This Auracast Receiver Is The Home Theater Upgrade I Didn't Know I Needed - But There's A Big Catch

Sennheiser RS 275 TV Headphones bundle

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The RS 275 TV Headphones bundle is disposable for $300.
• The BTA1 transmitter offers endless Auracast flexibility, provided you person a compatible smartphone.
• The HDR 275 headphones supply an Auracast gateway for iOS users, but their tight fresh is simply a turn-off.

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Sennheiser's latest merchandise mightiness not beryllium what I expected from nan institution this year, but it's everything I didn't cognize I needed. The RS 275 TV Headphones bundle opens a world of Auracast capabilities wrong and extracurricular of nan home, bringing real-world exertion to life successful a caller package.

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If you unrecorded successful a shared space, whether that beryllium a shared room, flat building, aliases location wherever your TV-watching could disturb others, nan RS 275 bundle is simply a elemental measurement to link a brace of headphones to your TV. If you've invested successful a circumstantial brand's whole-home theatre ecosystem, you won't find arsenic overmuch elasticity pinch nan BTA1 transmitter. 

The RS 275 bundle includes nan HDR 275 headphones, nan BTA1 transmitter, powerfulness and audio cables, and a headphones stand. Here's what you should cognize earlier you bargain it.

Auracast is simply a winner

Sennheiser's HDR 275 headphones are solid, but nan BTA1 transmitter is nan aureate nugget of this bundle. It includes each nan wiring you request to link nan transmitter to your TV, and your TV powers nan BTA1, truthful you don't request an further powerfulness source.

Once nan BTA1 is connected to your TV's audio larboard (I went pinch Optical), it tin automatically observe which root you're watching. So, if you're watching Netflix and past move connected your Xbox connected to an HDMI port, nan transmitter will automatically nonstop nan Xbox's audio without you having to property immoderate buttons.

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I watched "WWE Unreal" connected Netflix and had perfectly nary issues pinch audio sync. I past queued up "Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga" connected my TV and had nary noticeable lag. An Optical audio relationship to nan BTA1 doesn't support Dolby Atmos, but you tin configure nan transmitter to reproduce Sennheiser's Virtual Surround Sound. 

To me, it sounded very digitized and simply an description of nan soundstage, alternatively than replicating nan activity and entity placement you expect from Dolby Atmos.

The wondrous point astir nan BTA1 is that you tin link an assortment of Auracast-enabled receivers to it. Purchasing it now will springiness you entree to respective much enabled devices that will beryllium released successful nan future. Say you're successful nan room and don't want to deterioration headphones, but want to perceive your TV better. 

Jada Jones/ZDNET

You tin plug nan BTA1 into your TV and watercourse nan TV's audio to an Auracast receiver speaker successful your kitchen, and still play audio done your TV's speakers aliases your connected soundbar. With this technology, consumers who aren't willing successful immoderate circumstantial company's location theatre options tin debar marque lock-in and create rear speakers from 2 Auracast-enabled Bluetooth speakers, moreover if they're from different manufacturers.

One point I loved astir Sennheiser's attack to Auracast is that it's a characteristic that tin beryllium toggled successful nan Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app. This way, nan app lets maine usage my iPhone arsenic an Auracast adjunct to hunt for and link to broadcasts, a characteristic Apple doesn't natively merge into its smartphones. 

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So, I tin link nan HDR 275 to my iPhone and usage nan Sennheiser app to link nan headphones to different Auracast broadcasts. However, connecting different Auracast-enabled headphones, specified arsenic my Sony WH-1000XM6, to nan BTA1 required utilizing my Google Pixel 9 Pro, which has autochthonal Auracast support.

The headphones consciousness for illustration an afterthought

The HDR 275 athletics a redesign for Sennheiser's HDR lineup, pursuing nan creation choices of nan company's Accentum over-ear user headphones. With this creation travel smaller earcups and a tighter clamping force, though nan HDR 275 person very heavy receptor pads that would beryllium conducive to hours-long wear, if not for their different fresh issues.

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You tin set nan HDR 275's EQ settings successful nan app; you tin take from presets, create a preset pinch guidance, aliases toggle a give-band equalizer. The app besides lets you negociate nan headphones' relationship to individual Bluetooth devices and Auracast streams, and you tin toggle transparency levels for ambient sound pass-through.

Jada Jones/ZDNET

Sennheiser's HDR 275 simply aren't comfortable capable for maine to get done an full movie, fto unsocial binge-watch a full play of "90 Day Fiance" successful 1 night. However, pinch nan BTA1 and a compatible smartphone, you tin usage nan Sony WH-1000XM5, WH-100XM6, Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, JBL Tour Pro 3, and a list of different headphones and earbuds to watch instead. 

Even more, those headphones are much attuned to performing amended extracurricular of nan house, truthful you tin maximize their features without buying different brace of headphones. 

ZDNET's buying advice

If you're looking for a amended measurement to privately watch TV astatine location than connecting headphones to a TV via an unreliable, low-quality accepted Bluetooth connection, nan BTA1 is simply a coagulated option. Aside from connecting your TV to an unlimited number of Auracast-enabled headphones, you tin summation much elasticity by connecting nan BTA1 to an unlimited number of Auracast-enabled Bluetooth speakers you whitethorn already own.

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If you've worn and bask nan fresh of Sennheiser's Accentum aliases Accentum Plus headphones, you'll find nan HDR 275 arsenic enjoyable. If you're looking for a brace of headphones pinch a roomy, relaxed fit, skip nan HDR 275 and find a much comfortable Auracast-enabled brace (if you person a compatible smartphone).

If you're locked into an expansive, multi-room location theatre narration pinch Sonos aliases Bose, and ain nan companies' headphones for backstage listening, you'll find overmuch little elasticity pinch nan BTA1 transmitter.