Dyson OnTrac

Bold ideas, with room for improvement

Wireless headphones £450 whf.cm/DysonOnTrac

The wireless headphones market is so competitive that, to stand out, you really need to offer something unique. Dyson – yes, that Dyson – has decided it has the answer. The Dyson OnTrac is a bold new pair of premium wireless headphones that offers an outstanding battery life and colourful customisation options. It’s an exciting proposition…

Dyson’s positioning of the OnTrac at the premium end of the market is a clear sign of its ambitions. Costing £450, the OnTrac faces formidable competition from the likes of the Apple AirPods Max (originally launching at £549 and now regularly seen for £499) and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (£450, down to £379). Both models have remained five-star powerhouses ever since their respective launches, and it will take some doing to match and beat their impressive levels of sound quality, noise-cancelling, design and features.

Mix and match

The design of these OnTrac headphones is bold and loud even before we get to the various customisations on offer, which include being able to swap out the outer ear caps and ear cushions for different colours.

The OnTrac come in four main body finishes: CNC black nickel, CNC aluminium, CNC copper and ceramic cinnabar. Our review sample is the copper model – dark blue headband and ear cushions with shiny copper outer ear caps. Dyson also provided us with an extra set of ceramic cinnabar (a matte red-orange) outer ear caps and a pair of chrome yellow ear cushions.

There’s a simple twist-and-lock method of attaching the caps and cushions rather than, say, magnetic attachment. Each cap is machined intricately and feels well built.