First unveiled over the Spring of 2022 before being revealed in their final production form in December of that year, the Dyson Zone is an advanced wearable mask with a state-of-the-art onboard air purification system and an integrated set of over-ear ANC headphones. Developed over the course of six years, the Zone was an impressive release, though by the time it hit the market, the need for masks and air purification systems had massively dropped off.
In order to capitalize on the enormous amount of R&D that went into creating the Zone, Dyson has now taken the product and removed the mask, leaving only the cutting-edge over-ear cans — a model now known as the Dyson OnTrac Headphones.
Constructions & Colors
The Dyson OnTrac is crafted from a top-shelf material selection, including a headband and outer caps that are precision-machined from aluminum. Offered in a variety of anodized or ceramic-coated finishes, the headphones’ outer caps are removable and swappable — and can be purchased a la cart in sets for around $50. The outer caps come paired with high-grade foam ear cushions trimmed in ultra-soft microfiber. Like the outer caps, the ear cushions are offered in a myriad of color options. In total, there’s more than 2,000 available color combos that can be achieved.
Industry-Leading ANC
Despite the ANC bar already being set incredibly high, Dyson’s OnTrac headphones manage to deliver best-in-class noise cancelation. The headphones use a combination of eight onboard microphones, a meticulously-designed internal geometry setup, and an advanced algorithm that together monitor for external noise and sound a whopping 384,000 per second — resulting in the ability to cancel up to 40dB of unwanted noise.
Dyson-Developed Drivers
The OnTrac’s crystal-clear audio quality is largely owed to its onboard drivers; a set of 40mm 16-ohm neodymium units that benefit from the use of advanced audio signal processing. Able to reproduce frequencies from as low as 6 Hertz to as high as 21,000 Hertz, these drivers are also set in a speaker housing that’s tilted 13˚ towards the wearer’s ear, allowing for a markedly more direct audio response. These high-fidelity drivers are further elevated by the OnTrac’s use of cutting-edge ANC tech — allowing these speaker units to be heard even better.
Extended Battery Life
Suspended in this pair’s headband, the OnTrac’s battery — which is damn-near as impressive as the new model’s active noise cancelation tech — consists of a pair of high-capacity Lithium-ion cells that together afford a generous 55 hours of music playback and use per charge.
Other Noteworthy Details & Tech
Dyson’s OnTrac headphones benefit from the use of pressure-relieving multi-pivot gimbal arms and an onboard battery that’s housed in the headband — a design that allows for markedly more balanced weight distribution compared to over-ear cans with in-shell batteries. The headphones also boast real-time sound tracking, dual bam-forming microphones for talking calls, capacitive head detect sensors, a joystick-enabled control setup, and connectivity to the MyDyson smartphone app which offers automatic software updates, and the ability to cycle through multiple EQ modes.
Why It’s So Special
Back when the Dyson Zone was released, we were particularly enamored with the wearable’s ridiculously-state-of-the-art active noise cancelation tech — which scans it surroundings 384,000 times every second. In order to access this tech, however, you had to purchase Dyson’s wearable air purification system. The fact that Dyson is now offering this game-changing tech in a pair of standalone headphones is a filly big deal — plus they’re priced quite a bit lower than Dyson’s existing Zone Absolute+ and Zone models. There’s also something cool about seeing Dyson apply its technological expertise to the creation of what can only be described as a cutting-edge pair of ANC cans.
From The Horse’s Mouth
“Dyson’s audio engineering mission is to preserve the integrity of the artist’s sound wave, free from interference. We also wanted to create a set of headphones that people would cherish, be excited by, and be proud of, explains Dyson Chief EngineerJake Dyson. “With over 30 years of experience in aeroacoustics, we’ve mastered sound physics. By reducing noise through in-house anechoic chambers and expert engineers, we’ve applied and further expanded our audio knowledge to develop the Dyson OnTrac headphones. Our first over-ear audio only headphones deliver best-in-class ANC, exceptional sound quality, and all-day comfort through unique materials, design and customization.”
Spec Sheet
Brand: Dyson
Model: OnTrac Headphones
Drivers: 40mm Neodymium
ANC: Yes
Onboard Mics: 8
Battery Life: 55 Hours
Materials: Aluminum & Microfiber
Pricing & Availability
Slated for a release in August, the Dyson OnTrac Headphones have been priced at $499. Backed by a two-year warranty, the OnTrac is initially being offered in four color options.
Recap
Dyson OnTrac Headphones
Dyson removes the mask from its Zone project, leaving behind a cutting-edge pair of wireless over-ear headphones with class-leading ANC tech.
