Dyson’s OnTrac: The Future of Customizable Audio?

Dyson OnTrac: A Bold Bet on Customization, But Can They Deliver on Sound?

Dyson, the name synonymous with vacuum cleaners and futuristic technology, is dipping its toes back into the headphone market with a bold new offering: The OnTrac. After the polarizing Dyson Zone, which attempted to blend air purification and noise cancellation, the OnTrac focuses on a different avenue: unprecedented levels of customization. But can this unique approach to headphones truly compete in a market saturated with established players?

A Symphony of Style:

The OnTrac, at $499.99, doesn’t just offer a single look. Instead, it provides the canvas for your own personal masterpiece. The foundation – a comfortable headband, pivoting gimbals, and intuitive controls with a joystick – echoes the Zone’s design. However, it’s the outer caps and ear cushions that truly set the OnTrac apart.

You choose from four initial colorways, each with its own striking combination, all of which share a core element: the headband color. This is where the customization kicks in. Dyson offers a whopping seven distinct ear cushion colors and seven distinct outer cap styles – metallic and matte – for a seemingly unlimited number of aesthetic possibilities. With over 2,000 customizable combinations, you can truly personalize the OnTrac to your style, from bold and bright to sleek and understated.

Beyond the Looks: Performance and Features

While style is heavily emphasized, Dyson doesn’t play it safe on audio. The OnTrac boasts a powerful eight-microphone system and promises “best-in-class” noise cancellation, a key feature in the competitive headphone market. Through the Dyson app, you can monitor the level of ambient noise filtering, giving you fine-grained control over your audio environment.

A Marathon of Battery Life:

Forget charging your headphones every day. The OnTrac packs a phenomenal 55 hours of continuous playback on a single charge, a remarkable feat that surpasses even giants like Apple, Bose, and Sony. While it slightly trails the 60-hour Sennheiser Momentum 4, it’s still an impressive feat.

The OnTrac also features automatic on-head detection, silently pausing your music when you remove them. However, they fall short of the increasingly common multipoint feature, which allows simultaneous connections to multiple devices.

Audio Fidelity: A Symphony of Sound?

The OnTrac utilizes 40mm drivers boasting a wide frequency range, from a deep 6 Hz sub-bass to crisp 21,000 Hz highs, promising a rich and detailed sound experience. The angled speaker design aims to deliver audio directly to your ears, further enhancing the listening experience.

For those preferring a wired connection, the OnTrac offers a 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter but lacks a standalone headphone jack. The OnTrac supports SBC, AAC, and LDHC Bluetooth codecs, with the latter promising superior wireless audio quality but only compatible with select phones from specific brands.

Carrying the Legacy: A Flawed Case

While Dyson delivers a premium aesthetic, the included carrying case doesn’t quite match the standard. It’s a collapsible design, offering limited protection and leaving the headphones vulnerable to elements like water and dust.

The Verdict: A Bold Experiment

Dyson’s OnTrac headphones are an ambitious endeavor, seeking to carve a unique space in the headphone market. The unparalleled customization certainly sparks interest and allows for a personal touch rarely seen in other brands.

However, the true test lies in audio quality and ANC performance. While the OnTrac boasts impressive specs, only a full review can truly judge its ability to compete with established players in these core areas. The OnTrac has a distinct personality with its bold aesthetic, but whether it can deliver the sonic excellence to match remains to be seen.

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