Dyson Introduces Its Tremendous-Customizable OnTrac Headphones

Dyson is asserting its second pair of headphones right now. The corporate’s first try is bizarre as hell, Dyson Zonetargeted on combining air purification and noise-cancelling headphones into one product. However this time, Dyson is ditching the Bane masks and going all-in on customization.

The brand new OnTrac headphones, priced at $499.99, characteristic replaceable ear pads. And ear pads that assist you to utterly change their fashion, going far past what’s doable with different producers’ merchandise. I’ve seen sufficient silicone instances and stickers for Apple’s AirPods Max to know that persons are keen to place their very own stamp on their earbuds.

The core of the OnTrac—the scarf, the pivoting gimbal arms, and the controls (with a joystick)—are similar to the Zone. The headscarf nonetheless has three protrusions: the left and proper include the ability components, and the center one is only a common comfortable head pad. It’s the outer caps that Dyson begins to combine issues up.

The headphones are available 4 completely different shade choices. Principally, you select what shade the scarf can be, as a result of just about every little thing else might be personalized later. “CNC Aluminum” has a grey end with brilliant yellow ear pads; “CNC Copper” has a purple headband and matching ear pads with shiny copper ear pads; “Ceramic Cinnabar” has a lightweight pink (bordering on pink) headband, matte ear pads of the identical shade, and darkish ear pads. Then there’s “CNC Black Nickel,” and because the title suggests, this one is all black, and appears unassuming in comparison with the remainder of the lineup.

Of those I noticed on the New York briefing, the CNC Aluminum ones caught my eye essentially the most. The silver and yellow simply give me a enjoyable, music-loving vibe. The OnTrac ear pads are made of froth, and Dyson will provide seven completely different colours, in addition to seven completely different kinds of outer cups. The caps are eliminated with a twisting movement, and it solely takes a few tries. There are each metallic and matte choices to select from, they usually’re priced at $49.99 a pair. You possibly can combine and match the colours to create some fairly enjoyable mixtures. Dyson says there are “greater than 2,000 customizable shade mixtures for the outer caps and ear pads.”

So the secret here’s a degree of customization by no means seen earlier than. However it takes greater than that to justify a $500 pair of headphones. To that finish, Dyson claims OnTrac delivers “best-in-class” noise cancellation with an eight-microphone system, and like Zone, you possibly can monitor the noise ranges round you with a companion smartphone app.

Lengthy battery life is one other plus: These headphones can last as long as 55 hours of steady listening on a single cost. That simply beats Apple, Bose, and Sony, however falls simply wanting 60 hours. Sennheiser Momentum 4which additionally present energetic noise cancellation. There’s a head detection characteristic, so the headphones will robotically pause the music once you take them off.

The OnTracs characteristic 40mm drivers that “reproduce frequencies from 6Hz to 21,000Hz, delivering deep sub-bass you possibly can really feel and clear highs on the high of the frequency vary.” And people drivers are angled towards your ears for a extra direct sound supply. You possibly can join for wired listening with a 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter, however there’s no devoted headphone jack. As for Bluetooth codecs, the OnTracs assist SBC, AAC, and lesser identified LDHC for higher wi-fi audio. Sadly, the latter possibility solely works with some telephones from Motorola, OnePlus, Nothing, and some different manufacturers. Samsung and Google followers are out of luck.

Dyson features a collapsible carry case with the OnTrac bins, which gives restricted safety – there’s loads of room inside for water or dust to get in, so concentrate on that.

Dyson clearly isn’t prepared to surrender on the headphone market after its very unconventional first foray. I feel the OnTrac headphones make rather more sense to a wider viewers. They’ve the identical “I’ve by no means seen headphones like these” impact because the Zone — with out the “I might by no means put on these in public” half. I’m very curious to see how they carry out once you take away the distinctive fashion and give attention to sound high quality and ANC. Can they actually compete with the heavyweight competitors? I’ll share extra about that quickly.

Within the meantime, listed below are a number of extra pictures for many who would by no means think about shopping for an OnTrac however nonetheless need to take a more in-depth look.

Pictures (besides cowl picture): Chris Welch/The Verge