Dyson Ontrac headphone review: Unique, expensive and superb in so many ways

Over here at India Today we have reviewed a lot of Dyson products. And we have found that most of the time they deliver on the promises that Dyson makes with them. But headphones? This is something new for Dyson. Kind of, because there was a Dyson Zone as well earlier. Still, a new product. In July when Dyson launched the Ontrac headphones I was surprised and a bit sceptical. After trying the Ontrac for close to 10 days, including during a couple of flights that are always the best way to check active noise cancellation (ANC) and comfort, I am no longer sceptical. There is a lot that Dyson gets right with the Ontrac.
Of course, it is not cheap. In fact, Ontrac is one of the most expensive Bluetooth headphones in India, more expensive than even the Sonos Ace, which was also launched recently in India, or the flagship headphones from Sony and Bose. But there is also something cool about the Ontrac – its customisable design. And on basics too, such as sound quality and ANC the headphone gets it mostly right.
In a world where most of the tech companies are focusing on bringing minimalistic designs, I was really happy to see Dyson taking a different road. As far as looks are concerned, the Ontrac never fails to catch the eye. And to make it more unique, Dyson is offering the Ontrac in over 2,000 combinations, in other words with customisable design where you can swap out the outer caps and ear cushions to create a colour or colour combination that you fancy. In this review you can see the Ontrac with blue ear cushions and copper caps.
Design-wise, I also like that the Ontrac looks a little futuristic, as if it belongs to a world where industrial design is always in focus, not just because of its size but also because of the hefty hinges that connect the earcups to the headband and the gun-metal finish.
The ear cushions of Ontrac are big compared to any other headphones in this range. And it also feels a bit on the heavier side. But surprisingly, it is very comfortable. On one of my flights, I tagged along the Dyson Ontrac and not only the headphones drew attention from other passengers but in my entire 2 hours of flight I ended up wearing them comfortably. So much so that I slept during the flight wearing them and used their hefty yet soft ear cushions almost like a pillow. I know this sounds preposterous but it is real.
These ear-cushions are made of soft microfiber material, which is better for comfort than the leatherette finish we usually see in headphones. And this cloth-like finish even solves the sweat ear problem which people usually face with leather cushion during extensive wear in travel or gym. Best bit: the design takes into account hygiene. These cushions are detachable so you can clean them or replace them.
However, as comfy the Ontrac is while wearing it, it was cumbersome to rest it or carry it around the neck. The ear cups are big and you totally feel them when you are wearing the headphones around the neck. So if you are someone who is fond of walking around with your headphones resting on your neck, you may find the Ontrac too big and too heavy.
Now on the Ontrac itself there are a few controls including a power switch, touch panel and a joystick button which allows you to control music playback. The design of the Ontrac is a bit unique and different from the usual headphones and it took me a while to get used to the joystick button. Probably also because the button is on the smaller side. But once you are used to it, and figure out its movements it easily lets you control the volume, play and pause and more.
One issue, however, is worth mentioning: the touch panel that is on the left earcup. It is not marked and it is a bother to figure out what part of the cap is touch sensitive and what part is not. In use, whenever I wanted to control the ANC I ended up tapping all over the left earcup to get it right.
But as soon as you manage to turn on the ANC, all goes quiet and you forget about all your troubles – metaphorically speaking. The ANC here is really impressive. And more of this is due to these large ear cushions which feel like your ears are enveloped in a vacuum. In my use, most of the time I often wore these headphones just to cut down on all the surrounding voices during work or even during travel. And as I mentioned earlier I was sound asleep for 2 hours in a flight – the first reason was the comfort but the ANC was the other big factor that made me relax.
Of course, Ontrac is a pair of headphones and they gotta do what headphones are supposed to do – play music and fill our ears with sound we can enjoy. And this first audio only device from Dyson almost excels in this job too. For Ontrac in India, Dyson has collaborated with rapper Badshah. His songs ended up first in line as I started trying the Ontrac. And oh boy, was the sound amazing. It really was, and totally vibed with Badshah-style songs. In his songs, the Ontrac belted out clear sound and punchy bass. The same effect I could hear in Bollywood songs as well – clear sound, punchy bass and ability to play songs in a way that made them easy to vibe with.
In some other genres, however, the sound can be flatter. Purists will love it, I did not so much. For example, in Thunder and Believer by Imagine Dragons the Ontrac sound felt a bit flat.
Another show stealer with the Ontrac is its battery. I often use the Ontrac for around 4-5 hours a day. Yet, I charged them once every 4-5 days. On an estimate I ended up charging the Ontrac one a week while using ANC. This was really impressive. Dyson, as far as specs go, promises 55 hours of use with the Ontrac headphones, even with ANC activated.
Although the earcups have all the buttons and touch controls, Dyson also offers some more options in the companion app. In the app, there is the control panel for ANC and for choosing a sound profile. I would have also loved to see more options in the equaliser because currently it is kind of basic. The app also offers insights on the sound frequency for both in ear and the surrounding. This is nice to see as it helps users get details on the surrounding noise pollution as well as the right and optimum sound level to maintain the ear health.
I think, yes. Although it is pricey. In particular I like its design, the comfort it offers, its ANC and its sound quality in pop music, particularly with Bollywood music. So, if you are looking for really good full-size headphones, with excellent noise cancellation and good audio quality, then you should definitely check out the Dyson Ontrac. In fact, given they are the first from the brand – the Zone that was a weird combination of air-purifier and headphones doesn’t count – and I think Dyson has done a fantastic job. That counts for something.