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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.8 update for Headphones! Read the R&D Article to learn more.

Dyson Zone Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Aug 09, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Latest change: Writing modified Oct 25, 2024 at 09:43 am
Dyson Zone Wireless Picture
7.8
Neutral Sound
7.5
Commute/Travel
7.0
Sports/Fitness
7.4
Office
5.9
Wireless Gaming
5.7
Wired Gaming
6.8
Phone Calls

The Dyson Zone Wireless are this manufacturer's first-ever headphones and come with an unusual detachable facial visor, which takes in surrounding air and filters out pollution for cleaner breathing air. You can even monitor the amount of particles in their companion app. For a pair of headphones, this attachment is a novelty suitable for a Mad Max-esque dystopia. That said, they have more normal features like noise cancelling (ANC) and a surprisingly balanced sound that make them a more versatile product than just a one-trick pony. Still, their high price point will put them out of reach of most people.

Our Verdict

7.8 Neutral Sound

The Dyson Zone are very good for neutral sound. Their sound is surprisingly neutral, with balanced bass as well as natural vocals and instruments. That said, a dip in the treble hurts the detail of vocals and instruments, while a peak in the mid-treble makes sibilants like cymbals piercing. If you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a couple of EQ presets, but that's about it. On the downside, they're closed-back headphones and struggle to create an open and immersive soundstage.

Pros
  • EQ presets available via companion app.
  • Good frequency response consistency across re-seats.
Cons
  • Poor passive soundstage performance.
7.5 Commute/Travel

The Dyson Zone are good for commute and travel. Although they're quite big and bulky, these comfortable headphones have a sturdy carrying case to help protect them. Thanks to their ANC, they can block out a good amount of background noise, and they even come with a portable air purification visor if the air around you may not be so nice to breathe. Their battery will last through long trips, too, though if you're using ANC and the visor simultaneously, they won't last too long.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built.
  • ANC has good noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • Bulky and can fall off your head with high-intensity movement.
7.0 Sports/Fitness

The Dyson Zone aren't intended for sports and fitness. They have a bulky and heavy design that can fall off your head with moderate movement. They also lack an IP rating for water resistance, but that's normal for over-ear headphones.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built.
Cons
  • Bulky and can fall off your head with high-intensity movement.
7.4 Office

The Dyson Zone are decent for office use. These headphones have a comfortable fit suitable for long listening sessions and are equipped with noise cancelling, so they can block out ambient chatter around you. They also have over 31 hours of playback time with the ANC on (but no visor), so you won't need to recharge them mid-shift. On the downside, they don't support multi-device pairing.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built.
  • ANC has good noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • No multi-device pairing.
  • Poor passive soundstage performance.
5.9 Wireless Gaming

The Dyson Zone are Bluetooth headphones, and their latency is too high on PCs for gaming. While it's also high on Android devices, their latency is lower on iOS, making them more suitable for mobile gaming.

5.7 Wired Gaming

The Dyson Zone are wireless-only headphones; you can't use them wired.

6.8 Phone Calls

The Dyson Zone are alright for phone calls. They have an integrated mic to take calls on the go. While it ensures that your voice sounds crisp and clear, it has a lot of trouble separating it from background noise and might drown you out if a lot is happening around you. On the upside, the headphones' ANC system can cut down a good amount of sound around you so that you can focus on your call.

Pros
  • ANC has good noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • Mic has poor noise handling performance.
  • 7.8 Neutral Sound
  • 7.5 Commute/Travel
  • 7.0 Sports/Fitness
  • 7.4 Office
  • 5.9 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.7 Wired Gaming
  • 6.8 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Oct 25, 2024:

    The Compared and Comfort boxes have been updated to mention the Dyson OnTrac Wireless.

  2. Updated Aug 09, 2023: Review published.
  3. Updated Aug 04, 2023: Early access published.
  4. Updated Jul 31, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
  5. Updated Jun 15, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  6. Updated May 30, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Dyson Zone come in one color variant, 'Ultra Blue/Prussian Blue'; you can see our model's label here. A higher-end model is available called the Dyson Zone Absolute+ headphones in 'Prussian Blue/Bright Copper'. The Absolute+ model has copper accents on the visor and comes with two more electrostatic carbon filters, an in-flight adapter kit, a soft pouch for storing the headphones, and an 'Explorer Case', which is a larger version of the default model's case but has a shoulder strap for carrying it.

If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Dyson Zone are unique headphones with a detachable air purification visor. While the visor doesn't feel great to use, since it's just blowing air at your face, the headphones themselves are comfortable and have a balanced sound that's pleasing to the ear. They even have ANC, and while they don't perform quite as well as cheaper models like the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless, they can still reduce a good amount of sound. If you don't care for the visor, the sequel, Dyson OnTrac Wireless headphones, retains most of the same features and a similar sound profile. The Dyson Zone's high cost puts them out of reach for many people, though, and many top-of-the-line models like the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless will offer similar or better performance but at a lower price.

Check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, the best over-ear headphones, and the best noise cancelling headphones.

Dyson OnTrac Wireless

The Dyson Zone Wireless and Dyson OnTrac Wireless are similar headphones with almost the same headband design unless you want the air filter 'visor' exclusive to the Zone. For most people, the OnTrac are more practical because they're slimmer with a longer battery life. The Zone are rather large and heavy, but have a more protective case.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless

The Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless are a better deal than the Dyson Zone Wireless. They have a better noise isolation performance, have more customization features via their companion app, and support multi-device pairing so you can stay connected to your smartphone and PC simultaneously. You can even use them wired. However, the Dyson have an air purifying visor, are more comfortable, and have a more neutral sound, which some users may prefer.

Apple AirPods Max Wireless

The Apple AirPods Max Wireless are a better deal than the Dyson Zone Wireless. The Apple are better built, support Spatial Audio, and have an H1 chip to seamlessly pair them to your Apple devices. Their ANC does a better job of blocking out background noise. However, the Dyson Zone are still worth checking out if you want on-the-go air purification and a more comfortable fit. Their microphone has a better overall performance.

Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless are a better value for most people than the Dyson Zone Wireless. The Bose are more comfortable, have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and are more customizable, thanks to their companion app's graphic EQ. They also support multi-device pairing and can be used wired. However, you may still like the Dyson for on-the-go air purification.

Focal Bathys Wireless

The Focal Bathys Wireless and the Dyson Zone Wireless have different strengths, and depending on your preferences, you may enjoy either one. While both headphones are equally comfortable, the Focal are better built and have the edge regarding noise isolation, thanks to their ANC system. They're also more customizable, thanks to their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. They support multi-device pairing and aptX Adaptive, allowing you to stream high-quality audio with lower latency. Conversely, the Dyson are unique since they have an air purification visor.

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic

The Dyson Zone have the same design language as other Dyson products, like their air purifiers, with rounded edges and a somewhat futuristic look. They have blue satin sheen detailing and sleek metallic grille ear cups. Even though it makes them look somewhat like open-back headphones, they're closed-back, and the opening is designed for filter airflow.

They come with an detachable visor that matches the headphones' aesthetics. That said, the blue detailing and shiny silver plating are more plasticky, which is likely to help reduce the overall weight. If you purchase the Absolute+ model, the visor has copper accents instead of silver, but the headphone grilles are still silver.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 1.31 lbs
Clamping Force
1.5 lbs

These cans have a comfortable fit. On their own, they've got decent padding that feels comfy. The headband has two different kinds of padding, so the top part feels more plush than the side pads, which are firmer. The top padding could flatten over time due to the headphones' weight. They clamp very tightly, but it doesn't feel overwhelming.

Unfortunately, the headphones are very heavy, and using the visor attachment takes time to get used to. Using the visor isn't a great experience either. It's large, and the overall product weighs 1.48 lbs. (or 670 gr) when paired with the headphones. It also doesn't form a tight seal on your face at all and lacks height adjusters, so if you have a long or short face, your nose may not even be covered by the visor. As a result, you may need to tilt the headphones to get the visor to get a better fit. It's easy to accidentally knock the visor off the headphones, too, since it's bulky and can get in the way of day-to-day activities.

When the fan is in use, the air current hits your nose and mouth, and if you're using the highest setting, it can dry out your nostrils and eyes. However, we can't test the filter's effectiveness. It's also easy to be self-conscious using the visor in public since it's very eye-catching and unusual. That said, if you like the design but want to skip the visor, consider the similar Dyson OnTrac Wireless, which share a similar headband and ear pads.

7.5
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Okay
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control On/Off
Talk-Through
On/Off
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

These headphones have a blend of physical buttons, a joystick control, and a touch-sensitive surface. There are chimes to let you know when you've adjusted settings like Bluetooth pairing, ANC, and reached max volume, as well as if you've changed the strength of the visor's fan. The buttons are easy to use, but switching ANC modes can be tricky since you have to tap hard enough to get the command to register, which sounds loud against your ear. If you're using the visor, you can lower it to pause airflow, audio, and noise cancelling and detach the visor for audio only.

Fan button (on the left ear cup):

  • Single press: Adjusts the fan settings.
  • Press and hold: Turns the headphones on and off.

Joystick (on the right ear cup):

  • Single press: Plays and pauses audio. Also answers and ends a call.
  • Double press: Cycles between ANC on and transparency mode. Also accepts an incoming call and puts an active call on hold.
  • Press left: Fast forwards through your track.
  • Press right: Skips to the previous track.
  • Press up: Raises the volume.
  • Press down: Lowers the volume.
  • Press and hold: Declines a call. Also activates voice assistant.
  • Swipe up: Turns the volume up incrementally.
  • Swipe down: Turns the volume down incrementally.

On the ear cup:

  • Double tap: Switches between transparency mode and ANC on.

5.6
Design
Portability
L 8.3" (21.1 cm)
W 8.0" (20.2 cm)
H 2.6" (6.5 cm)
Volume 169.06 in³ (2,770.43 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The Dyson Zone are pretty big, bulky, and heavy, so they'll be hard to transport unless you're wearing them on your head while on the go. Luckily, their ear cups can swivel to lay flat to conserve space.

8.0
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 10.2" (25.8 cm)
W 9.0" (22.9 cm)
H 3.1" (7.8 cm)
Volume 281.22 in³ (4,608.40 cm³)

The carrying case is great; it's sturdy and doesn't budge under pressure, so your headphones will be well-protected. It has a unique locking mechanism; you turn the silver dial to lock and unlock the case, and it keeps the headphones secure. It's made from plastic, which can wear down over time. Additionally, the case itself is quite large and may not fit into most bags without a bit of a fight.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

They have a good build quality. The headphones are mostly made of metal with cloth padding, making them feel very sturdy and dense. Around the inside of the ear cups are two replaceable electrostatic carbon filters. The app will let you know if you need to replace them, and you can purchase additional filters directly from the manufacturer. In addition to the filters, there are ports so that you can attach and remove the filter. The headband extension point is loose, and the first notch on our unit's right side slides downward instead of staying in position, which is annoying.

The visor is mostly made of lightweight plastic. While this material ensures a more comfortable fit, it feels flimsy and is prone to fingerprints, dulling its look. The grille covering the filter can slide off too, and it's easy to accidentally loosen it when adjusting the headphones. This motion may also weaken the clasping mechanism.

6.5
Design
Stability

These headphones are fairly stable. They won't move around if you're sitting at your desk or couch. However, if you tend to headbang to your favorite songs, they can shift in positioning and even fall off your head. They'll slip off your head if you want to wear them while you work out (which you shouldn't do since they're also quite bulky).

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Dyson Zone Headphones
  • Visor attachment
  • Carrying case
  • Visor carrying bag
  • USB-C to USB-C cable
  • Cleaning rod
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
0.59 dB
Treble Amount
-0.35 dB

The Dyson Zone have a surprisingly flat sound out of the box and without the visor. Mixes have a touch of extra bass, but it doesn't overwhelm vocals and instruments, which mostly sound clear and natural. Sibilants like cymbals are piercing, though. They only have EQ presets in their companion app to adjust their sound. With the visor on and with the highest fan setting, the frequency response is quite similar to when off. You can see our measurements at 90 and 100 dB here.

We noticed a rattling sound coming from the left driver in the low-bass. Additionally, these headphones have a high noise floor when ANC is enabled, and there's a slight whining sound in the left driver when low- bass or no audio content at all plays. The noise floor is much higher when using the air purification fan, especially at its highest setting. While their ANC can block out a decent amount of this noise, you'd need to crank up your audio to completely block out this sound.

7.5
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.51 dB

The frequency response consistency is good. The headphones are prone to slight deviations in bass delivery if you have thick hair or wear glasses since these can disrupt the headphones' seal on your head. Treble delivery also varies slightly depending on fit and positioning. You'll experience more consistent audio delivery once you get a good fit.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
9.1
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.19 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
19.71 Hz
Low-Bass
1.07 dB
Mid-Bass
1.06 dB
High-Bass
0.45 dB

These headphones have outstanding bass accuracy. The response is pretty flat across the range. While there's some overemphasis in the low to mid-bass, it won't drown out vocals and instruments. As a result, mixes have a touch of extra thump, rumble, and boom.

9.3
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1 dB
Low-Mid
0 dB
Mid-Mid
-1.37 dB
High-Mid
-0.36 dB

Their mid accuracy is fantastic. The response in this range is pretty flat, so vocals and instruments sound clear, accurate, and natural.

6.3
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
5.42 dB
Low-Treble
-3.32 dB
Mid-Treble
4.25 dB
High-Treble
-5.92 dB

The Dyson Zone's treble accuracy is mediocre, though. The low-treble is underemphasized, so vocals and instruments are veiled. However, the mid-treble is overemphasized. In songs with a lot of hi-hats, like Roxanne by The Police, these sibilants sound harsh and piercing.

6.3
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
2.65 dB
Dips
1.45 dB

These headphones have mediocre peaks and dips performance. A couple of big peaks and dips indicate that the headphones struggle to control their sound profile. It's most prominent in the low-bass, adding extra thump and rumble to mixes. A dip in the low-treble veils vocals and instruments, robbing them of their detail, while the steep peak in the mid-treble results in piercing sibilants like hi-hats.

8.5
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.48
Weighted Phase Mismatch
5.25
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.78
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.22

The imaging performance is excellent. These are Dyson's first headphones, but they have well-matched drivers overall, indicating their quality control and ergonomics. That said, imaging varies between units. Our unit has a little bit of mismatch in the phase response's mid-mid, but it'll only be noticeable to discerning audiophiles. Still, their quality imaging performance ensures that objects like voices are accurately placed in the stereo image.

4.3
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
4.75 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
4.32 dB
PRTF Distance
5.9 dB
Openness
2.3
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.2

The passive soundstage performance is poor, but that's normal from closed-back headphones. While they struggle to create a spacious, out-of-head audio experience, their soundstage stretches around you.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No
7.6
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.314
WHD @ 100
0.138

The Dyson Zone have a good weighted harmonic distortion performance. There's a slight peak in the low-treble, but it's minor and hard to hear with real-life content. Most frequencies fall within good limits, producing clear and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
0571PF.01.12.006.0001
Power
On
Connection
Unknown
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
Enhanced
ANC
Isolation
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
Integrated

These are the settings used to test the Dyson Zone Headphones. Our results are only valid when used this way.

Isolation
7.7
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-21.96 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-11.97 dB
Mid
-22.92 dB
Treble
-32.1 dB

These headphones have a surprisingly good noise isolation performance. They don't block out as much background noise as their high-end noise cancelling counterparts like the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. Still, they can block out some of the low rumbles of bus engines. They do a significantly better job of tackling ambient chatter and the high-pitched whirl of fans.

If you're using the air filter on high, the headphones can also reduce a lot of this noise, so you don't notice it while using it. Although there's a bit of deviation present at each angle, the ANC can still block out a good amount of noise overall.

7.2
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
38.38 dB

The Dyson Zone's leakage performance is decent. Leakage is mostly concentrated in the mid to treble range and sounds somewhat thin. That said, overall leakage is quite low, so if you're jamming out to your favorite tunes at high volumes and at the office, others around you can't hear it.

If you're using the visor at its highest setting, you can expect a similar leakage amount, though it may not be as noticeable due to the headphones' high noise floor.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
7.5
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
354.04 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3.08 dB
HFE
7,136.96 Hz
Weighted THD
0.053
Gain
20.62 dB

The integrated mic has good recording quality. Your voice sounds clear and crisp, though lacking depth. You won't have trouble being understood clearly, though.

5.8
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
9.38 dB
Noise Gate
No
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
6.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
5.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The noise handling performance is sub-par. If you're taking calls from a moderately noisy environment like an office, your voice competes with background sound and isn't the most clear. However, a noisy place with inconsistent, loud sounds, like a train station, can easily drown out your voice.

Active Features
8.4
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
31.25 hrs
Additional Charges
0.0
Total Battery Life
31.25 hrs
Charge Time
2.5 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Standby mode
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

The Dyson Zone Headphones' battery life is great. The manufacturer advertises the Dyson Zone to last up to 50 hours of audio-only playtime and up to four hours with the air purification running alongside the ANC. When using the ANC but not the visor, we measured over 31 hours, which will last through long days on the go. Keep in mind that battery life varies depending on use, though. Although they don't support passive playback, you can use them while charging. They'll still use a Bluetooth connection to receive audio, though. They also have auto-on/off sensors to help conserve battery life if you're not wearing them.

7.0
Active Features
App Support
App Name MyDyson
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
Presets
ANC Control
On/Off
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

The MyDyson app is decent, and you can see a video of it in action here. We had trouble connecting the app to an Android device, and the app works more smoothly on iOS. The app is a little light on sound customization features, as it only offers EQ presets. What's unique about the app are all the filter features. You can check your regional location data like temperature, humidity, PM2.5 (fine particulate matter), PM10 (larger particulate matter), and NO2 (nitrogen dioxide). You can also check out the status of the filters, including a NO2 daily tracker, and adjust the airflow strength.

Even though the above features can help measure the visor's performance, we don't know how effective the filter is. We took the headphones outside and used them alongside a busy street. However, we couldn't get the NO2 levels higher than 0.4. In addition, we can't measure whether the visor helps with seasonal allergies or pollen. For more information on this visor, you can check out Dyson's press release.

Connectivity
7.1
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
Unspecified
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
312.66 ft (95.30 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
206 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
102 ms
Android Latency
165 ms

These headphones have decent Bluetooth connectivity, though they don't support multi-device pairing, so you can't connect them to more than one device at a time. They also have high latency on PCs and Android devices, which can cause your audio and visuals to fall out of sync. Their latency on iOS devices is lower, though. Some apps compensate for latency.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
3.3
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 4.92 ft (1.50 m)
Connection
USB-C
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

These headphones come with a USB-C to USB-C cable for charging. It doesn't support audio on its own, so you'll be using Bluetooth while charging. You can purchase an in-flight adapter kit separately or purchase the Absolute+ model, which includes the kit in the box. This kit allows you to charge via USB-C and play audio from in-flight entertainment.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones can connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs with full audio and mic compatibility. You can't connect them in any other way, though.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock