Dyson's humongous ANC headphones look great for Princess Leia impressions from the side, but from the front, I'm not convinced (2024)

When you think of Dyson, you probably think of vacuum cleaners. Or perhaps those fancy hand-dryer thingys that force you to move your hands up and down in a slot in posh pub toilets. But think again! It's just announced a set of noise-cancelling headphones, and they look absolutely humongous.

The Dyson OnTrac headphones are not the first set that Dyson has tried its hand at producing, as who could possibly forget the Dyson Zone, a set of cans with an attachable air-purifying "travel visor" that made you look like an extra in Mad Max. Not a convincing sell for many, I'd imagine, but the OnTrac's design suggests that style may be a top priority for its latest models, as you can apparently customise it to your heart's content.

The outer chassis comes in four different colourways, but the options don't stop there (via The Verge). You also get a choice of ear cushions, and a plethora of outer plates in metallic and matte finishes to choose from, for $50 a pair.

That's just for extra plates, you understand. The headphones themselves have an MSRP of $500, so for that, you'll be expecting some premium features. Beyond the 2,000 possible colour combinations of outer caps and ear cushions, Dyson says the OnTrac also features "best in class" noise cancelling thanks to eight external microphones, along with a companion app to monitor how much noise is going on around you.

The 40 mm drivers have a 5 Hz to 21 kHz rating and are tilted inwards towards your lugholes (that's British for ears) for direct sound, and a USB-C port for wired connection, although you'll need to use an adapter for 3.5 mm input. A collapsible carrying case is also included, which actually seems like a genuinely useful idea.

Carrying cases for headphones are all very well when protecting your cans, but when you're wearing the set themselves the case does often take up a fair bit of room in your bag. Innovation at Dyson, y'see. Not just for things that suck and blow.

What I'm really not sold on, however, is the way they look from the front. These things look Huge with a capital H, and while those big bronze plates on the version above do have a sort of retro sci-fi appeal despite the size, looking head-on...it's not pretty.

That looks like the same headband design as the Dyson Zone, and while it seems like it might be comfortable, I'm not sure if it'll make me look more of a prize plum than usual in public. Also, $500? That puts the OnTrac in competition with the Bang and Olufsen Beoplay Portal, and while that's a pricey set of headgear, it's excellent at what it does.

They're even more expensive than the Nuraphone ANC headphones, although I suppose the downside there is that they give you an internal ear exam every time you put it on.

Still, time will tell if they're any good. Big headphones are in vogue, it seems, and despite being great chonkers, these might represent a set of headphones from Dyson that you'd actually want to wear in public. Maybe.

Or if the Princess Leia vibe is for you, a superb addition to a Halloween costume. You can take that idea for free. You're very welcome.

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