One of the greatest advantages that wireless headphones have is that they give us total freedom of movement, since we will not be -literally- tied to cables to make them work with the PC. The bad part is that, depending on the wireless technology they use, they have a maximum distance at which they work, and this range is quite limited. In this article we are going to show you how you can maximize this distance so that they go as far as possible.
As a general rule, wireless headphones use a USB receiver that connects to them via 2.4 GHz radio frequency; This, also as a general rule, gives them a maximum operating distance of between 8 or 12 meters (they usually say 10 meters on average), but that is reduced depending on whether there are walls in between or the environmental situation in the one we meet.
How to improve the distance your wireless headphones travel
The distance that the headphones reach from the receiver can vary a lot depending on the conditions you are in, so we are going to see them all and give you a series of recommendations so that you can make sure you get the best possible range.
The energy received by the receiver has to do with the distance
As you know, the USB port to which we connect the receiver provides it with the energy it needs to receive and transmit the signal to the wireless headphones, and curiously, despite the fact that this is a digital signal (and therefore, it either works or does not work ), the distance the signal reaches is not and largely depends on whether the receiver is being able to get all the power it needs. Therefore, we give you the following recommendations:
- Try to connect it to one of the USB ports on the motherboard, and not to a front USB.
- If this is not possible, use a USB hub that has external power, or a keyboard that has USB Passthrough.
- USB extension cords are also valid as long as they do not have other devices connected and go directly to the ports on the board.
Therefore, avoid connecting the receiver to unpowered USB hubs or to the front ports of the box, since -in the latter case- if these are not in perfect condition or are not of good quality, they can reduce the energy it receives or even put interference.
The location of the receiver, too
It is also important that the receiver is located in a position that favors it for the transmission of the signal; Before we have told you that if you connect it to the rear ports of the box it will have better energy, but this can be counterproductive depending on where we physically have the box: if it is attached to the wall from the back or if you have it on the ground, forget about plugging it in there.
Ideally, the receiver is not covered by any part and that it does not have walls that are too close (at least not glued), and also that it is in a high position, not hidden, and that it is away from other devices that can cause interference, such as the router or other wireless devices.
Less battery in headphones, less distance
Another factor that influences the range of wireless headphones also has to do with power, although in this case with the battery of the headphones themselves. Although it is true that this does not happen with all models, in many of them it is noticeable that the less battery charge they have, the more their range is reduced.
Therefore, it is advisable to always have the battery charged and ensure that it does not discharge completely to avoid deterioration. In short, maintaining the battery well and not letting it discharge too much is also good for optimizing the distance the headphones will reach.
Are there headphones with better distance than others?
Definitely yes, and this has a lot to do with several reasons but that point to the same place: the quality of materials. If a good receiver is used at both ends (headphones and USB dongle) and if the materials are good, the headphones will have a better distance at which they continue to work. If we add to this some good practices regarding where to connect the receiver and its location as we have explained before, that is when you will get the best possible range.
To give you an example with our own tests, a Corsair VOID RGB 7.1 Wireless headphones have an operational distance of about 11 meters, while the Corsair Virtuoso SE (which are of a more “Premium” category in terms of their components) reach 15 meters without problems, or even 6 meters having a thick wall in between.
