Dyson Zone: Everything you need to know about air-purifying headphones

The Dyson Zone features a detachable visor which projects purified air to the wearer’s nose and mouth. Image / Dyson

Dyson has revealed fresh details on its most controversial product to date, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones that cleans the air while you’re breathing.

The Dyson Zone, set to be released in January in China and March in the US, UK, Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, is the British tech firm’s first foray into audio engineering.

Unlike other headphones on the market, these also contain a technology Dyson has mastered – the art of air purifying.

It’s not yet certain when New Zealanders will be able to get their hands on a pair.

Dyson promises to deliver “full-spectrum” music to your ears as a “detachable visor” containing the brand’s top notch carbon filters sucks tiny pollutants from the air around you.

But while the product, which has been five years in the making, is arguably one of Dyson’s most hotly anticipated launches yet – there are many who aren’t convinced.

Following the announcement of its upcoming launch earlier in the year, shoppers around the globe declared the unpriced product as “ridiculous”, “bizarre” and “wacky”.

However Dyson has shrugged off the criticism with the latest announcement which gives consumers the full specs on the futuristic-looking gadget.

As with all things Dyson, there’s a whole lot of information available, but here’s everything you need to know about the world’s first “air purifying headphones”.

Dyson said it developed the air-purifying feature in response to the “global pollution problem”. Image / Dyson

Battery life: You get a whopping 50 hours of charge on these noise-cancelling headphones, which equates roughly to being able to fly around the world twice. However, if you turn on the air purification, this goes down to 4 hours. Charging takes 3 hours and is done by USB-C.

Advanced noise cancelling: There are 11 microphones inside this out-there contraption and eight of them are used to reduce external sounds around you by as much as 38 dB. This sounds ideal for those days when you have to go into the office.

Faithful, full-spectrum audio: Sure, you might look a bit like an extra from a sci-fi movie, but the Dyson Zone claims it has some next level audio quality that ensures “every note or word is heard”.

Crazy science facts: These portable ear speakers are “scientifically tuned to hear more detail” thanks to a unique EQ setting which optimises the frequency curve for clear, pure audio. Fancy.

Take that call: As we’ve come to expect from headphones, you can take and receive calls through this headset, but Dyson reckons it’s “super clear” on these bad boys thanks to dual microphone beamforming and noise suppression technology. It also makes recording audio nice and clear too – which is sure to make the voice note-loving Gen Z very happy.

Air filtration on the go: It’s the feature we didn’t know our headphones needed and works by attaching the detachable visor which projects purified air to the wearer’s nose and mouth. The filters remove pollutants as small as 0.1 microns.

Why did Dyson create this unusual product?

If you’ve made it this far and you’re still scratching your head wondering why on earth anyone needs this futuristic creation, Dyson has said it was made in response to the “global pollution problem”.

“Air pollution is a global problem,” the brand said in a statement.

“99 per cent of the world’s population live in areas that exceed the World Health Organisation (WHO) safe levels for pollution.

“Noise pollution is also a problem.”

The noise-cancelling headphones can also be used without the visor. Photo / Dyson

The scientific explanation has done little to quell some critics, with some maintaining anyone who wears the Dyzon Zone will look “ridiculous”.

However, others have welcomed the invention, including some in the travel and automotive industries.

“I know the Dyzon Zone looks incredibly stupid to most people. However, for those who work in the automotive industry, such as myself, this is amazing,” one wrote on Twitter.

“The Dyson Zone air purifying headphones seem genius, but I would want to feel the benefit before investing,” another added.