Sometimes you can, but it depends on your exact TV. Some sets, including selected Sony BRAVIA models, send sound to the built-in speakers and Bluetooth headphones together. Many others can’t, and for those the usual workaround is a Bluetooth transmitter plugged into the TV’s optical audio output. Don’t assume a TV can do this just because it has Bluetooth. The sections below show how to check your set, which route to take, and what can go wrong.
Step 1: Find out whether your TV supports dual output
Find the full model number on the back label or under the TV’s settings (usually in the About or Product Information section). Then search the manufacturer’s manual or support page for phrases such as “TV speakers and Bluetooth headphones simultaneously,” “audio to both,” or “multi-output audio.”
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The manufacturer’s own documentation is the only reliable guide here, because even one brand’s guides contradict each other by model. Sony is a good example:
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- Sony’s support article (displayed as last modified February 10, 2026) says you can “simultaneously output TV sound from the TV speakers and headphones or an audio device and headphones” on certain models.
- A Sony help guide for a different TV family says: “The TV cannot output sound from both the headphones or Bluetooth audio device and the TV speakers at the same time.”
Both statements are official, and each applies only to the models it covers. Regional variants and software versions may also differ.
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Route A: Native simultaneous output
Sony BRAVIA models named by Sony
Sony’s article lists BRAVIA 8 II (XR80M2), BRAVIA 5 (XR50), BRAVIA 9 (XR90), BRAVIA 8 (XR80), BRAVIA 7 (XR70) and A95L as able to play sound through the TV speakers and headphones at once. For these models:
- Pair and connect your Bluetooth headphones to the TV.
- Open Quick Settings and go to the Speakers menu.
- Choose TV Speakers (or an audio system, if you use one) as the speaker output while the headphones stay connected.
- Set the speaker volume and headphone volume separately. Sony says they can be adjusted independently.
Older Sony sets (2018–2021 Google TV/Android TV)
Sony’s article lists specific families from these years, and its menus vary by model. Sony’s A2DP help guide says A2DP-supported models may offer an Audio to both TV speakers & other device option. The non-A2DP route it describes works only for a device attached to the headphone jack. It can’t drive Bluetooth headphones.
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Other brands
For other brands, follow your own manual. Look in the sound or speaker output settings for a “both” or “multi-output” option. If the manual doesn’t mention one, assume it isn’t there and go to Route B.
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Route B: An optical Bluetooth transmitter
If the TV can’t do dual output natively, Sony documents a fallback: a Bluetooth transmitter connected to the TV’s DIGITAL AUDIO OUTPUT. The TV keeps playing through its own speakers, and the transmitter sends a copy of the audio to your headphones. Sony’s example is the WLA-NS7, which connects to the TV with an optical digital cable and USB, after which you pair the headphones with it.
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This is Sony’s example for certain TVs. It isn’t a guarantee that every transmitter, TV and headphone combination works.
What to check before buying
- An optical output. Look for a port labelled Optical, Digital Audio Out or TOSLINK on the TV. The transmitter needs an optical input, which is a different thing. Without an optical output, this source doesn’t establish a working solution for your TV, so check the manual for other audio outputs.
- Audio format. Confirm the transmitter can accept the TV’s digital output format, and set the TV’s output accordingly if the manual says to.
- Headphone compatibility. Check that the transmitter is compatible with your headphones’ Bluetooth capabilities.
- Power. Many transmitters need USB power, which can come from a TV USB port or a charger.
Setup outline
- Connect the TV’s optical output to the transmitter’s optical input.
- Power the transmitter.
- Put the headphones in pairing mode and pair them with the transmitter, not the TV.
- In the TV’s sound settings, select TV speakers as the output.
- If there’s no sound, check the digital audio out volume setting. Sony specifically points to this.
Native output versus transmitter
| Factor | Native dual output | Optical Bluetooth transmitter |
|---|---|---|
| TV support needed | Exact model must document it | Needs a usable optical output |
| Extra hardware | None | Transmitter and optical cable |
| Independent volumes | Documented on the Sony models named above | Depends on the TV’s digital out volume setting and the headphones’ own volume; check your TV |
| Lip-sync | Check in your apps | May drift; Sony warns of this on some TVs |
| Surround/spatial settings | May block simultaneous output | Check output format settings |
Problems to expect
Audio and video out of sync
Sony warns that watching video on a non-BRAVIA XR TV with the SRS-NS7 or WLA-NS7 may leave audio and video unsynchronized. Test with the apps and sources you actually use, such as a streaming app and a connected console or box. If the delay is distracting, look for a lip-sync or audio delay adjustment in the TV or transmitter. Whether one exists depends on the model.
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Spatial sound blocks dual output
In specified BRAVIA XR configurations, Sony says spatial sound can prevent the TV and a connected device from playing at once. Its recommendation is to turn 3D surround off. If dual output stops working, check surround and spatial audio settings first.
No sound from the transmitter
Confirm TV speakers are the selected output, check the optical cable is seated, and raise the digital audio out volume if your TV has that setting.
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Quick decision path
- Get the full model number.
- Search its manual or support page for simultaneous or “audio to both” output.
- If documented, follow that model’s menu path and check whether the volumes are separate.
- If not, check for an optical output, then pick a transmitter whose format and headphone compatibility you’ve verified.
- Test for lip-sync and make sure your audio mode doesn’t disable simultaneous playback.
No published latency figures or independent tests back any particular delay value here. Everything above rests on manufacturer guidance, so actual results depend on your devices.
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