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Dyson is taking another shot at headphones, and they just might rival that of Apple, Bose and Sony. Dyson OnTrac headphones, announced on Thursday (July 18), feature up to 55-hours of battery power, high-fidelity sound and customizable ear cushions and outer caps.
The newest edition to Dyson’s growing lineup of luxury headphones is equipped with two, high-capacity lithium-ion batteries centered in the headband to even the distribution of weight. The battery takes up to three hours to fully charge and lasts up to two weeks, even with ANC enabled (you can switch the ANC setting on and off by tapping on either ear cap, or on the top of the headband).
OnTrac headphones will retail for $499.99 at Dyson.com – much cheaper than the Dyson Zone headphones. No air filter needed this time around, OnTrac offers a more traditional design with a custom Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) algorithm that utilizes eight microphones and cancels up to 40dB of unwanted noise along with 40mm drivers with “advanced audio signal processing,” and a speaker tilted at 13-degrees to “ensure that every note or word is delivered with precision,” according to Dyson.
Dyson On Trac Headphones
OnTrac headphones come in four colorways: CNC Aluminum, CNC Copper, Ceramic Cinnabar and CNC Black Nickel. The removable caps retail for $49.99 and come in several colors such as chrome yellow, prussian blue, ultra blue, ceramic cinnabar, CNC copper, coarse titanium, dark iron, oyster pink and ceramic blue.
“Dyson’s audio engineering mission is to preserve the integrity of the artist’s sound wave, free from interference,” Jake Dyson, the brand’s chief engineer, said in a statement. “We also wanted to create a set of headphones that people would cherish, be excited by, and be proud of. 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.”
I had the chance to test the OnTrac headphones during a press preview in London and one of the most appealing features are the customizable ear cuffs, and the one-touch ANC feature. The headphones are incredibly comfortable — the cuffs are made from “ultra-soft microfiber and high-grade foam” per Dyson — and easy to use.
With over 2,000 customizable color combinations, you can mix and match the OnTrac design to your liking. The outer caps and ear cushions are made from “ultra-soft microfiber” with “high-grade foam for superior comfort and acoustic seal,” per Dyson. Another feature that caught my interest was the multi- pivot gimbal arm design. I also like the idea of the battery being in the headband, which ensures balanced weight distribution, says Dyson.
OnTrac delivers from a sound perspective and comfort level, and even though I haven’t had a chance to test out the 55 hour battery (yet), it was easily one of the headphone’s most appealing features. For comparison, the battery on Apple’s AirPods Max lasts up to 20 hours, Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones offer 24 hours of battery life and Sony’s WH-100XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones lasts up to 30 hours.
OnTrac headphones are the latest on a list of new releases from Dyson, which includes the Dyson Nural Supersonic Hair Dryer and Dyson Vis Nav Robot Vacuum.