
The BTA1 transmitter offers optical and 3.5mm inputs, plus HDMI ARC support, which should cover pretty much any TV, gaming console, or sound system setup.
For those who want to fine-tune their experience, there's the free Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app for both iOS and Android. Through the app, you can adjust transparency mode, tweak left-right balance, set up hearing profiles, and even configure different audio modes depending on what device you're using.
There's also a "find my headphones" feature if you happen to misplace them.
What really makes this interesting, versus just using a pair of AirPods paired with an Apple TV, or the Sonos Ace connected to a Sonos soundbar, for example, is that the transmitter can broadcast to multiple Auracast-enabled devices simultaneously.
Think headphones, earbuds, hearing aids, and speakers, all connected to audio from the same source. You've got yourself a private TV viewing party.
You can manually switch between different audio inputs in your home theatre setup, or set it to automatically detect which device is sending audio.
There are also built-in sound modes for virtual surround sound and enhanced speech clarity.
The RS 275 TV Headphones bundle will be available exclusively through Harvey Norman at launch, both in-store and online, for $549. It'll also be available directly from Sennheiser's online store, with broader retail availability coming after the initial launch period.
If you don't need the metal headphone stand that comes with the bundle, Sennheiser is also offering the RS 255 TV Headphones (same headphones and transmitter, minus the stand) for $449 through its online store.
The BTA1 transmitter will be available separately for $349, if you want to add Auracast capabilities to your existing setup.
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