Android audio
The AC contributor, the vinyl collector and the amateur drummer Brady Snyder plunge into the world of headphones, headphones, speakers, streaming and everything between the two in the Android audio.
When you think of Dyson, the vacuum cleaners and hair tools of the company probably come in mind. If you remember Dyson’s incursion in the manufacture of headphones, it is probably because of the Dyson area, a bizarro-world that combined over-ear headphones with a purifying air mask during the world pandemic.
If you settled after that, I don’t blame you, but you would miss one of the coolest concepts in consumer audio today: Dyson Ontac. Unlike the area, Ontac is not a gadget. These headphones combine striking looks with solid sound quality and ANC performance. In a crowded market for over-ear headphones, Dyson separated Ontac from the rest by leaning over personalization as a business card.
More importantly, I want more audio brands to note Dyson personalization offers, and here is why.
How you can customize Dyson Ontrac
Many of the best headphones have replaceable ear cushions and for a good reason. If a set of ear cushions becomes dirty or damaged, you can replace them for a reasonable cost without having to buy a new set of headphones. This is excellent from the point of view of user repairability, but the objective here is not necessarily personalization. Often, a brand of helmet will only sell a color or two of replacement ear cushions, generally corresponding to their basic colors.
Dyson adopts a different approach, by designing Ontrac ear cushions not only to be replaceable by the user, but also to be customizable by the user. There are nine different colors of ear cushions that you can buy, much more than the four colors in which Dyson Ontrac is sold.
Dyson goes further by allowing users to replace and personalize the external caps of the headphones, which is fundamentally unknown on the helmets. You can twist the outdoor cap on your Ontac to unlock it and remove it from headphones. This will reveal an overview of Ontac, its shell and its audio pilots (once the ear cushions are also deleted). From there, you can place in the exterior material and color you want.
There are a total of 10 external colors and finishes, especially in CNC aluminum, CNC copper, titanium and ceramic. Versatility allows you to choose a helmet color that corresponds to your style. Maybe you want titanium headphones to accompany your Titanium Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Phone, or you want a pink ceramic pair to accompany your Google 9 pixel.
Between the color of the banner (which you can only choose to purchase), the exterior caps and the ear cushions, there are more than 2000 combinations of different colors that you can create with Dyson Ontrac. In a market where far too much headphones are sold in black or white, it is unrivaled personalization.
A touch of repair and modularity of the helmet
Of course, change the exterior cap or the ear cushion on your headphones will not improve sound quality or bring a tangible advantage to the listening experience. Audiophiles, look away. But headphones have become a fashion declaration as much as audio products in recent years.
If you don’t believe me, go to the gymnasium and count how many people you see working with Airpods Max – They are probably the worst tool for work, and yet they are prolific. It is because of their appearance and the symbol of status they bring.
It is refreshing to see a company recognize that technology is fashionable and relying on this identity. The personalization of these headphones is not cheap, each set of ear cushions or exterior caps costing $ 50 each. However, it’s fantastic to have the option. Even if you wait for your ear cushions to be worn or your exterior caps are scratched to replace them, it will always be fun to choose a new color a year or two.
Being able to refresh a pair of headphones for a few years with something new could prevent you from feeling the need to buy a brand new pair, reducing overconsumption and keeping money in your pocket. Not everyone will take advantage of Dyson Ontac’s personalization options in this way, but it is good that they are there.
Given how the headphones like Sonos, Bose Quietcomfort Ultra and Sony Wh-1000xm6 are starting to look at, Dyson’s approach is worth copying.
Worth watching
Far from the gadget which was the Dyson area, Dyson Ontac is a pair of over-eares to take seriously. They are comfortable, have a very good sound and ancient, and their business card is personalization.
