When Dyson introduced its "Zone" headphones a few years ago, a popular YouTuber labelled it one of the most bizarre products he had ever reviewed. The combination of an air purifier and headphones seemed impractical, especially as the purifier—purportedly designed to guard against COVID-19—ironically heightened susceptibility to it. Now, Dyson returns with the OnTrac, their first audio-first product, aiming to learn from the missteps of the Zone. At Rs 44,990, it’s still steeply priced, but Dyson assures us it’s packed with technology. Does it live up to the hype? Well, it’s complicated.
At first glance, the OnTrac are the largest noise-cancelling headphones I’ve ever tested—and I’ve tested many, from the Sony WH-1000XM5 to Apple's AirPods Max and the Focal Bathys. The sheer size of the OnTrac is an experience in itself. Yet, they exude an undeniable cyberpunk aesthetic that stands out in the crowd. In true Dyson fashion, they’re sleek, futuristic, and could easily be the "cool kids" of the headphone world if judged on looks alone.
However, with size often comes weight. At 451 grams, the Dyson OnTrac are hefty, almost 100 grams heavier than the AirPods Max. Surprisingly, Dyson’s clever design and weight distribution make them remarkably comfortable to wear. The headband features a cushion flanked by two additional pads, ingeniously housing the battery. Despite the bulk, they feel more luxurious than cumbersome, thanks to the premium memory foam ear cushions, which can be swapped for different colours to match your style. Think of them as the Mercedes G-Wagon of headphones—intimidating at first, but supremely comfortable once you're inside.
The ear cups are also customisable, with options for minimal or polished finishes, letting users create their own unique look. The machine-edged detailing, particularly the chrome variant, evokes the futuristic world of Tron.
Dyson claims that its lessons from the Zone’s active noise cancellation (ANC) have made their mark here. According to Dyson’s Engineer Mark Heard, the OnTrac cancels up to 40 dB of noise. The Zone’s 9,000 RPM motor inside the ear cups required Dyson to hone their ANC capabilities, and this experience is evident in the OnTrac. Despite the absence of a motor, Dyson packs nine microphones into these cans for an ANC experience that rivals the best in the industry. Switching between ANC and transparency mode by tapping the ear cups feels intuitive, with the ANC working as effectively as Sony’s and Apple’s best offerings.
However, there’s a caveat: while the ANC is superb, it compresses the audio, degrading the music quality slightly, at least to my ears.
Speaking of sound quality, the OnTrac are tuned for luxury but fall short of audiophile standards. Their sound is pleasing, likely satisfying the casual listener, but without the finesse of true audiophile headphones. Dyson offers three sound modes—Neutral, Enhanced, and Bass Boost—but lacks a parametric equaliser (EQ) in the app, which would help users sculpt the sound to their liking.
In Neutral mode, the sound is crisp but slightly sterile, offering little personality. The Enhanced mode scoops out the mids, which helps bring out the harmonics in distorted guitar tones, making it ideal for classic rock from the '70s, '80s, and '90s. Bollywood music, with its vocal-centric production, also shines in this mode. However, this tuning falls flat when it comes to electronic music with deep basslines, lacking the punch needed to deliver an immersive experience. For bass-heavy genres, you might be tempted to switch to the Bass Boost mode, but this setting feels overdone, producing an overwhelming, almost fatiguing low-end that detracts from the overall listening experience. It's a mode best left alone unless you're really chasing those thumping lows.
In terms of versatility, these headphones handle most genres fairly well, but the lack of customisation options, such as a more sophisticated EQ, limits their appeal for audiophiles or those seeking a tailored sound. With the competition offering more flexible audio controls, this is a missed opportunity, especially given the premium price.
While the sound is good, these headphones miss out on a few crucial features. There’s no spatial audio and no true lossless audio support, only LHDC codecs. The lack of LDAC support and multipoint connectivity—essential for those switching between multiple devices—is disappointing. Switching between my iPhone, Android smartphone, iPad, MacBook, and Windows notebook was cumbersome, especially with only Bluetooth 5.0 on board. For a product priced at nearly Rs 50,000, these limitations feel glaring.
Dyson has hinted at future updates, including a parametric EQ, though their rationale for its absence was to avoid complicating the user-friendly app. They’ve also incorporated an external sound visualiser—a neat touch showing how much noise is being cancelled and the decibel levels of potentially harmful sounds. However, whether Dyson can add features like lossless audio or spatial audio in future updates remains unclear.
One area where the OnTrac truly shines is battery life—a staggering 55 hours with ANC and 60 hours without. Over a week of extensive testing, I never once needed to charge them. Dyson also provides a utilitarian case, slimmer than Sony’s and more practical than Apple's, though the headphones don't fold like the Beats Studio Pro.
Ultimately, the Dyson OnTrac are a curious proposition. They’re not for audiophiles, iPhone users will likely stick with their AirPods Max, and at Rs 44,990, they’re far from affordable. While they boast excellent noise cancellation, transparency, and comfort, their appeal will likely be confined to those prioritising design and customisation over sound quality or advanced features.
For those who value aesthetics and physical customisation, the OnTrac offers something unique. But for everyone else, it’s hard to justify their steep price tag when there are better options at this price range.
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