There’s a lot that goes into finding the best pair of headphones for traveling. Plus, you probably want to make sure the pair you choose is also great for daily use on the bus, at work or around the house. Sound quality is important, but there are many more factors to consider.

What makes a good pair of travel headphones

Before you even start thinking about sound quality, you need to consider battery life and active noise-cancellation (ANC) performance. Battery life is particularly important as you don’t want your headphones to die partway through a long travel leg.

That doesn’t mean you should dismiss sound quality, of course. But a slightly lower score in this area may be a worthwhile compromise for particularly good battery life and ANC.

Comfort is also very important, but it can be subjective. As such, these results in our test are best used as a general guide. Durability is a big factor too, as your headphones are going to get banged around when you’re living out of a backpack or suitcase.

Consider which accessories come with the headphones as well. Look for a sturdy travel case, a detachable cable (to switch between wired and wireless connectivity) and a plane adaptor to access in-flight entertainment. Some of these accessories are sold separately.

Bigger, better battery life

We measure battery life with ANC turned on, but you can stretch it even further by turning this feature off. Most headphones give you the option to toggle it on and off using touch controls or via an official smartphone app. This is covered in the instructions included with the headphones.

Are earbuds or cans better for traveling?

Though this is largely a question of what you prefer, over/on-ear headphones (aka cans) are usually the better option. If they’re well-made, they’ll have considerably longer battery life with better sound and ANC quality, compared to buds.

However, they’re not exactly compact. They take up more space in your bag, they can’t fit discreetly in your pocket and may even weigh a lot more. In these respects, earbuds are a step ahead.

Comfort is a tricky one, simply because everyone’s ears are different. For example, earbuds might feel lighter and more comfortable in the short term, but would you want them sitting in your ear canals for an eight-hour flight?

Ideally, you want a pair of headphones that strikes the right balance across these categories. Aim for products that earn good results or higher in our comfort tests.

Should I insure my headphones before travelling?

It’s worth paying for coverage if you’re traveling with headphones that cost more than $150–200. Most standard travel insurance policies include electronics up to a certain amount but you may need to provide the brand and model info so the insurer can determine the payout in the event of a claim.

This is because claims often factor in the age of the electronics to pay out a depreciated value. In other words, your insurer is unlikely to replace four-year-old headphones with the latest model (or equivalent value).

Most insurers offer additional levels of electronics coverage for a fee. This could be worth it if you’re traveling with lots of tech (laptop, headphones, smartphone) that’s no more than three or so years old. Remember to read the terms before paying for extended coverage.

The best headphones for travel

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Below are the best earbuds and on-ear/over ear headphones for traveling.

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Good quality audio is usually reserved for consumers with deep pockets. But there are plenty of affordable options that earned very good results in our tests, and you can even score a good deal on mid-range and high-end headphones with a little research and smart shopping.

You don’t need to break the bank when shopping for a pair of standard or noise-cancelling headphones. Here are our best cheap picks.

On this page:

• Are expensive headphones better?
• How to improve sound quality with apps
• Passive vs active noise-cancelling headphones
• How to get a good deal on headphones
• What do we mean by ‘best’ headphones
• The best cheap headphones

Are expensive headphones better?

Expensive headphones don’t always deliver the high-performance results you’d expect in our expert tests.

In fact, most of the top rated models are priced in the mid-range, alongside plenty of more expensive options. In other words, why pay $1000 when $500 can get you something in a very similar ballpark?

All that said, the key differentiator between headphones is sound quality and that is a subjective preference. Each manufacturer brings different sound profiles to the table – the way they fine tune the headphones means your favourite song may sound slightly different across various brands.

So, if a $1000 pair sounds better to your ears then that’s the pair for you (if you can afford it).

So what sets expensive headphones apart?

Expensive headphones tend to have more bells and whistles than you would find in cheaper models. For example, you may be more likely to get active noise cancellation (ANC), which isn’t as common on less expensive models. Build quality and feel of the materials may also be better for expensive models.

How to improve sound quality with apps

Almost all Bluetooth headphones have an associated app for smartphones and tablets. These are used to adjust a range of settings and usually include an equaliser (EQ) of some kind. This essentially lets you adjust the volume of various audio frequencies to suit your ears.

You may want to increase the mid-levels, for example, which can help amplify vocals. Or maybe the bass is too heavy and you want to pull it down a touch. Most apps have a range of pre-sets suited to various genres and one or two free slots to set your own EQ.

We test headphones on the default EQ out of the box in order to maintain a level playing field. But it’s worth installing the official app and playing with the EQ as your headphones will more than likely sound better if you tweak the settings to your liking. You can find all of the information in the instruction manual.

Don’t expect miracles, of course. This won’t turn a poor performing pair of headphones around, but it can help you fine tune things with just a little bit of work.

Manufacturer apps

While these apps are mostly available in the iOS App Store or Android Play Store, some first-party manufacturers bake these settings into their operating systems and devices. This is usually limited to products from the same brand or ecosystem.

For example, when you connect a pair of Google Pixel Buds to a Google Pixel smartphone, the equalizer and other options are in the Bluetooth settings rather than a separate app. Apple does something similar when you pair AirPods with an iOS device (iPhone or iPad).

Passive vs active noise-cancelling headphones

There are two types of noise-cancelling headphones: passive and active. Passive noise-cancellation blocks noise from getting in by forming a snug fit in or around your ear which doesn’t require battery power.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) captures noise from your surroundings using built-in microphones, then cancels it out on the fly. The results are usually much better than models that use passive noise-cancellation but the hardware and software need power to operate. That’s why ANC increases battery use when active.

Models without ANC are typically called standard headphones. Most standard headphones have some degree of passive noise-cancellation but some are specifically designed to enhance this feature, for example, they may include different-sized silicon tips with their earbuds.

How to get a good deal on headphones

Our round-up is based on RRP, but it’s not too hard to get a good deal on some higher-quality headphones. Sales occur pretty regularly across almost all retailers and some, such as JB Hi-Fi or Harvey Norman, may even be open to haggling.

Also, older models often receive heavy discounts when new ones are released. Turnover can be as often as 12–18 months and sound quality is often more of less unchanged. Battery life tends to be the main difference so check our test results to see if an older, cheaper pair still provides enough charge for your needs.

What do we mean by ‘best’ headphones

When people ask about the “best headphones” they’re usually talking about the headphones with the best sound quality. This is the most important part of our test but we also look at other aspects including comfort, battery life and durability.

Our list of the best cheap headphones is based on our ����Vlog Expert Rating, which factors in various performance tests. Some models with a lower sound quality score may have a higher ����Vlog Expert Rating for other reasons, for example, they could have performed better in the battery life or durability tests.

Bear in mind, we only recommend headphones with a ����Vlog Expert Rating of 75% or more. That said, cheaper headphones that scored 70–74% are still worth considering, especially if their sound quality results are 70% or higher.

So, when you’re looking through this list, remember to look at all of the included scores, not just the ����Vlog Expert Rating. That way you can find a pair of headphones that truly suits your needs.

The best cheap headphones

Our detailed headphone testing data is available exclusively for ����Vlog members. 

If you’re not yet a member, join ����Vlog to get instant access to test results on headphones, as well as access to all of our expert, independent reviews, from fridges and freezers, toasters and TVs, kettles and cots, and more. 

Or log in to unlock this article and find out which cheap headphones, that cost $250 or less, are rated the best by our experts.

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Poor-quality headphones can make even Led Zeppelin sound more like your kid brother’s garage band. 

Whether you’re enjoying your carefully curated playlists, catching up on podcasts or watching YouTube videos on the go, a decent pair of headphones can be a lifesaver. 

But a poor pair of headphones can render your favourite playlist unlistenable. And if the noise cancellation’s no good, you might not be able to hear which song is playing anyway.

This is why it’s worth doing your research, especially given how expensive some brands can be. 

Fortunately, ����Vlog has done the hard work of testing them so you don’t have to. Our audio experts have reviewed the most popular products on the market from Apple, Sennheiser, Skullcandy, Sony, Beats, Bang & Olufsen, JBL, Jabra and more.

“Our sound tests always reveal some surprising results,” says ����Vlog audio expert Peter Zaluzny. 

“We’ve listened to $500 headphones that rate worse than pairs half their price – sometimes from the very same brand. Paying more doesn’t guarantee a better quality product, so it pays to shop carefully.”

We’ve recently remastered our headphone testing, so our review covers all headphone types, from petite in-ear models through to noise-cancelling over-ear cans with all the features. 

You can filter by type (in-ear, over-ear), price, brand, noise cancellation options and more to find the perfect pair for you. Whichever type you’re looking for, we don’t want you to end up with a dud buy, so here are the products that scored lowest in our lab tests.

Consider becoming a ����Vlog member to see the best performers.

On-ear and over-ear headphones: What’s the difference?

On-ear headphones don’t look especially different to the over-ear variety, but they don’t completely surround your ears. Instead they sit on the outside of your ears, allowing more airflow around them. 

This generally makes them smaller and therefore easier to store and transport, but they don’t block as much ambient noise. They also press on your ears, so poorly made models can get uncomfortable pretty quickly. 

Are noise cancelling headphones better?

This is a matter of personal preference, according to Peter. “A good pair of noise-cancelling headphones can provide a great listening experience while you’re on the go, as they’re designed to filter out environmental sounds,” he says.

“But just because some headphones have this feature doesn’t necessarily mean they sound good. In fact, poorly implemented noise-cancelling technology can make your music sound worse, which is why we test audio quality with it turned on and off.

Earbuds/in-ear headphones to avoid

In-ear headphones tend to trade optimal sound quality for compact convenience, but that doesn’t mean they have to sound bad. These buds fall well short of the competition with some of the worst audio quality results in our test.

1. Soundcore C40i

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 37%
• Sound quality score: 26%
• Price: $190
• Type: In-ear (true wireless)
• Active noise-cancellation: No

Headphones have one job – to play audio. The brief is simple and yet somehow, Soundcore manages to get it very wrong.

The C40i earbuds have the dual honour of being not just the worst sounding headphones in our test but also the lowest scoring pair overall. Cheap and nasty almost seems too kind.

Nothing really rises above mediocrity here. Comfort, battery life, ease of use and microphone quality (for phone calls and so on) are all very average.

The one area where these buds do themselves proud is durability, which our experts scored as excellent. So at least you can safely throw them across the room after hearing the awful audio quality.

See the full Soundcore C40i review.

2. JBL Wave Flex 2

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 45%
• Sound quality score: 32%
• Price: $100
• Type: In-ear (true wireless)
• Active noise-cancellation: No

Hundred-dollar headphones sound pretty appealing if you’re after an affordable way to enjoy music or podcasts throughout the day. There’s nothing wrong with going basic, but headphones that sound this bad are never worth it – even for $100.

Not only do they sound plain awful, they’re uncomfortable as well. Performance in those areas is almost unforgivable and a bit of a waste when they’re actually not half bad otherwise.

Battery life? Pretty good. Durability? Very good. Normally both positive points but in this case, potential drawbacks. After all, you’ll probably want these buds to break as soon as possible so you can buy a better pair.

There’s no real reason to consider the Wave Flex 2 earbuds over headphones from other brands. Even the original (albeit now discontinued) Wave Flex buds from JBL are cheaper and better overall.

See the full JBL Wave Flex 2 review.

3. JLab Epic Open Sport

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 52%
• Sound quality score: 48%
• Price: $200
• Type: In-ear (true wireless)
• Active noise-cancellation: No

Sports headphones like these put a big emphasis on comfort, fit and durability. Unlike most earbuds that can get dislodged during vigorous movement like running, these try to hold firm with additional protection from sweat, light rain and so on.

In this regard, The Epic Open Sport earbuds are OK. Comfort and ease of use aren’t bad and the IP55 weather sealing protects them from light water pressure (e.g. from a hose jet) and other fluids, as well as dust and dirt.

But they fail to deliver where it counts. Sound quality is barely better than poor and battery life is bad by current standards at just over four hours. While this is probably suitable for most workouts, that’s nowhere near enough charge for a whole day.

If only JLab had put a bit more effort into honing the sound quality and extending the battery life, these buds wouldn’t be on this list.

See the full JLab Epic Open Sport review.

On-ear/over-ear headphones to avoid

Old school over-ear headphones can be pretty cumbersome compared to earbuds, but they have the space for larger speakers and bigger batteries. This means better sound quality and longer battery life – in theory.

But the biggest issue with these headphones to avoid is durability. All those extra moving parts are susceptible to wear and tear and many of these models just aren’t built to last.

1. JLab JBuddies Studio

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 44%
• Sound quality score: 41%
• Price: $60
• Type: On-ear
• Active noise-cancellation: No

These low-cost headphones aren’t exactly shooting for the stars. They’re a cheap option designed to keep kids happy before their ears have developed discerning tastes.

Even with that in mind, you’re better off buying a pair of second-hand headphones for less or hunting around the house for some hand-me-downs. Sure, your kids are unlikely to complain about the sound quality, but why waste $60?

Plus, comfort and durability are only OK. Since kids are famously not very gentle with their belongings, they’ll probably end up in landfill sooner than you’d like.

See the full JLab JBuddies Studio review.

2. Shokz OpenMove

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 48%
• Sound quality score: 34%
• Price: $129
• Type: Bone conduction
• Active noise-cancellation: No

Bone conduction you say? Well that sounds funky and futuristic! Well, kind of, but all the cool tech in the world can’t save an audio device that doesn’t sound good.

We say ‘audio device’ because these aren’t headphones in the traditional sense. Instead, they basically sit adjacent to your ears and transmit audio by stimulating the bones in your ear canal.

Does it work? Yes, but at the expense of sound quality in this case. They earned poor results in our audio quality test and ease of use is not much better.

According to Shokz, these bone conduction headphones are designed for sports and everyday use. This kind of makes sense as the wrap-around design isn’t at risk of falling out of your ears. But at the end of the day, you still want your headphones to sound decent and these simply don’t deliver.

See the full Shokz OpenMove review.

3. Audeze MM-100

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 53%
• Sound quality score: 79%
• Price: $679
• Type: Over-ear
• Active noise-cancellation: No

Expensive headphones like these veer away from the consumer market towards audiophile territory. Rightly so, because not only do these studio grade cans sound good, they don’t offer wireless connectivity at all.

As far as sound quality goes, the MM-100 cans are aiming for the higher-end of the market. Everything runs through an old-school cable, removing the risk of audio compression that can come with Bluetooth. This also reduces latency (lag) when watching videos or playing games.

All sounds pretty good, right? Unfortunately, these headphones are about as durable as a wet paper bag, earning poor results (28%) in this part of the test. You’d think $680 would get you something at least a little more robust.

Meanwhile, the included carry case is just a fabric bag which isn’t enough to protect these fragile headphones against anything more than a scratch. It’s probably best to just keep these headphones at home – in fact that might be the intention.

But if that’s the case, then don’t expect to spend hour after hour kicking back with some tunes on the couch. The MM-100s are not very comfortable to wear with a borderline score of 53%.

Credit where credit is due, Audeze did a good job with the sound quality. It’s just a pity that the MM-100s fall short in all other respects.

See the full Audeze MM-100 review.

4. JBL Live 670NC

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 53%
• Sound quality score: 67%
• Price: $200
• Type: On-ear
• Active noise-cancellation: Yes

These on-ear headphones from JBL have pretty decent audio quality and they’re among the most affordable cans with good (70%) noise-cancellation around. So what’s the problem? Durability.

JBL’s headphones earned a measly 22% in this part of the test. In other words, they can feel wobbly, they’re easily damaged and seem poorly made overall. Your brand-new headphones may just break before you know it.

For $200, you could forgive a few cut corners here and there, maybe some missing features and even slightly lower sound quality. But the very poor build quality goes well beyond what’s acceptable for budget headphones. Despite the name, they’re unlikely to be alive for very long.

See the full JBL Live 670NC review.

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If you love your music, these are the wireless speakers to avoid buying. We’ve picked the worst performing models in various price categories so you can avoid the cheap and nasties as well as the high-priced duds.

How much do wireless speakers cost?

Depending on what you’re after, you can opt for: 

• a battery-powered portable speaker with a Bluetooth connection linked directly to your smart device so it’s 100% portable.
• a home speaker that has a wireless Wi-Fi connection to your home network so you can stream music over your home network. These are usually quite bulky and require a power socket, so they aren’t really portable.
• a smart screen with voice assistance and a display, which is perfect in your kitchen for viewing recipes or cooking videos, or in the bedroom for the morning news or a podcast (note these are no longer part of our test).

The cheapest models in our test cost around $20, while the high-end models can run as high as $3000.

Sound quality tends to match the asking price when it comes to speakers and though there are plenty of exceptions (especially poor performers at the very expensive end), you can expect to pay around $500–1000 for a good quality wireless speaker.

Of course, sound quality is subjective and cheaper models that didn’t earn the tick of approval from our experts aren’t necessarily terrible. It’s always best to have a listen to the speakers before you buy if you can, as you may find some that suit your needs, and your ears, at a much more affordable price point.

Wireless speakers are also the kind of products that are steeply discounted during sales periods, particularly at major retailers like JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman. If you find a model you like but it’s outside your price range, hold out for a sale as it could drop by a very decent margin.

How we test wireless speakers

To make sure you get the best bass for your buck, our panel of experts listens to a range of music and audio. This includes classical, jazz, pop and speech with male and female vocals (i.e. a podcast). Technical measurements of frequency response and harmonic distortion are taken as well.

We also conduct a general ease of use assessment which covers setup, day-to-day use, the effectiveness of digital assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant (where available) and more. Lastly, battery life and power consumption are measured and scored.

We record battery life for portable speakers and annual energy consumption for home models, in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Note: We updated and overhauled our wireless speakers test in June 2025, following changes to our test method and scoring system. Some previously tested models may have new scores and recommendations as a result. For a complete explanation, read more about how we test wireless speakers below.

Lowest scoring speakers in our test

Here’s the worst performing speakers from the following price brackets, arranged in order from cheapest to most expensive:

• Under $100: House of Marley Jammin
• $101–200: JBL Grip
• $201–300: Audio Pro P5
• $301–400: Bose SoundLink Home
• $401–500: Bang & Olufsen Explore
• $500 and above: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen
• Worst high-end speaker: Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge

Worst under $100: House of Marley Jammin

• Cost (RRP): $59
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 24%
• Sound quality score: 14%
• Ease of use score: 47%
• Power score: 63%
• Battery life (hh:mm): 9:32

In a testament to the enduring power of Bob Marley’s name and music, this speaker will make you want to get up, stand up – for a refund. Not only is it the lowest scoring model in our test overall, it has the worst sound quality out of any currently available model we’ve tested. A moment for our expert’s ears, please.

Now granted, this cheap, rectangular cube isn’t designed to compete with a mid- to high-range model. But even so, there are other speakers in this price category that sound so much better than the very poor sounds that soured our audio lab from this speaker.

Other test results are borderline at best and it’s not all that easy to use. Battery life and water resistance (light rain, splashes and mist) are decent, but your friends will send you home if you dare to bring a Jammin wireless speaker to the next outdoor event.

Read the full House of Marley Jammin review.

Worst between $101–200: JBL Grip

• Cost (RRP): $130
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 37%
• Sound quality score: 32%
• Ease of use score: 72%
• Power score: 39%
• Battery life (hh:mm): 6:38

The JBL Grip isn’t much bigger than a soft drink can. It doesn’t sound much better either.

Most of the marketing for this product seems to be geared towards outdoor entertaining – pool parties, picnics and twilight patio hangs. So, does it bring the summertime vibes? No, if anything the Grip will make your friends want to move inside, away from the noise.

Small speakers aren’t going to have the best sound quality in the world but even so, 32% is pretty poor. Where average audio can just fade into the background during a get-together, the JBL Grip sounds so bad, it’s distracting.

Read the full JBL Grip review.

Worst between $201–300: Audio Pro P5

• Cost (RRP): $249
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 38%
• Sound quality score: 37%
• Ease of use score: 59%
• Power score: 30%
• Battery life (hh:mm): 5:19

Audio Pro in name but barely Audio Pro in nature, maybe it would be best to rename this speaker the Audio Poor P5. Sound quality for classical, jazz and pop just isn’t very good at all, while battery life is among the worst in our test.

While you can’t expect amazing sound quality from a speaker of this size, it’s certainly big enough to deliver results better than what our experts heard. Plus, you’re probably going to have trouble setting up and using the Pro P5 as the ease of use results are firmly OK. Sorry Mr Pro, but it’s time to go.

Read the full Audio Pro P5 review.

Worst between $301–400: Bose SoundLink Home

• Cost (RRP): $350
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 49%
• Sound quality score: 45%
• Ease of use score: 70%
• Power score: 53%
• Battery life (hh:mm): 7:29

The SoundLink range from Bose has been around for some time, though it’s never really risen above mediocrity. Sound quality has always been pretty middling across the selection of entry-level and mid-range speakers.

In keeping with tradition, the new SoundLink Home speaker is an average performer – all style and no substance. It’s the only Bose model to earn poor results in our audio test (45%), with flat, muddy sound that lacks impact.

While it looks quite nice with an overall modern design with some light retro touches, there’s no dust and moisture protection whatsoever. This makes the SoundLink Home a strictly indoor affair, making its portability fairly limited.

Bose fans should consider the slightly older SoundLink Revolve+ II instead. It has better (but still average) sound quality, an extra three-and-a-half hours of battery life and dust and splash protection – all for the same asking price of $350.

Read the full Bose SoundLink Home review.

Worst between $401–500: Bang & Olufsen Explore

• Cost (RRP): $460
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 38%
• Sound quality score: 33%
• Ease of use score: 53%
• Power score: 52%
• Battery life (hh:mm): 10:48

Bang & Olufsen, the iconic electronics brand, celebrated its 100th anniversary in November this year. But the Explore portable speaker is nothing to celebrate.

These skillful Danes have built some legendary high-end audio products over the years and yet this wireless speaker is a classic example of paying extra for the branding alone. There’s nothing here to suggest that the Explore meets the same lofty standards as the name suggests. So don’t be fooled by that B&O stamp.

The sound quality, ease of use and power results are similar to, or worse than, cheaper speakers in this article – not to mention many others in our test. Features are almost identical too, so really you can get the same performance for half the price of this model.

Read the full Bang & Olufsen Explore review.

Worst over $500: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen

• Cost (RRP): $640
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 48%
• Sound quality score: 42%
• Ease of use score: 60%
• Power score: 69%
• Battery life (hh:mm): 11:44

The 2nd Gen version of this speaker was among the lowest performers for speakers at its price point – until now. Not content to rest on its laurels, B&O has worked hard to lower the bar even further with the 3rd Gen version, which sounds considerably worse.

This seems to be another case of B&O trading on its legacy alone, which is a shame. But it’s hard to excuse an updated speaker that drags audio quality down from sounding borderline (2nd Gen) to poor, while keeping the $640 price point.

How this happened is anyone’s guess, because the 3rd Gen is almost exactly the same size and weight as the previous iteration. In other words, there’s nothing to suggest that the core design has changed to the point that we can blame it for this significant drop in audio quality.

Battery life has improved though. Maybe B&O moved the speaker out of the way to shove a bigger battery in? Don’t waste your money, in any case.

Read the full Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen review.

Worst high-end speaker: Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge

• Cost (RRP): $1850
• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 53%
• Sound quality score: 58%
• Ease of use score: 51%
• Power score: 29%
• Annual energy use (kWh): 50.55

We included this speaker to show you that price doesn’t always equal quality – and what a price to drive that point home! Bang & Olufsen has taken out a third spot in our list of duds and these results are particularly painful for a RRP of $1850.

To be fair, the sleek, elegant, modern design does fit nicely into spaces like a study, reading nook and so on. This speaker could easily blend in to deliver the effect of music emanating from nowhere and that alone does warrant a higher RRP.

But you want at least some substance to match that style and the borderline audio quality doesn’t come close to justifying the price. Looks, unfortunately, can so often deceive.

Read the full Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge review.

The post Wireless speakers to avoid appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Are the Dyson OnTrac headphones comfortable?
• How long is the battery life on the Dyson OnTrac headphones?
• Do the Dyson OnTrac headphones sound good?
• Do the OnTrac headphones have active noise-cancellation?
• Can the headphones help protect your hearing?
• Cutting corners in a premium product

A bunch of Dyson vacuum cleaners have rolled through the ����Vlog test labs over the years. But Dyson headphones? That’s new.

Well, kind of. In 2023 Dyson released the Zone Absolute+ air purifying headphones which included a detachable air filter that came across as a bit of a novelty. But the new OnTrac over-ear headphones show that Dyson is serious about expanding into the consumer audio space.

These headphones make a pretty convincing case with their distinct design, excellent noise-cancellation and solid sound quality. However, at $799 you’d hope they’d stand out from the pack a little more and in many ways, they don’t.

Are the Dyson OnTrac headphones comfortable?

Dyson has put a lot of work into making a big bold statement with a bright, industrial style that may be a tad garish for some, but is in keeping with the design of its other products (like stick vacs). While the style may be a drawcard for some, you’d hardly call these headphones subtle.

They’re robust, snug and comfortable to wear and only feel a bit weighty, despite their size. Though they can slip a bit if you’re regularly leaning forward – for example if you’re gardening of crafting – they’re pretty secure.

Customisation is also the name of the game, as Dyson is selling a range of different-coloured cushions and faceplates. These cost $79 and are easy to swap out.

However, the chunky cans are pretty uncomfortable to wear around your neck when you’re not using them. Most over-ear headphones can easily slip down and rest on your shoulders, but the OnTracs are too big and can push against the bottom of your jaw.

The Bluetooth signal doesn’t drop out or experience interference when you’re in a crowded place with other devices present, which is great. But the headphones do support a physical connection via USB-C, so you can plug into an audio port if that’s what you prefer.

The MyDyson app and other controls

The headphones are compatible with the existing MyDyson app. You’ll need to install it on your smartphone if you want to tweak certain settings like the equaliser and active noise-cancellation (ANC). Aside from this, the features are pretty bare bones.

The headphones have built-in touch controls and physical buttons. There’s a single, small joystick to toggle volume, skip forward/back, play/pause and activate the digital assistant on your smartphone (Google Assistant, Alexa etc.).

Touch controls can only switch between ANC modes. This requires a heavy double tap which translates to a loud, annoying thud in your ear. But it’s also easy to accidentally adjust the ANC settings when you take the headphones on and off. This gets frustrating very quickly, especially since there’s no way to customise or turn off these controls in the app.

How long is the battery life on the Dyson OnTrac headphones?

There’s a very obvious opportunity for a Dyson-related pun here. Something along the lines of “unlike its vacuum cleaners, the battery life in Dyson’s headphones doesn’t suck”. But we’re not going to use that line. No, we’re better than that.

Though it’s true, there’s an incredible charge time crammed into the OnTracs. In a rather clever move, Dyson has built batteries right into the headband, which gives them enough space for a whopping 55 hours of battery life with active noise-cancellation (ANC) turned on.

That’ll cover just about any long-haul flight in both directions and they’ll last much, much longer with ANC turned off.

Do the Dyson OnTrac headphones sound good?

While the OnTracs stand out in terms of style, sound quality is a little more conservative. That’s not to say they sound bad, they’re actually quite good – very good in fact – but they don’t quite deliver the emotional heft that really gets the blood pumping.

(Note: we used the ‘flat’ equaliser preset in the MyDyson app and a combination of Spotify and CD quality audio – FLAC – to assess sound quality).

On a technical level, the OnTrac headphones are very impressive. Audio is clear, crisp and balanced with enough stereo separation and breathing room to let every element of the mix shine through. Vocals, instruments, sound effects etc., never sound like they’re fighting to be heard, even when they sit within similar audible frequencies.

There’s an overall richness as well which really suits orchestral elements like bold brass and soaring symphonic strings. Bass, meanwhile, is suitably restrained, laying down a warm, full feeling that supports the other instruments without taking over. That’s not to say the low-end is a slouch. These headphones can bring the doof with ease, impact and even a bit of rumble

And where most consumer headphones are designed to perform best with popular genres such as pop, hip hop, dance and so on, Dyson’s OnTrac give every genre an equal degree of respect. They don’t struggle under the weight of harsh or complex, multi-layered recordings whether it’s jazz, dream pop or even belting heavy metal.

But for all their technical prowess, the OnTracs are quite flat and lacking the dynamics, excitement and personality that make a truly great pair of headphones. It’s almost like nuance has been subdued to make way for detail and clarity.

Where Tracy Chapman’s voice should be soaring over the guitar in ‘Fast Car‘, it’s somewhat restrained and sitting adjacent to the strings. Where the bleeps and bloops of Kraftwerk would normally dance around your cranium, they feel restricted to the left and right side of your head.

You won’t be inspired to stand on your feet and mimic someone conducting The Nutcracker, because while the volume reaches its peak, the swell in your chest does not. In a way, Beck’s heart wrenching exploration of his breakup in ‘Lost Cause‘ just kind of sounds like a direct statement of fact.

Dyson has taken a pretty even-keeled approach to sound that wants to appeal to everyone. So even though the OnTracs don’t sound bad, they don’t sound distinct. Somewhere along the way, these headphones lost their personality and the experience falls short of being emotionally expansive and completely immersive.

Issues with the equaliser

This is the other big letdown. Where brands like Apple offer at least 20 preset equalisers (EQ) that automatically adjust how things sound, Dyson has only provided three – Enhanced, Bass Boost and Flat. You just have to hope that one of these options appeals to your ears.

There’s no way to manually tweak bass, treble etc either, which is a feature you’d expect to see in headphones in this price range. Even some simple frequency adjustment tools, like sliders, would be great, but no. Limiting users to just three presets feels lazy.

Audio for movies and TV

The rather flat, technical approach doesn’t do things like movies, TV shows and YouTube videos any favours. For example, the bank heist shootout in Heat lacks the intense punch of firearms echoing through downtown LA though the clarity is definitely there. The OnTracs get the job done without any noticeable issues but the cinematic vibe is absent.

Do the OnTrac headphones have active noise-cancellation?

Yes, and it’s very good. Tucked around each can are four (for a total of eight) active noise-cancellation (ANC) microphones. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but rightly so because the results are excellent.

Full isolation completely cuts most environmental sounds, or reduces them to a very quiet, soft, dull rumble. Consistent noises like cars, the hum of a vacuum cleaner or the inside of a train carriage, are barely noticeable when you’re playing music.��

Even sudden, sharp and inconsistent noises like dogs barking, background conversation and the click-clack of a mechanical keyboard, are gently softened and barely distracting.

Like the EQ, there are only three ANC settings. It’s a bit of a letdown given the price tag, especially when it’s not uncommon to see 10–20 steps of ANC in other brands. But this isn’t as much of an issue as the restrictive EQ.

Do the Dyson OnTrac headphones have a microphone?

As well as the eight microphones for ANC, Dyson has included one more for making calls and issuing voice commands. Calls, online meetings and the like sound just fine when you’re indoors without much environmental noise to deal with.

Outside, they do a reasonable job of alleviating traffic noise, wind and even inconsistent sounds like birds chirping away. Big gusts and noisy trucks do get distracting but there aren’t many consumer-grade headphones that can handle those anyway.

Active noise cancellation automatically turns off when you’re in a call. It’s a nice touch that gives you a sense of spatial awareness, as it saves you from inadvertently becoming the person that doesn’t realise how loud they’re talking on the train. General conversation sounds crisp and clear.

Can the headphones help protect your hearing?

The MyDyson app includes a ‘Sound exposure’ section which monitors your listening volume in real time. Rolling graphs record decibel data when you’re using the headphones (as long as the app is installed on that device) so you can see when you’re within, or exceeding, safe listening levels.

Data is clear, concise and, most importantly, easy to understand at a glance. Being able to track volume levels over a period of days is useful, because prolonged exposure can slowly cause damage over time as well, even if you aren’t constantly cranking the tunes.

The hearing health tool is a great addition to the app that’s worth keeping an eye on (or ear, as it were).

Cutting corners in a premium product

If you’re asking $800 for a pair of consumer grade headphones, it’s not unreasonable for consumers to expect a fairly fleshed out experience. Yet for all the things that Dyson has done well, the OnTracs still come up short in a few areas.

The most glaring omission is the airline adaptor. Headphones that have a wired connectivity option usually include the two-pronged plane plug for free. Not so with Dyson. Instead, it’s .

The headphones do come with a slimline case included, but calling it a case is a bit generous. The clamshell design stays open at the top and bottom which does little to protect the headphones from wayward dust, grit, grime, fluids and so on.

There are also a handful of higher quality Bluetooth codecs available, which do a better job of preserving sound quality as audio is beamed from your computer, smartphone etc to the headphones. The most common option is aptX, yet Dyson decided to go with LHDC which isn’t as widely supported.

Now granted, these probably won’t be deal breakers for the average consumer. But that price point is edging towards the audiophile market even though the feature set and sound quality just aren’t there.

All that said, Dyson is on the right path. Something closer to a $550 price-point and a broad update to the EQ settings would make the OnTrac headphones a rather enticing prospect. Until then, they may struggle to find an audience.

The post Dyson OnTrac headphones review appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Changes to our headphones test
• Our expert testers
• How we choose what we test
• How we test headphones
• Scoring

Our expert testers and listening panel put the latest models through rigorous testing to rate sound quality, comfort and how well they work in real life so you’ll know exactly what to expect. Our unique comparative lab tests mean you can trust what we recommend and choose with confidence.

Changes to our headphones test

As of March 2024 we’ve completely overhauled our headphones test. Where we previously ran separate tests for standard and active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones, now all headphones are tested under the same conditions and everything from sound quality to battery life is comparable in one table.��

Slight adjustments are made for different types – in ear, over ear and on ear – and technical ANC assessments are conducted where applicable. We’ve looked at as many previously tested models as possible, using the new test method. You may notice that some scores and recommendations have changed as a result.

Adopting a new method means that current test results can’t be compared to previous ones. These will no longer be published and all future headphone scores and recommendations will be based on the current method.

Our expert testers

Our testers have years of expertise in testing audio equipment and, unlike most reviewers, we don’t rely on one individual’s perception to rank products. Instead we use a listening panel of five people with expertise in sound appraisal who have shown that they can consistently rank products for their sound quality.

How we choose what we test

In this test we’re looking for as wide a range of products as possible. This test is carried out over some time and will grow as we add more models.

How we test headphones

Our expert assessment looks at:

• sound quality
• active noise cancellation performance, where applicable
• comfort
• battery life
• ease of use
• durability.

We also assess microphone quality and ease of cleaning but these don’t contribute to the ����Vlog Expert Rating.

Sound quality

A listening panel of five audio experts listen to the following audio samples:

• classical music (orchestral piece, opera)
• jazz with piano and vocals
• pop music with clear bass and vocals
• podcast with male and female speakers.

The hearing test takes place in a living room or a similar environment. Samples are played as compression-free tracks from a high-quality source (e.g. a high-end CD player and amplifier). Available filters and equalisers are tested in their default positions.

If the headphones support Bluetooth and a cabled connection, they are primarily tested with a Bluetooth connection. However, audio quality via a cable connection still contributes to the sound quality score.

Bluetooth audio is assessed with ANC on if this feature is present. Cable audio is assessed with ANC turned on if present. Experts assess active noise cancellation as part of sound quality for applicable headphones in environments with typical ambient noise, such as: continuous noise (air conditioning, aircraft noise), cyclical noise (passing cars) and background chatter.

Technical assessments, including sound interference measurements, are also conducted. These include listening for headphone and cable noise during movement (e.g. hum, pops and interference), sound leakage, inherent noise that occurs when ANC is enabled and sound isolation performance when ANC is turned off. Experts also conduct frequency response, harmonic distortion and sound pressure measurements.

Active noise cancellation performance

A technical test assesses ANC performance in a number of environments: continuous noise (as noted above), a restaurant where people are talking, cyclical noise (as noted above), a silent location and other typical environments as determined by the expert tester. Sound isolation is also tested.

Comfort

A panel of five experts assesses: 

• how the headphones feel when putting them on and taking them off
• wearing the headphones at room temperature for 30 minutes
• wearing the headphones in motion, such as short running, jumping jacks and dynamic walking.

The experts also consider headphones preparation, which involves fitting the correct ear adaptors or cushions, looking for left and right indicators and setting up and pairing true wireless earbuds.

There are a number of elements that make up each comfort test. These include a secure fit assessment, movement hindrances, noting the weight and feel of the headphones and whether they are easy or difficult to remove for users with long hair.

Battery life

Two charging and discharging cycles are carried out. The total discharge time is recorded and the score is calculated based on expected runtimes. The range of expected runtimes differs for in-ear and on/over-ear headphones.

• In-ear headphones: 110–660 minutes.
• On/over-ear headphones: 180–3000 minutes.

Battery life is tested under the same conditions as the sound quality assessment. For example, headphones with Bluetooth and wired connectivity options will be tested with Bluetooth enabled and. Also, headphones that support ANC have ANC turned on and set to maximum (without ambient noise present).

The operating time after 15 minutes of charging is also measured and recorded. The battery is completely discharged during this part of the test as well.

Ease of use

A panel of three experts conducts the ease of use assessment. First, they test the initial set-up following instructions presented as though they were a typical consumer.

Then they conduct a daily use test. This includes the detail and clarity of visual information, battery indicators, connecting the headphones to other devices and using the app (where applicable).

During this time, testers also assess the extent to which noticeable noises from headphones can be heard during the movement performed, especially in cases of particularly quiet musical passages. In addition, the extent to which touching noises are transmitted by a cable (if supplied) must be assessed separately. If only wired headphones are used, these tests are performed as one.

Finally, a charging and discharging procedure is carried out. Testers evaluate to what extent acoustic or visual indicators for the various operating states (on, off, standby, low battery, etc.) are visible, audible, and useful. The same tests are conducted for charging cases where supplied.

Durability

A simple build quality assessment. Headphones are judged for look and feel. Are there any rough edges? Do they creak and pop? Do they feel cheap and nasty when held? Is the material a nice plastic, cheap plastic, or metal?

Models that feel solid score better. This applies across all headphone components including the earpiece (padding where applicable), buttons, adjustment points and connection points.

Microphone quality

Speech intelligibility is tested by three test persons when using a smartphone handsfree. The test is assessed with and without ambient noise. This results of this test do not form part of the ����Vlog Expert Rating.

Cleaning

How easy is it to clean the headphones as per the instructions? Can the headphones be cleaned regularly without causing long-term damage to the headphones? Cleaning is conducted with a water damp cloth and a cleaning or hygiene cloth. The results of this test do not form part of the ����Vlog Expert Rating.

Scoring

The ����Vlog Expert Rating is our overall score that determines which products we recommend. We recommend headphones with an Expert Rating of 75% or more. For headphones with active noise cancellation, this rating is made up of:

• Sound quality (45%)
• Active noise cancellation score (15%) 
• Ease of use (17.5%)
• Battery (10%)
• Comfort (7.5%)
• Durability (5%)

Some headphones don’t have active noise cancellation and/or built-in batteries. In these cases, results are listed as N/A and the weighted contribution to the expert rating is evenly distributed across the remaining scores.

Microphone quality and cleaning scores are listed in our compare all table but don’t contribute to the ����Vlog Expert Rating.

The post How we test headphones appeared first on ����Vlog.

In addition to muting life’s soundtrack, noise-cancelling headphones can help you have better conversations, more productive workouts, better sleep and more immersive listening experiences.

To help you choose the best noise-cancelling headphones for you, ����Vlog experts test a range of models priced from $149 to $899, from brands including Sennheiser, Sony, Apple, Bose and more.��

We do a series of tests to assess how each product performs for sound and listening quality, comfort, durability and battery life.

Check our noise-cancelling headphone reviews to see which performed better than the rest, and read on to find out what our experts say about why you might want to pick up a pair.

1. They’ll help you work from home or on the go

These days the living room or bedroom are doubling as the office, but that doesn’t mean your fellow officemates received the memo.��

Noise-cancelling headphones let you politely put the mute button on your partner unstacking the dishwasher or your housemate watching TV.��

Taking a work call during your commute, in a cafe or another noisy environment? Noise-cancelling headphones can eliminate some of the distraction so you can focus on the conversation at hand.��

However, they don’t all deliver the serenity they promise – check out the headphones we suggest you avoid.��

How we test headphones

����Vlog tech expert Peter Zaluzny breaks down what goes into our sound and listening scores.

“First, a panel of five experts listen to a range of music genres and podcasts with noise-cancellation off and no background noise to see how the feature affects audio during playback,” says Peter.

We’ve found some headphones with top-level noise cancellation which perform particularly well on calls due to their voice isolation and amplification, but sacrifice sound quality in return, making music sound flatter.

“Next, the panel listens to the same audio with noise-cancellation on and noise in the background, such as the sound of air conditioning, trains, aircraft, passing cars and background conversation.��

“Lastly, an artificial ear listens to tones at different frequencies and testers watch for technical anomalies such as distortion.”

2. Blocking out noise while you sleep

Ear plugs can only do so much. Whether you live on a busy street, are a shift worker, or simply need help getting to and staying asleep, noise-cancelling headphones can offer you consistent silence all night long.��

They can also be handy for catching some zzzzzzs in a noisy environment such as on a train, coach or plane.��

“If you’re using headphones for a long stretch of time, you’ll want to consider battery life,” says Peter.��

“Most wireless headphones won’t last as long with noise-cancellation turned on so check the battery life score in our headphone reviews.”

3. Better immersive listening and watching

Noise-cancelling headphones can help you escape the real world, block out distractions or lose yourself in your latest interest.��

Want to watch trashy TV uninterrupted? Listen to your guilty-pleasures playlist without being judged? Make housework a little less boring with the help of a podcast? Noise-cancelling headphones can help make that happen.��

If you’re planning to give your headphones a workout, check ����Vlog’s headphone reviews to make sure you’re purchasing a pair that’ll last.��

Our expert testers inspect each headphone’s materials, hinges, connections and buttons, and conduct 10 drop tests from a height of 1.8 metres to check how they fare, as well as a light rain test to check weather sealing.

4. To turn down the volume on the world

In lieu of a holiday, noise-cancelling headphones can help restore some peace and tranquility to your everyday life.

They can take the edge off sensory overwhelm from repetitive or irritating noises, cocoon you in silence when you need an escape from the world, or allow you to tune out boisterous children or chatty co-workers.��

If you’re not familiar with them, you may experience slight discomfort with active noise-cancellation turned on at 100%, which can feel similar to being underwater.��

Luckily, most headphones come with accompanying apps that allow you to adjust noise-cancellation levels and reintroduce some ambient noise, says Peter.

5. For a soundtrack to your workout

Not a fan of the hectic tunes your gym blasts at 7am? Looking for motivation to hit the pavement? Noise-cancelling headphones give you control over what you’re listening to no matter what’s happening around you.��

And when you’re running, jumping or dancing, you’ll want to make sure your headphones stay put.��

In addition to our normal wear test, in which testers move their heads as one would throughout the day, we also put headphones – and our testers – through a mini Olympics.��

Testers wear headphones for 20 minutes at room temperature and then complete five-minute physical tasks such as running, power-walking and jumping jacks, says Peter, to see what they’re like wearing in a realistic scenario.��

To see how a pair of headphones fared when given a workout, check out the comfort score in our detailed headphones reviews.

6. To make air travel easier

One place where noise-cancelling headphones really shine is in the air.��

When you’re flying long-haul and really need to get some shut-eye, noise-cancelling headphones make a world of difference by blocking out excess noise.

If you want to enjoy in-flight entertainment with your headphones you’ll need a cable and two-pronged aeroplane adapter. Only some wireless headphones come with these so be sure to check before buying, or purchase a cable and adapter separately.

7. To help reduce stress on your hearing

While noise-cancelling headphones are not considered medical hearing protectors, they can help reduce stress on your hearing.��

Your hearing can be damaged by long or repeated exposure to anything over 85 decibels – things such as playing music through headphones at full volume, sirens, fireworks and the like.

Noise-cancelling headphones can help protect against exposure to unavoidable noise. And by reducing the external noise that would usually cause you to crank up the volume, they’ll help you listen to your music at a healthy level.

The post 7 reasons to buy noise-cancelling headphones appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• How does the air purification work?
• How do the headphones sound?
• What's the battery life like?
• Are the Absolute+ headphones comfortable?
• Accessories and the associated app

These Dyson headphones are undeniably unique. Despite their bulky design, they were largely comfortable to wear, but the extra weight is noticeable after prolonged use. They have a premium feel that matches the price, and you get a decent assortment of protective gear to make travelling with them easier. However, the peculiar design and high price are likely to be enough to make most people look elsewhere.

Price: $1099

Contact:

Article republished with permission from .

When a manufacturer has to clarify that its latest product is not, in fact, an April Fool’s joke (Dyson did this on Twitter, shortly after revealing the Zone headphones on 30 March 2022), it knows it’s in for a potentially rough ride. And there’s no doubt you’re going to attract attention when wearing these headphones in public.

Except they’re not just headphones. The Dyson Zone Absolute+ are over-ear wireless headphones that double as a personal air purifier, thanks to built-in filters and a detachable visor.

While we had to initially endure howls of laughter from onlookers (various sci-fi comparisons were made, especially to the visor of Star Trek’s Geordi La Forge), their ridicule soon turned to curiosity. Just what is that visor for, how does it work and is it any good?

How does the air purification work?

Dyson claims the Absolute+ is capable of capturing and filtering out “99% of pollutants as small as 0.1 microns”. The company also lists some examples of these pollutants, including bacteria, industrial emissions and pollen. However, in the small print it’s quick to point out that this was done in lab conditions and “capture rates may differ depending on real life usage”.

Each ear cup contains a motor, air-purifying filter and compressor fan, which makes them noticeably bulkier than traditional headphones. The filters don’t come preinstalled, you have to insert them yourself.

We found the process relatively easy. You simply spin the silver cover anti-clockwise to unlock and remove it, place the filter inside (this requires some gentle force), then replace the cover.

The air purifier visor attaches to the headphones magnetically, allowing you to quickly remove it. With the visor removed, the headphones continue to work as normal. The visor is adjustable, allowing you to move it up and down as well as in and out, but it took us a few goes to achieve the best fit. It’s also incredibly easy to accidentally knock the visor off.

When activated, the motor pushes the filtered air to the inside of the visor. We haven’t lab-tested the air purification, so we can’t say for sure how effective it is, but we found the filtered air both cool and refreshing.

You can change the intensity via the accompanying app or set it to automatically change depending on the conditions you find yourself in. Even when set to maximum, the air flow never feels uncomfortable, but as you increase the air purification the noise made by the internal fans increases in volume.

At the lowest setting it’s a non-intrusive hum, but when we ramped it up we could hear the internal fans clearly, even with noise cancelling turned on. Turning up the volume of what we were listening to helped drown out the fans, but people around us could still hear them whirring away. We also noticed some noise leakage when playing music at high volume.

How do the headphones sound?

Regardless of air purification features, when you’re paying this much for a set of headphones you want them to sound decent. During several hours of use with a mixture of music and podcasts, we found that the headphones perform well, producing rich, clear sound.

You also get two noise-cancelling modes. Isolation mode keeps background sounds (and derogatory comments from passersby) to a minimum, while Transparency mode allows for sounds around you to be amplified (useful if you want to listen out for announcements, for example).

You can switch between the two modes in the app or by double-tapping the ear cups. There’s also the option to switch off noise cancelling completely. Additional onboard controls include a button on the right ear cup to adjust volume, pause/continue playback and cycle through tracks.

What’s the battery life like?

Battery life depends on the intensity of the air purifier and whether you have noise cancelling activated. After several hours of constant use with full noise cancelling active and the air purifier switched between various intensities, our Absolute+ headphones still had some power remaining.

Are the Absolute+ headphones comfortable?

The headphones are metallic and feel both solid and well made. At a quoted weight of 635g, however, they’re much heavier than traditional headphones (Apple’s AirPods Max are comparatively light at 358g). We found this extra weight noticeable, particularly after prolonged use.

The cushions on each ear cup feel soft, and we found they fitted comfortably around the ears. The headband is both cushioned and adjustable, so you should be able to find the right fit for you.

In terms of build quality, the visor itself feels considerably less premium than the headphones. It’s made of a somewhat flimsy-feeling plastic with a softer rubber fitting around the sections that rest over your nose and mouth. The visor is also washable under the tap, but must be completely dry before reusing.

Accessories and the associated app

With the Absolute+ you get a number of goodies. Beyond the headphones and the detachable visor, you also get a hard travel case with detachable straps, separate soft protector sleeves for the headphones and visor, two changeable filters, a wired connection adapter and a small cleaning brush. To charge the headphones, Dyson provides a cable with a USB-C connector at both ends.

The MyDyson app (available for iOS and Android) is compatible with these headphones and lets you monitor the filters’ lifespan, check air quality around you and even see current levels of pollen and nitrogen dioxide. If you enable tracking, it can also alert you to air quality in the areas you travel to.

Dyson Zone vs Zone Absolute+

The Dyson Zone headphones ($999) are essentially the same as the Zone Absolute+ headphones, but don’t include extras such as an additional pair of changeable filters and an adapter for a wired connection (audio only).

The post First look: Dyson Zone Absolute+ air purifying headphones appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• AirPods Pro (2nd generation) specs
• Living in an Apple world
• Controlling your audio environment
• Charging options
• Should you get them?

AirPods Pro (2nd generation) specs

• Apple U1 chip in MagSafe charging case (USB‑C).
• Bluetooth 5.3.
• Dual beamforming microphones.
• Inward-facing microphone.
• Skin-detect sensor.
• Motion-detecting accelerometer.
• Speech-detecting accelerometer.
• Touch control for play, pause, skip, mute and volume adjustment.
• Dust-, sweat- and water-resistant (IP54).
• Weight: Buds 5.3 grams; case 50.6 grams.
• Battery life: Up to 6 hours of music and 4.5 hours of call time; up to 30 hours of music and 24 hours of talk time with charging case.

Living in an Apple world

Apple products generally perform exactly as intended largely due to their closed operating system. The AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are a perfect example of this level of Apple control, from the MagSafe charging case to the seamless wireless smartphone connectivity and menu control system.

The box includes a USB-C cable, lanyard and a variety of silicone tips (extra small, small, medium, and large) which should accommodate most ear types. In order to get all the features and functionality on offer, you need your connected Apple device (iPhone, Apple Watch, MacBook or iPad) to be able to support the latest iOS, watchOS or Mac OS version.

Set-up is extremely convenient: simply open the case near your iPhone and select the connect button to register it.��

If you open the case near your iPhone, a widget will pop up and show you the battery level of the headphones, the case and also the phone.��

If you’ve got an iPhone 14 Pro or any model from the iPhone 15 series, when connecting the AirPods to your phone, the Dynamic Island (a black notch at the top of the screen) will show you a green circle indicating the battery level of the headphones.

The AirPod Pro buds will also connect simply and efficiently to an Android smartphone, but you lose all of the additional features and controls over audio profiles and noise-cancelling environments that are only available when used with an Apple device.��

Controlling your audio environment

There are several ways to deliver noise cancellation, depending on whether you want to cut out all the ambient audio interference or just some of the noise.

Off: Turns off the microphones embedded in the buds so you can hear the sounds around you while wearing the headphones. Great when outdoors or around people.��

Adaptive Transparency: Lowers sounds above 85dBA for safety while still allowing you to hear other activity around you at a lower dBA.

Noise Cancelling: A standard feature where the buds attempt to mute distracting sounds around you.

Automatic level changing (Personalised Volume): This setting will raise or lower the surrounding noise at what feels like random levels although it’s supposed to adjust to keep the ambient noise at a constant level.

Conversation Awareness: This setting kicks in when you want to have a conversation with someone and uses beam forming technology where the microphone focuses on the person in front of you and enhances their voice to make a conversation easier to carry out.��

In practice it’s a bit slow to enact when someone approaches for a conversation so there can be an unnatural pause before the conversation begins. But the most disconcerting aspect is that it feels strange to be having a conversation with someone while you’re wearing earbuds.

Spatial Audio: The spatial audio feature is very effective with realistic sound quality and impressive depth and detail. To get the best results, it’s important to take some time to make sure you have the right fitting tips for your ears as any looseness alters the overall audio quality.

Using the headphones day-to-day

We found you get the best audio experience when sitting or standing still, as there’s a bit of movement when running around. The touch controls are very simple to use, but sometimes when adjusting the AirPods you may lower or raise the volume when the intention was to pause or skip a track.

It always feels like you need to be extremely careful not to touch specific areas of the AirPods or else you’ll change the volume. When taking out one headphone it would be ideal if the audio was paused until you place the bud back in your ear. The AirPods will sometimes start and stop music while one bud is held in the hand.��

It’s nice that the controls work on both the left and right buds rather than some controls on the left and some on the right. The fact that you can adjust the control options for each side if required allows for a lot of personalisation too.

Charging options

Virtually all buds these days come with a handy case to keep the buds safe and clean as well as fully charged and ready to use. However, the AirPods Pro take the versatility up a notch by providing several ways to make sure your headphones never run out of juice.

The default cable option not only highlights the move from Lighting to USB-C but also allows your iPhone to charge your case and buds when you’re not close to a power outlet.��

Wireless charging options include the MagSafe wireless charger which can be used on any iPhone after the iPhone 8, and you can also use other brands of charging mats that adhere to the Qi wireless charging standard.��

If you own an Apple Watch, you can also use the watch charger which can be very handy when travelling.

Battery life performance turned out to be as claimed with more than five hours of use from an 80% charge (which took around 25 minutes).

Should you get them?

Overall, Apple’s latest AirPods Pro (2nd generation) sound great and are very easy to use, with several incremental improvements in features and performance – better noise cancelling, Adaptive Transparency (which may not appeal to music purists), touch volume controls, and a built-in speaker for the case to help you locate it with the Find My app.��

But if you live your life embracing Windows, Android and Apple devices, then the AirPods Pro won’t bring you as much joy and convenience, as the integration isn’t as smooth, and if you don’t have any Apple devices, you lose out on several useful features that would impact the AirPods’ overall performance rating.

There are many truly wireless buds on the market that allow for this seamless movement and multiple connections to other devices where the device type or operating system isn’t considered. But the AirPods Pro are most definitely optimised for Apple users.

This isn’t to say that the AirPods won’t seamlessly reconnect when moving from a Samsung smartphone to a Dell laptop when signed into the same music service, just that you can never be certain that it will happen as you expect.

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On this page:

• Google Pixel Buds Pro specs
• Do the Pixel Buds Pro sound good?
• Bluetooth latency and Spatial Audio
• Active noise cancellation performance
• Monitor your hearing health
• Phone call quality
• Build, fit and feel
• Are the Pixel Buds Pro worth it?

Since the initial release of the Pixel Buds Pro in 2022, Google has added a handful of features to its flagship headphones, which coincides with the launch of the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones.

Though some of these features are nice, they’re mostly software-oriented and don’t alter the sound quality in any significant ways. So are they enough to make the Pixel Buds Pro good value for money?

Google Pixel Buds Pro specs

• Bluetooth 5 (AAC and SBC).
• Carry case with USB-C and wireless charging.
• Passive and active noise cancellation (ANC).
• Touch controls on each bud.
• Six EQ presets and one custom mode.
• Inbuilt support for Google Assistant.
• Up to 11 hours of battery life for audio (ANC off).
• Up to 31 additional hours in the carry case (ANC off).
• IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant (buds); IPX2 protection (case).
• 62.4g weight (includes carry case and buds).
• Available colours include Bay, Porcelain, Fog, Charcoal and Lemongrass.

Do the Pixel Buds Pro sound good?

The overall sound quality of the latest Pixel Buds Pro is solid, if somewhat flat and bassy. They’re best suited to genres like pop, hip hop and nightclub bangers, but most styles of music sound decent at the very least.

We assessed the Buds Pro on a Google Pixel 8 smartphone using Spotify with the audio quality set to very high and with normalisation turned off. The equaliser was set to ‘Balanced’ in the Google Pixel Buds app.

There’s plenty of detail across the board and the mid to high frequencies are nicely balanced. Vocals are particularly strong with great clarity and presence, though they rarely feel overbearing.

Low-end, meanwhile, has a remarkable amount of oomph. The tiny drivers can pump out big, beefy sounds that don’t distort even when your EQ is boosting these frequencies. This full-bodied bass has a lot of warmth and even light rumble meaning tracks rarely sound harsh or hollow.

But though the bass doesn’t dominate, it’s generally over-amplified. That’s not to say that these headphones are entirely lacking dynamics. There’s still a decent amount of breathing room even in multi-layered genres like jazz and classical. But this over-amplified bass combined with what sounds like a bit of volume normalisation (even though we turned this setting off) results in a pretty flat and occasionally muffled sound.

So while audio is detailed, it’s not very exciting. You really notice this during tracks written to build to a big, grand, explosive conclusion. Instead of blasting across the finish line, they tend to just get louder and louder.

It’s also worth noting that rock, metal and prog sound quality is inconsistent. Sometimes it sounds great, sometimes it sounds tinny and crunchy, and then other times it’s detailed but flat. As a general rule, the Buds Pro seem to have trouble with these genres as more instruments are added to the mix.

Expanded equaliser (EQ)

The best addition to this incremental update is the new equaliser that adds six presets and one custom slot. All of these are adjustable and go a long way to lifting the overall sound quality.

However, while the new EQ is a very welcome addition that can help you tailor the mix to your liking, it’s still building on flat, overly bassy foundations. The EQ doesn’t so much improve sound quality as it does tweak it.

Google has also added Volume EQ, which boosts bass and treble at lower overall volumes. The goal seems to be to keep the feel of the music even at lower decibels and it does this reasonably well. The effect is subtle but helps retain the body of the track.

Bluetooth latency and Spatial Audio

One of the few remaining niggles that can come with the convenience of Bluetooth audio is latency – aka a slight delay that causes sounds to slip out of sync. Google has added low latency gaming support to this update but it’s limited to the newly released Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones.

There was no visible latency during a few quick rounds of Call of Duty: Mobile on a Pixel 8. However, there were slight signs of it when using the buds with a Windows laptop.

Spatial Audio

This is another impressive feature that generates a surround sound effect with compatible audio files and devices (e.g. a number of Pixel phones). This includes video mixed in 5.1, and the result is immediate.

If you’re watching a movie with Spatial Audio turned off, the Buds Pro will downmix the 5.1 surround to stereo. Things tend to sound much more impactful, but ultimately flat. Turn Spatial Audio on and the same source material opens up. Things are much broader and fuller with a sense of space though this does reduce the impact of some lower frequencies.

Active noise cancellation performance

The background sounds of day-to-day life are largely drowned out by the active noise cancellation (ANC) and even some passive effects from the fitted silicon tips. Consistent noises like the hum of air conditioning, busy traffic and trains are reduced to a low rumble.

Though slightly audible, the sounds are so quiet they don’t affect the listening experience. Sharper sounds, such as keyboard clacking, tend to be a bit more noticeable but not to the point where they’re distracting.

Annoyingly, ANC does produce some hiss and rumble when audio is paused. The settings are pretty limited, too, with just three noise-cancelling options – on, off and transparency mode.

This feature pauses your audio and turns off ANC so you can have a conversation without taking the buds out. You can set it to activate using touch controls or when the buds detect that you’re speaking. Touch mode is the way to go as auto-detect can activate if you happen to cough or mutter something to yourself.

Transparency mode works well – there’s a good degree of clarity in the other person’s voice even as it’s being processed through the Pixel Buds Pro. But it’s also not hard to just remove your headphones when someone wants to talk to you.

Silent Seal

As well as ANC, Google is touting a passive noise cancellation feature called Silent Seal. It supposedly measures your ear canal shape and air pressure to automatically provide the optimal seal.

This feature is somewhat vague and hard to quantify and comment on, but passive effects do help reduce noise, so that might mean Silent Seal is doing something.

Monitor your hearing health

The 2023 update has also added a basic decibel monitoring tool to the Google Pixel Buds app called Hearing Wellness. This new feature tracks volume in real time, sends optional alerts if you’re drifting into dangerous territory, and shows how long-term use – over 24 hours and seven days – is affecting your hearing.

This is an excellent addition to the Pixel Buds Pro, especially daily and weekly tracking as people only tend to consider how temporary high decibel bursts can affect our hearing. The data is clear, concise and easy to understand.

Note that the Google Pixel Buds app is exclusive to Android devices. iPhone users can connect to the headphones using standard Bluetooth pairing, but will miss out on features like Hearing Wellness, EQ adjustment and ANC settings.

Phone call quality

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users can take advantage of the new dual bandwidth feature designed to improve call clarity with the Buds Pro. Though call quality is decent on other devices that don’t support this feature, the added bandwidth does make a difference.

Voices sound much fuller and warmer through the buds compared to the usual tinny sound that handsets typically deliver. Though this isn’t the sole reason to buy these buds, it’s a nice feature that works well.

Build, fit and feel

The Buds Pro are comfortable, snug and discreet while still being easy to remove. The tight fit keeps them in place whether you’re walking, gardening, eating – just about any task short of vigorous headbanging.

Set-up includes an ear canal assessment which determines whether the default silicon tips are suitable, or whether you need to swap them out for one of the other two pairs included in the box. This helps improve passive noise cancellation as well.

Like other Pixel Buds, the carry case is compact, lightweight and sturdy, with a magnetic mount that holds each bud in place while charging. The Pro case also supports wireless charging which is a nice touch, though USB-C is the better option if you need a lot of juice in a short amount of time.

Quick connect works as advertised – the buds pair with previously connected devices almost instantly. You can also simultaneously connect them to two devices, which is a very handy feature as it allows seamless transitions between a laptop and a phone. All you need to do is turn Bluetooth on or off on the respective devices.

Are the Pixel Buds Pro worth it?

While this update does add some useful features, we found performance and software limitations still hold back the Buds Pro. A generally flat EQ doesn’t make for a very exciting listening experience even with the impressive bass and detail, and settings in the app still feel limited.

You won’t be disappointed if the Pixel Buds Pro are bundled in with your new phone, and they’re still worth considering on their own. But there’s nothing in particular that makes them an absolute must buy. If you’re an iPhone user, maybe look elsewhere as these buds are geared for Android.

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