Dyson aims to "disrupt" with launch of first headphones

Technology company Dyson has unveiled the OnTrac noise-cancelling headphones, which are the brand's first-ever audio-only headphones. Launched today, the OnTrac was designed to make an impact on the headphones market people in a similar way to Dyson's launch of the DC01 vacuum in 1993. "At Dyson, we are driven by the opportunity to disrupt established categories,"

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Technology company Dyson has unveiled the OnTrac noise-cancelling headphones, which are the brand's first-ever audio-only headphones.

Launched today, the OnTrac was designed to make an impact on the headphones market people in a similar way to Dyson's launch of the DC01 vacuum in 1993.

"At Dyson, we are driven by the opportunity to disrupt established categories," Dyson principal industrial designer Phil Douglas told Dezeen.

"The Dyson OnTrac is our first standalone pair of headphones," he continued. "So, our main aim was to create a piece of technology which really serves its primary purpose well – to create a pair of headphones that people want to listen to."

Dyson aimed to engineer each element of the headphones to provide the best possible audio quality, while being comfortable for wearers.

A thick headband, containing a pair of lithium-ion batteries, supports over-ear cups with thick padding connected on multi-pivot gimbal arms.

"Take the ear cups for example, we have surprisingly large, padded ear cushions wrapped in soft microfibre which create an exceptionally comfortable and effective acoustic seal around the ear," explained Douglas.

"Inside the large ear cup cavity, the speaker housing tilted 13 degrees towards the ear for an audio response that can really be felt," he continued.

"The headband is also particularly unique. The two high-capacity lithium-ion cells are suspended on either side of the head, inspired by the weight distribution of a horse's saddle – to give you up to 55 hours of listening time without any uncomfortable pressure points."

Unlike the majority of the products made by Dyson, headphones are primarily used outside the house.

To reflect this, the company wanted the OnTrac to follow the component-led design language of its other products while being attractive and customisable.

"In typical Dyson fashion, the design language of the Dyson OnTrac is focused around the component layout, creating an attractive visual balance while ensuring optimal acoustic performance," said Douglas.

"The Dyson OnTrac is a particularly exciting launch for us, as it is one of the first times you will see Dyson technology outside of the home, being worn," he added.

"In this way, it can be seen as more than a functional piece of technology, but an extension of self-expression."

The headphone's ear cushions and caps are removable and available in a range of colours and finishes. According to the brand, there are 2,000 possible colour combinations.

"Customisation of course was also a key design consideration," said Douglas. "Each cap and cushion combination has been designed to look beautiful, feel great in the hand and when being worn."

Overall, Dyson hopes that the headphones combine acoustic quality, comfort and aesthetics.

"In a pair of headphones specifically, comfort and acoustics go hand in hand," said Douglas.

"Ultimately, our goal was to produce headphones that not only deliver superior sound quality but also evoke a sense of pride in ownership, reflecting our commitment to excellence in design and owner experience," he continued.

"So, we developed a variety of finishes in high-grade aluminium which bring a sense of craftsmanship as well as durability and a premium feel – the CNC aluminium, copper, and nickel finishes are inspired by the CNC manufacturing process, while the ceramic cinnabar variant has a tactile ceramic-feel painted finish."

The creation of the headphones follows the launch of the Dyson Zone two years ago, which combined an air filter with headphones.

"The first step in our journey from aeroacoustics to audio really came two years ago with the launch of the Dyson Zone air purifying headphones," explained Douglas.

"By engineering a product with two high-speed motors in each ear cup, we needed to develop a highly effective active noise cancellation system."

Founded by inventor James Dyson, Dyson is known as the inventor of the bag-less vacuum and has created modern takes on hairdryers, air purifiers and bladeless fans. Recently the company revealed that it is developing home robots.

The photography is courtesy of Dyson.

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