There are few things that tech engineer Dyson loves more than finding clever solutions to modern problems.
Its latest launch is Dyson Zone, which marks the company’s first foray into audio and in signature, game-changing style, they’re as future-thinking as they are, well, a bit mad-looking.
The headphones are souped up to the ear holes with tech and come with a clip-on air purifier to funnel clean, singing-on-a-mountain air into your lungs. They’ve been six years in the making, in the works well before the pandemic threw the world into disarray and we all obsessed about air quality.
Does this make the Zone a well-timed prophecy, or simply another incarnation of Dyson’s famous filter system, already alive and kicking in the brand’s range of home air purifiers? Perhaps an auspicious mix of both.
The devices have already been circulating in Asia, and launched in the UK on May 17, 2023. We found out what all the fuss is about.
Dyson Zone key specs
- 11 microphones for ANC and PA
- 4 hours battery with low filtration mode
- 2.5 hours battery in medium filtration mode
- 1.5 hours battery in high filtration mode
- 40+ hour battery life with ANC (active noise cancellation)
- Stiff speaker cavity
- 40mm speaker driver
- Adaptable EQs through Dyson Link app
- Quick charging via USB Type C - up to 60 per cent in just 20 minutes
- One year filter expectancy for heavy users
- Dyson Zone comes in Prussian Blue/Dark Blue
- Dyson Zone Absolute+ available in Prussian Blue/Bright Copper
The design
If it’s the stealth wealth aesthetic you’re gunning for, these chunky headphones aren’t it. There’s only so much streamlining that can be achieved, even if one is an engineer from Dyson’s school of witchcraft and wizardry.
As such, they’re made to be seen (certainly not for running or cycling), but then each ear piece holds mini versions of Dyson’s two-part filtration system, along with a tiny fan to draw in air and of course, state-of-the-art audio tech.
They look like something Iron Man might own, which might be the only -core the fashion winds haven’t blown towards (at the time of publishing).
The function: headphones
So what problems exactly are being solved with the Dyson Zone?They aim to offer a double salve against two of the biggest issues for Londoners: noise pollution and air pollution.
With building works a constant soundtrack in the capital, many areas exceed acceptable decibel levels (dB). A map made by climate charity Possible shows the worst affected areas with areas around London’s orbital M25 and Heathrow the screamingly loudest, as well as high traffic areas in town: think Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Covent Garden and Soho. It can get as noisy as 75dB: for context, an aircraft touching down can hit 90dB.
The Zone is loaded with active noise cancelling microphones which constantly monitor the levels around you (384,000 times a second, actually). The result is an advanced level of noise cancellation; audio oblivion, in other words. I tried them in Dyson’s demo store on Oxford Street, surrounded by the usual tinkling of glasses and excited chatter of a tech launch, which were all erased and replaced with Fleetwood Mac’s Go Your Own Way. It sounded as though I was in the original recording room.
Sound like music to your ears? Maybe. But axing the vital sense of hearing on a busy London street isn’t the wisest idea in the world, especially with HGVs, squawking tourists and stag parties on those god-awful booze bikes to contend with. Dyson has thought of these nightmarish scenarios, fitting the Zones with microphones to help with transparency and for taking phone calls.
The idea is to bring background noise down to comfortable levels, so you’re not giving your lug holes a battering (or risking long-term damage) by cranking up Spotify in order to drown out environmental noise. The total noise cancelling element is best reserved for low-risk settings - at home, on the tube, on a flight - and want total, blissful immersion from your surroundings.
But look, high-spec noise cancelling headphones are nothing new. If the Zone was this and this alone, Dyson would be jostling for space alongside firmly-established competitors. But the brand has long been a fan of multi-functioning devices, from snazzy hair electricals that come with an entourage of attachments and fans that cool, heat, humidify and purify, to vacuums that not only clean but forever imprison harmful particles, like a hygienic version of the Ghostbusters proton pack. Why should the Zone be any different?
The function: personal purification
The Zone’s second function is the more trailblazing part. How does it work, exactly? Well, outside air gets sucked in through the first electrostatic filter in the ear cups, and gets another rinse through a second activated carbon filter. Once clean, it travels through a compressor and is channelled into the visor where you can breathe in it. Pure and (sort of) simple.
It clips on with magnets and the fit is adjustable: it should be touching the tip of the nose and chin, but not resting on the lips. Wearing it feels like the next generation of face masks, but nowhere near as smothering. The part-silicone part-hard plastic construction means it’s easy to clean, will survive occasional bumps and knocks, but crucially, is as lightweight as possible - a good job as the ear cups are bulky enough.
It is undoubtedly impressive, but also feels a tad showboaty: is this level of on-the-go personal air purification really necessary? If you’re worried about pollution levels - and in London you definitely should be - the short of it is: yes.
Our air officially sucks. It’s so bad that TFL has implemented a ULEZ (ultra low emission zone) to help clear the skies and bring down dangerous levels of toxicity. While we wait for the smog-clearing effects to kick in, our lungs are on their own. The Zone will give them a helping hand in really gritty settings, like the entirety of the Victoria line, which never goes above ground. The filters need replacing, but only around once a year and that’s depending on how often you use them.
The Dyson app control
Both noise and air pollution levels are controlled by the MyDyson app, which also acts as the control panel for all the other devices the brand offers. Here’s where you’ll see the current air and noise quality, and can initiate the Zone to get the lines in various graphs tumbling down into the safe green level.
It’s satisfying, and if you suffer from asthma, hayfever or allergies, using the visor will help. Yet, while it is a first, I can’t help but feel the visor is a bit gimmicky - albeit an extremely high-tech one. The sort of thing Kendall Roy might strap on to his privileged progeny.
The battery life
The cordless Zone takes three hours to fully charge via USB-C and offers up to 50 hours of noise cancelling playback on the headphones. Usage plummets to just four hours if you’re using the visor’s purification feature too, demonstrating just how much power is needed to get Alpine-fresh breezes into your lungs. Unless you’re trekking the length of the M25, the visor is really for occasional use only.
The price
The price is also polarising. There are two models but the only real difference are the colours, the carry bags they come in, and some added accessories.
Dyson Zone comes in Prussian Blue/Dark blue, while the Absolute+ version is offered in Prussian Blue/Bright Copper colourways. The Absolute+ comes with an extra set of filters to replace the ones in the headphones once they’ve done their thing.
Where to buy Dyson Zone
Verdict: Is the Dyson Zone worth the money?
While I’m floored by Dyson’s engineering and ingenuity, in the midst of a cost of living crisis, the cost of Dyson’s Zone headphones is bound to leave a bad taste in some people’s mouths. Plus, they’re big and bulky enough to have me worried about theft. But then, how much is clean air worth?
For those with severe allergies and lung issues the Zone may be worth forking out for - as long as you don’t mind a few funny looks.
