Going straight into it, we have to admit, the Dyson Zone is unique…as unique as it gets to be honest.
Are they a pair of headphones? Are they and air purification system? This is one wearable that is sure to get attention in public. Well all know that Dyson’s produces some great air purifiers, but now the company has taken the tech one step further to put them directly on your face.
So how does a real life use fair? We took the Dyson Zone for a spin, and this is the outcome.
Design wise, the Dyson Zone is heavy, you can immediately feel the weight when you pick it up from its bag. The headphones weighs 595g, and increases to 670g once the visor is attached to it. The positive side here is that you won’t feel that load once you wear them, the design is so good, that the weight balance is spread in a way that doesn’t really bother. Having said that, you would definitely end up removing them after long hours of use. The padding on the ear-cups are very soft, comfortable, and covers the ears well.
Diving directly into it, let’s talk about the air purifying visor part first and get it out of the way. The visor can simply be attached through magnets under the ear cups, and can be extended or retracted for a perfect fit on your face. The visor can also be flipped downwards in case your want to talk to someone or drink water, coffee, etc….you know, like knights used to do back in the days.
The visor doesn’t actually touch your face, it just sits in front of your mouth and nose, with the airflow, and music automatically stopping when the visor is flipped own. There are two fans, one on each side of the ear-cups, which suck the air around you through fillers and outputs clean, breathable air again through the visor to breathe in.
I was “fortunate” enough to be able to experience the air purifying feature during a mini sandstorm while on my trip to Saudi last week, and have to say I was genuinely impressed by the level of protection provided, I was able to breath normally outdoor without really feeling I was breathing sand. Other than that, honestly that was it, didn’t really have any other scenario where I can use the visor during my review. Worth noting as well, the companion My Dyson app, provides all the stats and what’s happening around you in terms of air quality, purification data, etc.
Here’s a quick how to guide on how to replace the filters and get started with the purification features
Music to my ears
For a company well known for its hair styling products, air purifiers, and vacuum cleaners, I must admit, the audio performance and quality on the Dyson Zone is really impressive.
The Dyson Zone connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.0 and supports AAC, LHDC, SBC codecs, and as previously mentioned, the headphones require the My Dyson app. On the ear-cups, there are only two buttons on each side, one on the right side that serves as a small joystick controller for volume, playback and voice assistant, and an other on the left side, which serves as a power button, bluetooth paring, and the main control for the level of air purification output.
Features wise, the Dyson Zone has 11 microphones that work hand in hand to reduce noise, monitor surrounding noise 384,000 times a second, and give an impressive noise cancelling capabilities, achieving results matching the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.
I tested the Dyson Zone during my flight back from Saudi to Dubai, and the results were great. The ANC worked flawlessly on the plane and was able to block of the cabin chatter and most importantly the engine sound, specially when sitting next to the wings. Overall the listening experience was up to the expectation with clear sounds, and good bass output. The 40mm neodymium drivers deliver a well balanced, neutral sound, studio like environment like if I want to describe it accurately. On the app, you can set the default Enhanced EQ mode, as well as Bass Boost and Neutral modes.
The headphones can be set to Isolation (full ANC on), Transparency mode (which amplifies outside sounds so you can be more aware of your surroundings), and Conversation mode which automatically kicks in when the visor is attached but lowered.
Battery wise, the Dyson Zone takes around three hours to fully charge via USB-C and offers up to 50 hours of noise cancelling playback. Of course, the usage varies and that number quickly drops down to around 3 hours if the purification feature is switched on.
Here’s a quick how to guide on how to get started with the audio features
Verdict
Is the price tag worth it? The Zone is an exciting new, and unique product for sure. Yes, the air-purifying headphones look a bit odd to wear in public at first, but once you realize the benefits, things are bound to change. The powerful ANC and sound quality are fantastic, and does the primary job of this being a pair of headphone first well. The Dyson Zone night not be an everyday consumer product at this point, specially if its air purifying feature isn’t going to be used on a day-to-day basis. Nevertheless, looking at it from an audio perspective, we give it a two thumbs up for sure.
