Description
What the Sennheiser RS 175 Is and Who It Suits
The Sennheiser RS 175 is a wireless headphone system rather than a wireless headphone, and the distinction matters. It ships as two parts: a closed back around ear headphone and a base station that acts as both transmitter and charger. The base connects to a television or a hi-fi system, and the headphone receives the signal over a radio frequency link. Sennheiser lists Kleer and RF under wireless communication technology, a frequency range of 17 Hz to 22 kHz, 18 hours of battery life, two AA batteries included, and a weight of 10.9 ounces.
The audience is specific and well served by this design: someone who wants to watch television at their own volume without disturbing others in the house or the neighbors. Sennheiser’s own description frames it as a complement to a home entertainment system with an ergonomic around ear closed back design. Buyers considering the alternative approach of a dialogue focused speaker instead should read about the ZVOX dialogue soundbar or browse the sound bars selection.
Why RF Rather Than Bluetooth
This is the central design decision and the reason this product still exists in a Bluetooth world. Radio frequency transmission of the kind used here travels through walls and floors, where Bluetooth is designed for short line of sight links and degrades quickly through obstructions. A viewer using an RF system can walk into the kitchen and keep listening, which a Bluetooth headphone generally cannot manage.
RF also avoids the latency problem. Bluetooth adds enough delay that lip sync errors are visible on many televisions, and while newer low latency codecs reduce this, the codec has to be supported at both ends. A dedicated RF link is designed for audio and does not have that negotiation problem. The trade is that the system only works with its own base station: the headphone will not pair with a phone, a laptop or anything else. Anyone who wants a headphone that also works with a phone should look at a Bluetooth model such as the Sony WH-CH710N.
The Charging Base and Daily Use
The base station in this system is the piece that makes it practical. It transmits the audio and charges the headphone at the same time, so the routine is simply to drop the headphone on the base at the end of the evening. Sennheiser lists Headphone and Charging Station under included components, and the design means the headphone has a fixed home rather than disappearing behind a sofa cushion.
Battery life is listed at 18 hours, which covers several evenings of viewing between charges. The batteries are listed as two AA cells, included, which is a notable design choice: rechargeable AA cells can be replaced by the owner when they eventually degrade, unlike the sealed lithium packs in most modern wireless headphones. That single detail can double the working life of the product, and it is worth weighing against newer designs that cannot be serviced at all. Readers comparing conventional wired options from the same manufacturer can look at the Sennheiser HD series.
Closed Back Design, Comfort and Sound
Earpiece Shape is listed as Over Ear and the design is closed back, which Sennheiser links to reducing background noise while providing a comfortable fit. Closed cups matter for the intended use in two directions: they keep television audio from leaking out to whoever else is in the room, which is the entire purpose of buying this, and they reduce the room noise reaching the listener.
The listed frequency range of 17 Hz to 22 kHz carries no tolerance figure, so it describes the limits of measurable output rather than tonal balance. At 10.9 ounces the headphone is on the heavier side, which is typical for a design containing a radio receiver and batteries, and weight is the main comfort variable across a long film. Sennheiser markets this line at television viewers rather than at critical listeners, and the tuning priorities follow from that. Buyers who want a general purpose wireless headphone instead should compare options across the over-ear headphones category.
Highlights
- RF transmission travels through walls, unlike Bluetooth.
- Base station acts as both transmitter and charging dock.
- 18 hours of listening per charge according to the listing.
- Runs on two rechargeable AA batteries that the owner can replace.
- Closed back over-ear design keeps television audio out of the room.
- Carries a 4.2 star rating across 8,087 ratings, a very large sample.
Things To Consider
The specification block contradicts itself in one obvious place. Battery Life is listed as 18 Hours and Charging Time is also listed as 18 Hours, which cannot both be describing what they claim to describe. An 18 hour charge time on an 18 hour battery would make the product close to unusable, so the charging figure appears to be the battery figure repeated in the wrong field. Buyers who care about recharge time should check Sennheiser’s documentation.
Other fields are simply wrong. Specific Uses For Product is listed as Communication on a television listening system. Control Type is given as Noise Control, which is not a control type. Theme is listed as TV Series. Frequency Response is recorded as a single value of 22000 Hz, which is the upper bound of the range stated elsewhere. Product Dimensions of 9.3 x 5.9 x 11.6 inches describe the package containing both parts.
The genuine limitations follow from the architecture. The headphone works only with its own base station, so it cannot be used with a phone, on a plane or at a desk with a laptop. If the base station fails, the headphone becomes unusable. The base needs a connection to the television, and older analog outputs are disappearing from newer sets, so buyers should confirm what connections their television actually offers before purchase. Sennheiser also warns in the listing not to expose the product to moisture. And this model first became available in January 2015, making it one of the oldest products in this catalog, though the 8,087 ratings behind it reflect a long and popular run.
Who Should Buy It, and Who Should Not
This suits a household where one person wants television audio at a comfortable volume while others sleep, read or talk, and where the freedom to walk into another room without losing the audio is worth having. The replaceable AA batteries and the charging base make it a practical long term purchase for that job.
It does not suit anyone who wants one headphone for television, phone and computer, since the RF link is exclusive to its own base. Buyers in that position should choose a Bluetooth headphone and accept the shorter range, or check that their television’s connections match the base before committing to this system.
