The 10 Best Bluetooth Transmitters
Updated by · How we research
Ten Bluetooth transmitters for TVs, flights and consoles, compared by inputs, lip-sync delay and dual headphones. The Avantree Oasis Plus 2 leads for TV. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A Bluetooth transmitter only fixes lip-sync delay when your headphones support the same low-delay standard, and most earbuds don't, so check them first. These boxes and plugs send sound from a TV, plane seat, stereo or console with no Bluetooth to wireless headphones, and several also work in reverse. They suit late-night TV, shared listening and travel.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
We put the Avantree Oasis Plus 2 on top since it solves the two things TV listeners complain about most: optical volume stuck at one level, and a soundbar that goes silent when headphones connect. It has a remote for the first and passthrough for the second.
Four of the earlier picks weren't Bluetooth audio transmitters at all. Three picks were FM car transmitters, one was a Shanling music player, and the Mpow BH259A and FiiO BTA30 are gone. The Avantree Oasis Plus gave way to its successor, the DG45 to the Avantree DG80, and the HomeSpot adapter became pointless once the Switch learned to pair headphones itself. The Avantree Orbit stays for its screen.
What shaped the ranking most was a SoundStage Solo delay measurement showing that the headphones decide the lag as much as the transmitter does. We set that beside Avantree, 1Mii, Twelve South, Monoprice and MEE documents, reviews of the Twelve South AirFly Pro 2, patterns in owner reports on pairing and range, and a recall search for each brand.
November 23, 2020:
Depending on what you're trying to do with it, there's almost certainly a Bluetooth transmitter that's right for your needs. The Avantree Oasis Plus and Mpow BH259A are both geared toward home theater use thanks to aptX Low Latency support, and they both also offer the HD version of the codec, which can make a noticeable difference especially when listening to music. Speaking of quality music listening, you'd be hard-pressed to top the FiiO BTA30, which has a powerful DAC and DSP inside it that make it a good choice if you'll also be using it with a wired connection. For what it's worth, all three of these are also capable of receiving a signal. The Avantree Orbit is a slightly different beast from the rest, with a backlit LCD, in-depth controls, and out-of-the-box compatibility with Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Then there are FM transmitters designed for use in cars. The VicTsing BH347A is about as affordable and low-profile as they come, and the VicTsing BH346A offers a viosualizer, equalizer, and song information panel. The TecBoss TB27 is interesting because its cable tether lets you affix it within your field of view, which can encourage safety while driving.
Finally, we included some specialty options such as the HomeSpot NS001, meant for the Nintendo Switch, the Shanling Q1, a technically advanced MP3 player, and the Avantree DG45, a Bluetooth 5.0 USB dongle designed to bring low-latency streaming to a PC.
November 13, 2019:
There's a lot you can do with the right wireless transmitter. The Avantree Oasis Plus, Avantree Priva III, and Avantree Audikast Plus offer varying ranges of features for providing good- to high-quality audio for up to 2 listeners at once. They all utilize the AptX Low Latency codec but they don't all have high-fidelity AptX HD support; of course, your headphones or speakers will need support for the appropriate standards if you want to take advantage of them at all. The TaoTronics BA014 is another that supports better-than-CD-quality Bluetooth transmission. If none of these transmitters get the job done for your home theater, check out our rundown of Bluetooth receivers, many of which share similar characteristics and can be paired up to provide a great entertainment experience.
Another type of transmitter actually receives a Bluetooth signal and repeats it over the FM band, adding modern functionality to cars and trucks that are decades old or older. The VicTsing BH346A is the most versatile of these as it's able to read TF cards and USB drives in addition to listening for transmissions from a smartphone. It even has a graphic equalizer and color screen that displays track information. The VicTsing BH347A is a simpler and more compact version, and they both support Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 so you won't have to worry about your phone running out of juice in the field. The TecTri BC30 isn't quite as advanced, but thanks to its integrated extension cable, it may actually be considerably safer.
Finally, we included the Shanling M0 and Shanling M2X because, while they are quite expensive, they provide high-resolution media playback in various formats, and they're among the few devices that can transmit using Sony's high-end LDAC codec. Do be aware, however, that as versatile as they are, their AptX HD support was recently removed in a firmware update, unfortunately. But if you have a high-end pair of wireless headphones that does support LDAC transmission and you want to use something besides a recent Android smartphone to drive them, they are definitely worth a look.
Start With The TV's Audio Outputs
And many TVs fix the optical level, so the TV remote stops changing the volume.
A transmitter can only use a sound output your TV already has, so look at the back panel before you shop. The usual choices are optical (a square TOSLINK port, sometimes labeled digital audio out), a 3.5 mm headphone jack, or red-and-white RCA jacks. Some older sets add coaxial digital. A TV that only sends sound over HDMI, including HDMI ARC and eARC, won't work with any of these boxes; Avantree says so plainly for the Oasis Plus 2.
Optical has two traps. Most transmitters can't decode Dolby Digital, so set the TV's digital output to PCM or you'll hear nothing. And many TVs fix the optical level, so the TV remote stops changing the volume. Transmitters with their own volume buttons or a remote get around that. If you want a soundbar and headphones playing at once, look for optical passthrough.
Many newer TVs have Bluetooth built in. Try it first. If the sound trails the picture, an external transmitter with a low-delay codec is the usual fix.
Lip Sync Depends On Your Headphones
Standard Bluetooth audio adds a noticeable delay. In SoundStage Solo's measurements, one pair of headphones lagged 248 milliseconds over the basic SBC codec but only 34 milliseconds over aptX Low Latency, sent from a MEE audio Connect. Regular aptX landed in between, at 112 milliseconds on another pair. Anything much past a tenth of a second is easy to spot on a talking face.
The catch is that both ends must support the same low-delay codec. A transmitter with aptX Low Latency or aptX Adaptive does nothing for the delay if your headphones only speak SBC or AAC, which covers AirPods and many phone-oriented earbuds. Check the headphone maker's spec sheet for aptX Low Latency or aptX Adaptive before paying extra for it.
Connecting two headphones can cost speed, too. Some transmitters drop to a slower mode in dual link, so if two people watch together and sync matters, check the maker's notes on dual-link latency.
Desk Box, Pocket Plug Or USB Dongle
Desk boxes such as the Avantree Oasis Plus 2, Avantree Audikast Plus and 1Mii B06TX stay plugged into the TV and run on wall power. They're the right shape for nightly TV listening.
Pocket units plug into a 3.5 mm jack and run on a battery, so they work with plane seat screens, gym machines and laptops. Two-way models also receive, turning a wired stereo or car radio into a Bluetooth speaker. The Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 is the best-known example; Twelve South rates it past 25 hours and lets two headphones share it. The AU Review and kopfhoerer.de covered it in detail. Transmit-only plugs have no microphone, so they're not for calls.
USB dongles such as the Avantree DG80 serve game consoles and PCs. None of the units here stream to hearing aids; that needs Auracast or a hearing-aid maker's own streamer. An FM transmitter, which sends a phone's audio to a car radio, is a different device altogether.
How we researched this
We compared 17 Bluetooth transmitters, read the makers' documents and support notes for the 10 picks, used SoundStage Solo's published delay measurements and independent reviews of the Twelve South AirFly Pro 2, analyzed owner feedback for pairing, range and lag patterns, and checked each brand against CPSC recall records. Updated November 1, 2026 by Ezvid Wiki Admin.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Bluetooth transmitter send video?
No. Bluetooth transmitters carry audio only. The picture stays on the TV or screen, and the transmitter sends its sound to wireless headphones or speakers.
Will a Bluetooth transmitter work with an HDMI-only TV?
Not on its own. These units need an optical, 3.5 mm, RCA or coaxial audio output. A TV whose only audio output is HDMI or HDMI ARC needs an HDMI audio extractor first.
Why is the sound behind the picture?
Standard Bluetooth adds a delay that's easy to notice. A transmitter and headphones that both support aptX Low Latency or aptX Adaptive cut it sharply; if either end lacks it, the link falls back to a slower codec.
Can two people listen at once?
Yes. Most picks here can send to two headphones at the same time, and several have a separate pairing button for each. The MEE audio Connect is also built so each listener can set their own volume.
Do Bluetooth transmitters work with AirPods?
Yes, they pair like any Bluetooth headphones. AirPods don't support aptX, though, so expect some lip-sync delay on video.
Do I need a transmitter if my TV has Bluetooth?
Often not. Try the TV's own Bluetooth first. A transmitter helps when the built-in link lags, pairs only one headset, or can't feed a soundbar at the same time.
