ZDNET Highlights
- The Dali IO-8 headphones are available on Amazon for $1,250.
- They produce a clarity of sound and separation that will amaze you.
- The beige color isn’t the most attractive, and the design pretends to be premium.
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I’ve been a headphone connoisseur since the 1980s. At the time, I was living on a student budget and couldn’t afford the best of the best. Still, I looked for headphones that not only could I afford but also provided sound that was in line with my understanding.
Whenever I saw someone with headphones, I’d ask, “Can I try these?” Hoping to find the perfect match.
Fast forward to now, and I’ve received a ton of headphones to review. Every time I open a pair, I think, “Please, blow me.” Some have reached such heights (like anything from Beyerdynamic), but I wouldn’t even put them in the audiophile category.
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Recently, I received an offer to review a pair of headphones from a company I had never heard of, named Dali. The headphones in question? IO-8 Over-Ear Headphones,
Before I go on, the IO-8s cost a hefty $1,250 on Amazon. Because of that price, the IO-8s cater to a niche audience, but they serve it very well. Why do I say that? Simple: The IO-8 headphones are the best pair I’ve ever put on my ears.
my experience
There’s one particular song I like to pull out when I really need to check out the sound quality of the headphones. That song is “Tricycle” by Flim and the Beebees. In the mid-nineties, I worked for an audio company that installed sound systems reaching six and seven figures.
After we’re done with the installation, the owner will come up with some serious tech and “noise” the system by introducing white and pink noise through the speakers. Once they had everything dialed in, the owners would play “Tricycle” to see how it sounded. If the system can play that song to its insane standards, it’ll say it’s done.
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I don’t play “Tricycle” for every headphone review (because most headphones can’t do it justice); But when I saw the price tag of the IO-8 headphones, I knew that by playing this piece I would immediately know how well they performed.
Controls are easy to access.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
This song is a fantastic piece of music that really highlights a speaker’s soundstage and how well it can handle fluctuations. I’m here to tell you that the IO-8s handled it to perfection. Without a doubt, these are the best sounding wireless headphones I have ever experienced.
Sometimes. Duration.
And this is without installing an app and adjusting the EQ curve to satisfy my discerning tastes. I simply turned them on, paired them with my Pixel 9 Pro, and tapped play on Spotify. These kids are magical.
The IO-8 headphones have two modes: Bass and Hi-Fi. By default, they’re set to Hi-Fi, which was surprising. The bass mode for “Tricycle” was a little too much, so I changed it and tapped Devin Townsend’s “Powernerd.” The bass mode of this song got louder until it felt like a giant was dancing on my head.
It was dizzying glory. I’m not going to go into the set list of songs played for the test because I can only say one thing about all of them: fantastic!
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This is correct. The IO-8 headphones play every song and genre as if they were made specifically for that particular song. The only downside to this experience is that any other pair I test from this point on probably won’t live up to it.
That’s not an exaggeration, as these headphones are the real deal.
ZDNET’s shopping advice
There’s no doubt that the Dali IO-8 headphones are expensive. But when you’re looking at headphones at this level, you should expect prices to rise into four and five figures. And to be clear, io-8 Dali’s are mid-range headphones.
If spending over $1,250 on headphones is beyond your budget, take a look now. If your interest in audio rises above average, and you’re willing to drop that much cash, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better pair of headphones at this price range.
In short, if you can afford them, don’t hesitate to buy the IO-8s. I’ll leave you with just two warnings:
- The IO-8s will ruin other headphones for you.
- IO-8 can bring a permanent smile to your face.
you have been warned.
Dali IO-8 Headphones Technical Specifications
- Frequency Range: 10 – 43,000 Hz
- Driver: 50mm with free edge paper fiber cone
- Headphone principle: closed back circumaural (above the ear)
- Impedance (passive mode): 25 Ohms
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm mini jack, USB-C
- Bluetooth Codecs: AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
- Battery life: Up to 35 hours (30 hours with ANC on)
- Weight: 325 grams
- Features: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency Mode, Hi-Fi and Bass Sound Mode
- IP52 durability rating
- Audio Format: 16 – 24 bit, 32/44.1/48/96 kHz sample rate
- Hi-Res Audio certified
