3 of the best wireless home hifi headphones - options for all budgets
Because headphones aren't just streetwear
Gen Z is bringing about a resurgence of wired headphones, apparently. But it’s not the only category that doesn’t get enough love. Who’s going to care about home hi-fi headphones if we don’t?
This is actually one area that has seen a bunch of interesting developments in the last two to three years. We’re currently amid the — admittedly pretty quiet — rise of the Wi-Fi headphone. And there’s also Bluetooth Auracast, which allows for super-low-latency streaming, ideal for wirelessly hooking up to a TV.
We’re covering the gamut today.
Replacing the classic RF-based headphone archetype, there’s the Bluetooth Auracast-based Sennheiser RS 275 TV. They’re so living room-bound that their wireless dock has an HDMI port.
Master of classic cabled hifi headphones Hifiman shakes things up with its WiFi line. These have Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi transmission, letting them stream directly from services like Spotify. Not cheap, but the set is based on an already eye-wateringly expensive wired pair, so all the money isn’t going on the wireless tech here.
A long-standing veteran of wireless TV headphones, Sennheiser has mixed things up a bit with the RS 275 TV. Instead of using classic RF-based wireless tech, this 2026 pair has switched to Bluetooth Auracast. They still use a little box that can plug into your TV, but it also means this pair can be used as a portable set. Winner.
These ludicrously comfortable over-ear headphones slide into existing Sonos setups as if headphones were always part of Sonos’s multi-room equation. You can wear them outdoors, or as a partner for a Sonos soundbar when you don’t want to wake up the rest of the house with your movie-watching ruckus.
Sonos vs Sennheiser vs Hifiman: What's Unique?
These three headphones have fairly different roles. And despite being the most firmly rooted to a proprietary system, the Sonos Ace are the top pair if you want a set to act as your only pair of headphones.
It’s not just because they have all-purpose Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi Sonos connectivity. They also offer active noise cancellation and a closed-back design that stops sound leakage. The ANC may not quite be Bose-level, but it’s solid. Comfort is exceptional too: real chef’s kiss stuff.
They support head tracking as well, which emulates listening to speakers, intending to make it seem as though the audio position stays as you move your head — a neat tech, although at review we found its implementation could be better.
Right at the other end are the super-focused Sennheiser RS 275 TV. As the name suggests, these are primarily intended to be hooked up to a TV. They include a little transmitter box, which has an HDMI input with ARC support, along with optical and 3.5mm sockets. Buttons on the top of the box let you switch to virtual surround sound and dialogue-booster modes.
This is as near to a latency-free wireless setup as you’ll get — ideal if lip sync issues do your head in. And, in theory, you’ll be able to use the dock with other headsets as Auracast becomes more prevalent. You can also use the pair as a regular Bluetooth set, hooked up to your phone.
The Hifiman HE1000 WiFi, meanwhile, has a somewhat more open version of Wi-FI streaming. They can be used like a Spotify Connect source or with Apple AirPlay 2. And Bluetooth is on board too. The design firmly values sound quality over convenience, mind, with an extremely open-back style that makes the rear part of the driver itself unusually visible.
They leak sound freely and don't really isolate at all, though. You've been warned.
They work well as headphones for a PC too, though, and can be plugged in directly over a USB-C cable. There's no 3.5mm jack input, though.
Sonos vs Sennheiser vs Hifiman: Which sounds best?
You’re not going to be shocked by this one. The Hifiman HE1000 WiFi are the best-sounding of this bunch by some distance. They cost far more than the other pairs, and have the type of cup design that makes it easiest to get the most coherent, open and expansive sound.
They have fantastic bass depth and punch with no boominess, and real three-dimensional imaging, great detail and a more easygoing approach than some Hifiman pairs. There’s some extra weight in the mid-bass that has a crowd-pleaser thickening effect that may not be to all high-end tastes, but it’s a choice, not a mistake.
On first putting on the Sennheiser RS 275 TV, there’s perhaps a slight lack of refinement in the upper mids. They’re not obviously ultra-smooth, with a touch of hardness up there. But you quickly realise this is mostly because they aim for great dialogue clarity when you’re watching TV.
These are also by no means thin-sounding headphones either, with totally respectable low-bass depth and power. You just have to appreciate you’re not getting the classic bulked-up sound of a standard mainstream portable headphone here. But when the expected environment is a relatively quiet living room, not a packed commuter train, that’s no bad thing.
We like the Sonos Ace's audio too, but we find they benefit from some tweaks. They sound good, but improve following from some EQ’ing of the treble to add a bit of missing spark, otherwise they can seem a little flat.
The Ace's app does thankfully offer some EQ customisation, though, even if it isn’t the most fine-grained of sound control. So, yeah, they’re good, but you need to come in with the right expectations. If you are switching from an already high-end Sony, Sennheiser, Apple or Bose pair, it may not be a direct upgrade on the pure sound front.
Sonos vs Sennheiser vs Hifiman: Which one wins?
This is a tricky one as these three serve slightly different audiences. But if you are already a somewhat Sonos-packed house, it’s easy to recommend the Sonos Ace — especially if you often like to watch stuff while the rest of the household has gone to bed. While these aren’t the best-sounding headphones in their class, you can tweak them successfully with EQ. And they’re a real chameleon pair we’ve loved using.
The other two excel in other ways. If you're buying for someone who wants to be able to largely forget the techy stuff, the Sennheiser RS 275 TV are a top pick. Having the pre-paired transmitter box could really solve some potential techy headaches.
And for peak sound quality, it's obviously the Hifiman HE1000 WiFi in pole position. Few are seriously going to consider spending this much on headphones, though.
Honourable mentions
This isn't the most abundant of audio categories, with wireless generally being linked to portable use. Sennheiser has made these pairs for years, though.
There's the predecessor to our top pick above, the RS 175 TV, an old pair that uses RF tech rather than Bluetooth Auracast.
Or if you want something a little more up-to-date that's cheaper, the Sennheiser RS 120 use Bluetooth and came out in 2022.
There's a much lesser-known brand in this field, too – Avantree. It makes sets generally marketed at older folks, headed up by the Bluetooth Auracast-powered Opera Aura.
