TV will never be the same.
At least that’s the headline on the official webpage for Sennheiser’s brand-new TV Clear, a true wireless kit of earbuds and a transmitter to broadcast and deliver clear TV sound.
I usually have to nag my wife to get her help reviewing tech products, but she jumped at this case. Our TV watching has a significant volume discrepancy, and her choice often blasts me out of the room. Even in separate rooms, her TV volume often overpowers mine.
Loss of hearing is part of life, and systems like TV Clear make the adjustments seamless to hear a TV. The five-speed clarity levels make Sennheiser’s TV Clear stand out and perform well so you can get crystal-clear TV sound via the transmitter to the Sennheiser true wireless earbuds. According to Sennheiser, this system provides up to 20 dB of high-frequency amplification.
Each speed brings a different level of clarity, depending on the user’s need. In our testing, what was best for one user was not the case for the other, but finding the sound clarity for each simple.
TV Clear was set up quickly and solved years worth of household TV volume issues. A small USB-powered transmitter connects to your TV’s digital or analog connection. The included proprietary Sennheiser earbuds connect via Bluetooth. After pairing the earbuds once, future connections are automatic after the earbuds are removed from the charging case.
The newer your TV, the more options you have. This includes using the TV Clear for one person while others listen to the TV through the built-in speakers or a connected sound system with independent volume levels. Sennheiser trials with many (modern) TV set brands and all (but one) had not issue running the speaker at the same time. Sennheiser stressed the correct setup is important, and often an optical output is the best connection choice, fully independent from the loudspeaker.
If your TV has an open-powered USB port (my choice during testing), that works great for powering the transmitter. Otherwise, a USB connection to any standard AC outlet will work. Since it transmits wirelessly, the actual transmitter can be hidden or use Velcro to attach to the back of a TV or entertainment center.
A single charge of the matte black earbuds with 6mm drivers will last 15 hours with the transmitter and another 22 hours of listening with the portable charging case. Multiple ear tips and fins are included to ensure a proper fit.
Even the slightest lag can be annoying when what you hear doesn’t match the lips moving on screen. I’ve tested many other wireless TV headphones and transmitters, which do have a delay. That’s not the case with the TV Clear system. Words were in sync with who was speaking.
With the Sennheiser TV Clear companion app, you can customize the earbud’s touch controls, which take a little getting accustomed to. The app features one of my favorite features for lost earbuds. Even if they fall into the corner of a room, or between furniture cushions, finding them could be a nightmare. That’s where Find My Earbuds is a lifesaver.
For those wanting to watch TV with clear audio but without turning on the outside world, the Ambient Awareness mode does just that. It allows you to hear the TV but also lets in ambient noises from the outside without pulling an earbud out to hear something other than the TV.
Another excellent use for the TV Clear is for late-night TV watchers (like me). Turn down the actual volume on the TV and use the TV Clear with the earbuds so others sleeping won’t be bothered by any volume.
And if you want to use TV Clear with a smartphone, tablet or laptop, it connects with Bluetooth. Then use the true wireless earbuds for TV watching on portable devices or for cell phone calls. But using other Bluetooth earbuds with TV Clear won’t work. You can only use the proprietary earbuds from Sennheiser with the TV Clear transmitter.
The transmitter of TV Clear is NOT Bluetooth, hence not compatible to other products but TV Clear, a Sennheiser representative confirmed in a recent email. They added, TV Clear is fully optimized for ultra low latency (around 20ms), and you can connect an unlimited number of TV Clear Earbuds to 1 transmitter.
www.sennheiser.com $399.95
