Dyson Ontrac Review | 93 Data compared

The Dyson OnTrac headphones offer a robust, premium build with exceptional 51-hour battery life and effective ANC for office use. However, the design is heavy and bulky, with ear pads that easily trap sweat, and wired usage requires a separate, expensive adapter. Sonically, the headphones feature a slightly bass-heavy, neutral sound profile with limited EQ options, providing good isolation for daily noise but struggling with very deep frequencies. RTINGS.

The Dyson OnTrac™ headphones are a premium $499 ($449.99) entry into the over-ear noise-cancelling market that stand out for their highly authentic, warm sound profile and remarkable 55-hour battery life with active noise cancellation (ANC) enabled. Dyson achieved this extended runtime by creatively placing the batteries inside the headband cushions, which helps distribute the weight evenly and ensures high comfort during long-term wear despite a bulky 451g build. Users can seamlessly control media using an intuitive 3D joystick, swap out the ear cushions and outer caps for customization, and benefit from highly responsive on-head detection and a feature-rich companion app that monitors hearing safety. However, the headphones suffer from notable design flaws, particularly their tendency to act as "dust magnets" because the fabric ear cups and rubber hinge elements easily attract pet hair and debris. The included open-sleeve silicon case offers very poor protection, failing to shield the bulky, folding ear cups from bumps or environmental dust. Additionally, while the active noise cancellation performs well in busy city environments, it falls short of being industry-leading. Ultimately, the soundstage and instrument...

The Dyson OnTrac headphones mark a more confident, traditional second step for the brand by ditching the pandemic-era built-in air purifier of the Dyson Zone for a modular, highly customizable design. Priced at a steep $799 RRP in Australia, these heavy over-ear headphones feature premium material quality, a unique triple-pad headband design, physical button/joystick controls, and 40mm neodymium drivers backed by an eight-microphone noise-cancellation setup. While they deliver respectable audio fidelity across diverse musical genres, they fall short of dethroning industry leaders like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Sonos Ace, particularly due to a lack of support for Spatial Audio or Hi-Res content. The reviewer highlights several notable pros, led by an exceptional 55-hour battery life that doubles the longevity of many competitors, alongside gorgeous build quality, solid noise-canceling performance, and high customization through swappable vibrant outer caps and ear cushions. Conversely, the primary cons include the absence of sweat resistance, an expensive price tag, rigid controls that cannot be remapped, and a bulky, snug fit that can make the ears warm over prolonged listening sessions. Ultimately, the OnTrac is a...

The Dyson OnTrac over-ear headphones deliver a premium, high-quality build that excels in comfort and audio performance. The reviewer notes that the supersoft microfibre ear cushions provide a plush, comfortable fit for long listening sessions, a major upgrade from previous uncomfortable models they had tried. While the initial sound profile is somewhat flat and neutral, utilizing the customisable presets and built-in equaliser in the companion Dyson app unlocks exceptional audio quality. Once fine-tuned, the headphones produce a great sound range characterized by rich, deep bass and sharp clarity across mid and high frequencies for multiple music genres. However, the headphones are weighed down by several notable functional drawbacks. The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) proves highly frustrating and inconsistent; it requires a forceful, eardrum-rattling double-tap on the outer caps to activate, a method that only functions about 50% of the time. Portability is another major issue, as the sheer size of the headphones combined with their large, bulky carrying case makes them inconvenient to pack for anyone traveling without a backpack. Additionally, the reviewer experienced spotty connection issues at times during...

The Dyson OnTrac over-ear headphones stand out for their bold, highly customizable design and exceptional 55-hour battery life with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) enabled. Delivering great sound performance with excellent bass representation, they feature intuitive controls—such as a premium joystick for playback and a convenient double-tap gesture on the ear cups to toggle ANC modes. Users can mix and match four main headphone colors with seven ear cushion and seven ear cap options, offering hundreds of personalized combinations. Additionally, the headphones come with a unique protective case that features a hard silicone shell and folds completely flat when empty to save bag space. However, these headphones come with notable drawbacks, as they are bulky and heavy, weighing 451 grams (significantly more than the Apple AirPods Max). They also lack key premium features typical of their high £549.99 price range, completely omitting spatial audio, Dolby Atmos, and head-tracking capabilities. Furthermore, the OnTrac headphones do not support multi-device connectivity, meaning they can only connect to one device at a time and cannot automatically switch between your phone and laptop. While the customizability...

The Dyson OnTrac marks the company's shift toward standard audio products, stripping away the air-purifying design of the previous Dyson Zone in favor of a striking, premium industrial design. Priced competitively with high-end models at $499/£450, these headphones feature a unique, highly customizable design that allows users to swap out ear caps and microfibre cushions in over 2,000 combinations. Despite weighing a hefty 451g, the headphones achieve exceptional comfort by distributing weight evenly across a thick headband that houses the batteries. In terms of performance, the OnTrac excels with superb sound quality from its 40mm neodymium drivers, an impressive bass response, and strong active noise cancellation (ANC) capable of reducing background sounds by up to 40dB. Another major advantage is its outstanding battery life, providing up to 55 hours of playback time. The accompanying MyDyson app also introduces useful features, including three EQ modes and an "Ear health" sound exposure graph to track environmental decibels.

The Dyson OnTrac headphones mark a shift toward a traditional, customizable lifestyle design, featuring durable construction and an impressive 55-hour battery life with active noise cancellation enabled. While offering high comfort levels, the review notes key downsides including a flat soundstage lacking depth, and poor call quality in loud environments. Ultimately deemed a comfortable and well-built product, the OnTrac fails to match the dynamic musicality of competitors like Sony or Bose.

The Dyson OnTrac represents the company's second foray into the premium audio market, ditching the air-purification mask of its predecessor to focus entirely on sound performance and noise cancellation. Retailing at an expensive $499 / £449.99 / AU$799, these headphones feature custom 40mm neodymium drivers tilted at 13 degrees to deliver a clean, detailed, and delicate audio presentation. A major standout feature is the exceptional 55-hour battery life with active noise cancellation (ANC) turned on, which easily outclasses most major competitors like Sony and Bose. The ANC system utilizes eight microphones to effectively mute office chatter and dull transit noise. Additionally, the headphones offer unprecedented physical personalization, boasting up to 2,000 color combinations via interchangeable ear cushions and outer ear caps. Despite these high-end features, the review highlights several notable drawbacks that make the premium price tag difficult to justify. On the downside, the audio performance lacks dynamic punch and can sound flat or two-dimensional compared to cheaper competitors. From a design and comfort standpoint, the non-breathable microfiber ear cushions retain heat quickly, causing ears to sweat, and the hefty...

The Dyson OnTrac headphones deliver excellent sound quality and top-notch active noise cancellation (ANC), successfully establishing Dyson as a serious audio competitor. Priced at $499.99, these over-ear wireless headphones feature a highly unique, customizable design allowing users to swap outer caps and ear cushions across multiple colorways. Key advantages include its outstanding 55-hour battery life with ANC activated—easily outlasting major market rivals—alongside comfortable microfiber padding and an app that tracks safe sound exposure. The built-in microphones also offer highly capable audio performance for voice calls. However, the headphones have notable drawbacks, primarily their premium price tag and a complete lack of wired connectivity or head-tracking spatial audio capabilities. The companion MyDyson app is surprisingly limited, offering only three basic, pre-set equalizer modes without any custom EQ options or adjustable ANC levels. Physically, the double-tap touch gestures can feel finicky, and the included carrying case consists of two plastic plates held by elastic straps, which offers minimal protection from the elements. Ultimately, while the OnTrac serves as a strong, stylish alternative to the Apple AirPods Max, the cheaper Bose QuietComfort Ultra...

The Dyson OnTrac wireless headphones are a bold premium entry tested at £450 / $500 / AU$799 that stands out with highly unique, interactive customization options and an industry-leading battery life. A major pro highlighted in the review is the fun twist-and-lock system allowing users to swap out outer ear caps and cushions in various colorful combinations, adding a highly personal touch. Structurally, the headphones offer sturdy build quality, comfortable velvety padding, and excellent weight distribution despite their hefty 451g footprint. Performance-wise, the active noise-cancelling (ANC) is outstanding and holds its own against market giants like Bose, while the battery delivers a massive 55 hours of playtime with ANC active. However, the review points out several notable cons, particularly regarding sonic delivery, everyday usability, and price. Sonically, the audio profile is balanced and clean but ultimately lacks dynamic punch, subtlety, and precise timing, making the overall listening experience feel a bit too safe and leaden compared to the more expressive Apple AirPods Max or Bose QuietComfort Ultra. On the physical side, the massive microfiber ear cushions trap heat quickly and...

The WIRED review of the Dyson OnTrac headphones presents them as a surprisingly sophisticated and highly customizable entry into the high-end audio market, earning an overall rating of 8/10. Moving past the gimmicky nature of its predecessor, the Zone, Dyson successfully delivers an "adult listening experience" featuring clean, warm, and well-balanced sound quality across various music genres. A major standout feature is its phenomenal active noise cancellation (ANC) capable of blocking out 40 dB of external noise—allowing users to seamlessly listen to audiobooks even while operating loud machinery like chainsaws or lawnmowers. Additionally, the headphones boast an exceptional 55-hour battery life and an extensive range of structural color customization through replaceable earcups and ear cushions. Despite these significant pros, the review highlights several distinct drawbacks. The headphones are notably large, bulky, and heavy, weighing in at 451 grams—making them substantially heavier than premium competitors like the AirPods Max or Sonos Ace. The control scheme is also a mixed bag; while it utilizes a functional joystick, the touch controls on the left earcup for toggling ANC and transparency mode are overly...

The Dyson OnTrac headphones deliver excellent sound quality with robust bass and mids, coupled with top-tier active noise cancellation (ANC) that effectively blocks out urban noises and flight rumbles. Standing out with a unique, highly customizable design, they offer four base colors and multiple interchangeable ear cushion and outer cap sets. A major strength is their exceptional 55-hour battery life with ANC activated, easily outpacing key market rivals. Additionally, the built-in microphones perform very well for voice calls, and the companion MyDyson app features a unique sound exposure tracker to monitor safe listening volumes. However, the headphones come with notable limitations, most significantly their high retail price of $499.99. On the technical side, they lack any wired connectivity options or custom EQ adjustments, restricting audio tuning to just three rigid presets (Bass Boost, Enhanced, and Neutral). Users will also find no advanced head-tracking or spatial audio capabilities. Finally, the included carrying case features an odd, minimalist design that consists of two plastic plates held together by elastic bands, providing very little protection from the elements. While a strong second audio...

The Galaxus review highlights the Dyson OnTrac headphones for their exceptional audio quality, comfort, and battery life, alongside a highly customizable design. However, the product is significantly hindered by unreliable voice controls and a heavily criticized companion app that prioritizes marketing over user functionality. While offering a premium listening experience, the OnTrac's potential is currently limited by this underdeveloped software ecosystem.

The Dyson OnTrac represents the tech giant's first over-ear, audio-only headphone, moving away from the bizarre, built-in air purifier design of the previous Dyson Zone. Housed in a sleek 451-gram CNC-milled aluminium chassis, it features dual 40mm neodymium speaker drivers that deliver a broad frequency response from 6Hz to 21kHz. Designed with exceptional ergonomics, the headphones use multi-pivot gimbal arms to evenly distribute weight and reduce head pressure, making them arguably some of the most comfortable headphones on the market. Furthermore, they offer an unparalleled level of personalization, giving users access to over 2,000 interchangeable color combinations for the outer ear caps and cushions.

The Dyson OnTrac headphones mark Dyson's serious expansion into the consumer audio space with a bold, industrial, and highly customizable design featuring interchangeable cushions and faceplates. On the plus side, they offer an incredible 55-hour battery life with active noise-cancellation (ANC) turned on—housed cleverly within the headband—making them perfect for long-haul travel. Furthermore, their eight-microphone ANC system delivers excellent isolation, cutting out environmental sounds and softening sharp noises effectively. The sound profile is technically impressive, delivering clear, crisp, and well-balanced audio that respects all genres, accompanied by an easy-to-use real-time hearing protection tracker in the MyDyson app. However, the headphones suffer from notable drawbacks, particularly given their steep $799 price tag. While technically balanced, the audio is criticized as flat, subdued, and lacking the emotional dynamics or excitement of rival high-end models. The physical build is bulky and highly uncomfortable to wear around the neck, and the touch controls require an annoying heavy double-tap that causes a loud thud in the ear. Furthermore, Dyson cuts corners on premium features by limiting the app to just three rigid equalizer presets, excluding...

The Consumer Reports review of the $500 Dyson OnTrac headphones highly recommends the device for its premium, customizable design, high-end build quality, and excellent active noise cancellation (ANC), marking a departure from the air-purifying Dyson Zone. Performance highlights include deep, impactful bass, an open soundstage, and highly effective noise reduction, alongside user-swappable ear cushions and caps for a personalized aesthetic. However, the review notes that the default "Enhanced" EQ setting can produce overly boomy bass and grainy, congested sound, while ANC mode changes trigger an excessively loud, frustrating alert tone.