Dyson’s new air-purifying, noise-cancelling headphones have a launch date, and a hefty price tag

Earlier this year, Dyson showed off an unusual set of headphones that could deliver high-quality sound, noise-canceling properties – and includes a built-in air purifier. And now the company has confirmed that the Dyson Zone the company’s first piece of wearable tech, starts at $949 and will be available for pre-order in the US in March.

The headphones will also be Dyson’s first audio product. According to a Dyson press release, the headphones are a response to the World Health Organization’s estimation that nine out of 10 people around the world breathe in a myriad of air pollutants.

The Dyson Zone also aims to combat noise pollution, as about 100 million people are overexposed to long-term noise. The headphones use Dyson’s air-purifying technology to channel purified air to the nose and mouth via compressors in the earcups. 

The headphones can deliver four hours of listening when the purification function is on the low-flow setting and 50 hours of listening time with the purification function off. At the maximum air filtering setting, the headphones tap out after about an hour and a half of use.

Also: Open-back vs. closed-back headphones: How to choose

Users can monitor the headphones’ battery and filter life and see real-time air and noise pollution exposure on the MyDyson app. The Dyson Zone can be worn with or without the filtration piece, as it magnetically attaches to the front of the earcups. 

Dyson says the filters in the headphones should be replaced every 12 months, and the MyDyson app will notify you of the filter’s status.

With eight noise-canceling microphones, intelligent signal processing for detailed audio, and a 40mm, 16-ohm speaker, the Dyson Zone’s audio features are comparable to Apple’s AirPods Max or Sony’s WH-1000XM5, although the Dyson Zone includes two extra microphones to suppress the noise from the air filtration system.

For an almost $1,000 price tag, it’s clear you’re paying for the filtration system, as a brand new pair of AirPods Max is $550, and a brand new pair of WH-1000XM5 is $350.

If a pair of quality headphones that can filter the air you breathe while you’re on the train to your nine-to-five is what you’re looking for, the Dyson Zone may be up your alley – although perhaps it would be better if there were less pollutants in the air to start with so that expensive gadgets aren’t so necessary.