Updated February 1, 2006

There are a host of lightweight earbuds available to pair with your portable MP3 player, but home-based headphone listening is an entirely different ball game than listening on the road. For starters, your audio source is most likely an A/V receiver, a home-theater system, or a TV on the other side of the room rather than an iPod in your pocket. Fortunately, there's no need to invest in a cumbersome extension cable to stretch across the room. A growing selection of wireless headphones let you put the base station on one end of the room (plugged directly into the audio source--and the power strip) while you enjoy the show at the opposite end, lounging in your favorite easy chair or even in bed. All of the models listed below feature large, full-size ear cups for enhanced comfort and sound isolation. Some models even include virtual-surround modes to simulate the effects of a 5.1 home-theater system. So why wear headphones at all when you've invested big bucks in a full-on surround system? Just ask a night owl: you can still enjoy your favorite music, movies, and TV shows at any hour without waking your sleeping spouse--or the downstairs neighbor.

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