My house help’s face displays a mixture of surprise and mild shock as she enters my Noida home on a smoggy morning. While she has witnessed my use of various gadgets over the years, the Dyson Zone headphones I am wearing that morning catch her off guard. I am immersed in music, with the Dyson Zone headphones on and the visor attached. Her reaction reflects a blend of surprise and curiosity, given the unique design of the headphones. Dyson has a reputation for distinctive and awe-inspiring designs, and the Zone is no exception. These are large over-the-ear headphones featuring plush ear cups and a comfortable headband. What distinguishes these headphones is the size of the ear cups, which are extra-large and perforated to accommodate the air filtration mechanism. To utilize the personal air purifier feature, you attach the visor to the headphones, enabling purified air to flow in front of your nose. This gives the headphones a unique and attention-grabbing appearance reminiscent of the character Bane.
Despite their size, the headphones are comfortable to wear, although the weight becomes noticeable after extended use. The left side of the headphones features a button to control the air purifier and its speed. On the right side, there’s a toggle button that serves multiple functions, allowing you to power the device, adjust volume, and skip songs. The intuitive use of this toggle button prompts me to wonder why other headphone designs haven’t adopted a similar approach, as it proves more convenient than dealing with multiple buttons for various controls. The visor is not a constant necessity and is designed with this flexibility in mind. It attaches magnetically to the bottom of the ear cups, covering the air vents on the front when required. This allows the visor to direct the filtered air to the front of the nose. When wearing the Zone, a refreshing cool draft is felt in front of the face, providing comfort, especially in the context of the 400+ Air Quality Index (AQI) levels prevalent in Delhi NCR this week.
The Zone is seamlessly integrated with the MyDyson app, where it is identified as a new machine. Upon connection, users gain control over the air purification settings and access real-time outdoor AQI data for their area. Notably, with the visor on, the Zone effectively removes Nitrogen Oxide from the breathed air, making it particularly beneficial in regions with higher levels of fossil fuel pollution. The Zone connects to the MyDyson app where it is recognised as a new machine. Once this is done, you can control the air purification and see the data on what the real-time outdoor AQI levels are in your area. Interestingly, with the visor on, the Zone removes Nitrogen Oxide from the air you breathe, so this works better for those in areas where fossil fuel pollution is more.
The visor is crafted with adaptability in mind, making it unnecessary for constant use. It attaches magnetically to the bottom of the ear cups, covering the front air vents when required. This design feature enables the visor to channel filtered air towards the front of the nose. While wearing the Zone, one experiences a refreshing cool draft in front of the face, offering comfort, particularly in the context of the prevalent 400+ Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in Delhi NCR this week.