Dyson has just launched its ontrac headphones, and Gen Z will love them

It’s still odd to say it but Dyson has quickly become one of the trendiest tech brands in the world. The Dyson supersonic hairdryer and airwrap put the company on the map with the TikTok generation, who now rave to their parents about a brand previously known for its hand dryers and vacuum cleaners .

Developing quirky-looking appliances and hair tools in bright colours, the company’s entering a new era, and now hopes to attract Gen Z with audio gear, too. Last year, Dyson launched its weirdest product yet: the Dyson zone – a pair of noise-cancelling wireless headphones that also acts as a personal air purifier.

Now, the brand’s going even further from its roots, by removing the air purifier entirely and focusing on just the headphones. Dyson’s launching the ontrac – a regular pair of high-end headphones (no air purifier) clearly designed for the brand’s new target market, who adore customising their gadgets.

With bright, industrial-esque colours, a modular design for maximum personalisation, and an aspirational price tag, could these cans be Gen Z’s latest obsession? Dyson hopes so, as it has committed to investing £250m over the next three years in audio technology. Naturally, I’ve taken Dyson’s first pair of traditional headphones for a spin – keep reading for my thoughts.

How I tested

I’ve been putting the Dyson ontrac headphones to the test for a week (after previewing them at Dyson’s offices a month ago), using them to listen to music across different genres, podcasts and films, as well as taking calls. I’ve paid particular attention to the strength of the active noise cancellation and transparency modes – were the cans as good as the AirPods max or Bose quietcomfort ultra ?

I also looked at the design and build – a major selling point of these headphones, thanks to the eye-catching, modular style – plus comfort levels and features, such as EQ profiles, and controls. Battery life was also important, as well as latency, charging times, and Bluetooth connectivity on various devices.

Dyson ontrac wireless headphones

The verdict: Dyson ontrac headphones