The Dyson Ontrac might be my favourite pair of headphones. Yes, I think they're worth the money - and I have many reasons to back this up.

I will not deny, I'm a hard customer to please when it comes to audio. A former musical theatre performer; a list of sensory issues longer than my arm, and my headphone preferences are specific and often differ from popular trends. I hate noise cancelling. I hate tight headbands and dirty foam pads that press on my ears. I hate when the audio exaggerates the bass, especially when it drowns out the lyrics.

The reality is, I find so many pairs of headphones simply too uncomfortable to use. I'm still using the same pair of ratty, first generation AirPods I've had for years. This is despite my partner's sincere offers to give me any of the four to five pairs of luxury headphones he currently owns.

Dyson is a brand that likes to solve problems, and this is exactly what it has done in creating its new over-ear headphones called Dyson OnTrac. Looking at issues like comfort, battery life, sound quality, cleanliness and customisability, in my opinion after spending hands-on time with the headphones, Dyson seems to have supplied an answer to each of these potential problems.

 

Battery Life, 55 hours on one full charge

For any battery-powered Bluetooth device, longievity is the first pain point. The OnTrac quotes an impressive 55 hours of listening time. This measurement was even taken while using the noise cancellation feature. So, if you prefer to listen in transparency-mode like myself, you'll stand to get even more before having to find your charger.

Plus, you can keep them clean while you charge: the case has a open base, so you can charge them even while they're packed away.

 

Noise-cancelling, reducing up to 40dB - plus transparency mode

Dyson calls its OnTrac noise-cancelling best-in-class. I can't claim to be an expert here as I detest the noise-cancelling features of headphones. But I did try it briefly and it was akin to being in a recording studio: I couldn't hear a word of what was being said in the room around me. Noises cancelled 384,000 times per second, Dyson claims the OnTrac reduces external noise by up to 40dB.

Then of course, there is transparency mode. One tap on the right-hand ear cup and you can switch modes. Transparency mode allows some of the sounds from your surrounding come through. It's an important safety feature for people who exercise near roads and need to hear cars, or when you need to be more aware of your surroundings at night time. For me, transparency most allowed me to listen to audio without the uncomfortable suction of noise cancelling.

 

 

 

 

Comfort, no squished ears or sore heads

The Dyson OnTrac weighs in at 450 grams, making them heavier than other popular devices on the market, but you don't notice it.

The batteries have been placed into the side cushions of the band to keep the device perfectly balanced. The top cushion is delightfully squishy, alleviating pressure around the crown. The multi-pivot gimbal arms and cloud-like ear cups worked wonders at relieving pressure around the ears.

These are truly very comfortable to wear, and I have high standards.

 

Audio quality - it's excellent

Of course, we need to dive into the audio performance and let me tell you it was crisp. Even without using the noise cancelling, the listening experience is immersive, delivering audio with absolute precision. The headphones can reproduce a wide-range of frequencies, from as low as 6 Hertz and all the way up to 21,000 Hertz. For context on how wide that really is, parts of this range are actually inaudible to humans.

Clarity in the high range, is something extremely important to me in an audio device as I'm often found listening to things like The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack. The tracks I like to test headphones with are Problem where Ariana Grande stays in her soprano range or Chandelier as Sia belts an octave plus over middle C. Fortunately, Chandelier was on hand during my test. Clarity in these higher notes is a problem in some audio devices, but the OnTrac delivered a sharp, precise performance.

It's also important to note there are three EQ modes for those who like customise for heavier bass. Philistines.

 

 

 

Customisable aesthetics

This is possibly the most interesting feature of the OnTrac. There are four band colourways: aluminium, copper, cinnabar and nickel. But the caps and cushions are totally customisable. There are seven cap colours and seven foam ear cup colours. You could choose a cinnabar band with blue ear cup and copper caps and anything in between. My favourite is the copper with black cups and copper caps.

It's an elegant touch that means your headphones don't have to look like anyone else's. You can match them entirely to your personality.

 

Inclusive design

Dyson is a company that truly does focus on inclusive design. I still vividly remember attending a briefing for the Airwrap and noting that Dyson had actually tested the device on hair types from 1a to 4c. In fact, for this reason they has two separate brush heads in the kit, a flexi one for hair 1a-2c and rigid one for 3a-4c. This, in an era where it was still common for makeup brands to go to market with only 10 foundation shades.

In engineering the OnTrac, Dyson took the cranial measurements of males and females from all ethnicities. It then designed a band that can accommodate the diversity of humanity.

Understanding that body oils from those with darker skin can quickly stain ear cushions - as can base products from people who wear makeup - Dyson ensures that the ear cushions were detachable and washable (albeit, not machine washable. Gently hand-wash only).

OnTrac also actively looks after your hearing by tracking your volume and the level of noise around you and will inform you of potentially harmful levels of noise via the MyDyson app.

 

Yes, the price is eye-watering - $799 AU - but they also excellent in every sense of the word. You can find out more on Dyson now and they'll be available from 27 August in Australia.