When I was invited to the Dyson office in early May, I was given access to a handful of upcoming products, all of which have been announced and revealed in end-May. One of the products that was not on embargo was the Dyson Zone as the product was already announced in late 2022. It was the first time I tried the product that day and I felt the product was well-designed and served a very specific purpose.
Last month, I finally received a review unit and so I had a bit more time to experience it. The retail package was elaborate, the accessories even more. The carrying case is so heavy that it is unlikely anyone would bring it out. The velvet drawstring pouch is a better option. The braided cables are made of great quality, and the headphones felt rock solid. The design is infused with Dyson DNA, so much so that I really felt that I am wearing a piece of portable air purifying product from the tech company instead of a headphones.
When it comes to air purification, you can trust Dyson. Not only does Dyson Zone filter purified air and deliver them to your nose, it monitors the air quality and shows real time information through the Dyson smartphone app. The audio part of the Dyson Zone is a new endeavour, so I will focus more on this aspect. Coming from a company without audio background, the headphones actually sound good, delivering musical clarity and details, though the bass sounded less engaging. It has got the sub-bass romp, but not too intense like what you might get from a Devialet. On the other hand, the treble is clean and sparkling. Listening at higher volumes would make it sound messy with some harshness.
Dyson wants to make sure that they get the noise cancelling right, so they fitted 11 microphones all over the Dyson Zone to monitor and remove unwanted ambient noise. The ANC is definitely one of the better ones, but the Achilles heel is that it still could not eliminate the motor noise of the filtration system. You can still hear soft high-pitched whirring sounds when no music is played. There is a delay when you push the visor downwards which turns off the purifier, pauses the music, and activates ambient sound. The delay is so long that it disrupts the conversation flow.
Battery life is a mixed bag. Without the purification engine, users can enjoy 50 hours of audio. When the airflow is enabled, running at the lowest speed will deplete the battery in 4 hours, while the highest speed can only last 90 minutes. The headphones are well-built, but bulky and heavy, so it would not be my choice of headphones unless I want to use the air purification system.
Verdict
After reviewing for some time, I am having second thoughts about its practicality of using it in Singapore. There are two reasons that I do not like to wear them outdoors. One: they are too cumbersome to set them up. I have to wear the headphones then snap the visor, and these items take up space and weight in my bag. Two: Singapore air quality is nowhere near unhealthy levels, so there is no need to wear it out. If COVID gets serious, I need to wear medical-grade face masks, and if the haze returns, I have to wear N95 mask, so the Dyson Zone does not benefit.
But if I need to be present at locations of poor air quality, for instance, at a construction site, bus interchange, or a temple filled with burning incense, I would wear the Dyson Zone to protect my hearing and deliver purified air streams for me to breathe in. While a filtered face mask is definitely a better option, it is also harder to breathe. This is where the Dyson Zone benefits. It does not seal off environmental pollutants, but reduces the amount of polluted air that you breathe in by pushing more purified air into the visor. I would certainly be more willing to take in deep breaths through the Dyson Zone than without it when I’m at these polluted areas.
