Design and features:This Bluetooth wireless noise canceling home/studio-style over-ear model provides very good sound and excellent active noise reduction. The headphones work with or without the noise canceling feature being turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music. The Zone has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls. Additional features include - The Ear cups swivel for ease of carrying and storage. It has a magnetic visor that partially covers lower face that works with replaceable filters and built-in fans on each ear cup to deliver filtered air to your nose and mouth. It has replaceable ear cup cushions. When used with air filter visor Conversation Mode (pauses audio and enables ambient mode) can be enabled by flipping the air filter visor down so that is beneath your mouth. Has button/joystick control on right ear cup for play/pause/next/prev, call connect/disconnect, volume control, and digital voice assistant. Has touch control on either ear cup that toggles between noise cancellation mode and ambient sound monitoring mode. Has button control on left ear cup for power, Bluetooth pairing and air filter fan speed control. Headphones pause Bluetooth audio playback when they are removed from the head and resume audio when placed back on the head. Supports compatible digital voice assistants when used with Bluetooth devices that have those capabilities. My Dyson app download for Apple and Android mobile devices can be used to adjust the tonal balance of the earphones using tonal presets, switch between noise canceling on/off and ambient monitoring, adjust air filter fan speed, track ambient air quality, monitor air filter life, check battery levels, and update firmware. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. The Zone comes with USB-C to USB-C connector charging cable, carrying case, 2 air filters, air filter visor, air filter visor cleaning brush, air filter visor carrying bag.
Sound quality: We found the Zone delivers sound quality that falls in the very good range - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks and excellent active noise reduction. With the Dyson app equalizer set to Enhanced (as received state of the headphone), ANC set to on, and the air filter visor removed (and fan not running) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but is a bit boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is a bit grainy, etched (a bit more sharply outlined then it should be), hazy, and congested (think sonic traffic jam) , and the upper midrange is a touch prominent. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended, but is a bit prominent, smeared and sizzly (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer have a sound reminiscent of bacon frying). Somewhat open sounding and does a decent job of recovering room ambience. Decent dynamics. Neutral to coolish character. The overall sound can best be summarized as a bit bassy, grainy and sizzly. The tone settings of the app have a noticeable effect on the sound of these headphones. Noise Canceling: With the air filter fan turned off and when fitted to get the best seal between the headphones and the user's head this provides excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. Orientation changes the noise reduction characteristic - when the noise is coming from the front a bit more high-frequency noise can be heard relative to when it's coming from the side or rear. A faint rushing sound can be heard in quiet environments when there is no audio program to drown it out.
Air filter visor sound quality notes:
When the air filter visor was attached and the air filter fan was set to low, the fan can be heard over content playing at lower volume levels.
When the air filter visor was attached and the air filter fan was set to medium, the fan can be heard over content playing at medium through lower volume levels.
When the air filter fan was set to high, the sound of the fan can be heard over content playing at moderately high through lower volume levels.
Comfort and Fit:We found that these headphones produce a sense of moderate pressure around the ears. As typical of over-ear models the ear pads might feel hot after prolonged use. This model is heavier than the typical headphone; some users may feel the headphones weight is noticeable. Users with larger heads might find that the headband does not have enough adjustment range to allow the ear cups to rest properly over the ears and/or that the headband presses uncomfortably on the top of the head. Users with larger ears might find that the over-the-ear fit of the ear pads feel cramped, or that the ear pads sit on, rather than around their ears; in that case the less-than-ideal fit around the ears might interfere with the ear pad seal and reduce the bass response and/or noise reduction capabilities of the headphone. Some users may find that when they lean far forward the headphones feel unstable and shift forward, possibly to the point of falling off. When wearing this model while walking the muffled vibrations from each foot step can be heard slightly through the headphones regardless of whether or not the headphones are in noise cancelling mode. When used with the air filter visor some users may find that when headphone is positioned for optimum filtered air flow the position of the headband may not be in the best position for comfort and/or support. Depending on face size and shape some users may find that the air filter visor hits their face or feels claustrophobic when positioned to optimize filtered air flow. Some users may find that the air flows into the eyes when set to higher fan speeds, and can cause eyes to feel dry. Fan noise can be heard by those around you, the higher the fan setting, the louder the fan noise.
