When we tested the luxurious Dali IO-12 headphones, we loved their look, we loved their sound, and we tried to forget that they cost a whopping $1,499 / £999, which is about AU$1,870. But now they have a cheaper sibling that promises the same combination of style and substance, along with active noise cancellation.
The new Dali IO-8 headphones are designed by the same team that created the company’s flagship KORE speaker, and they use many of the same electronics as the IO-12. According to Dali, they are “real hi-fi speakers for your head.”
Dali IO-8 headphones: main features, prices and availability
The Dali IO-8 is designed to operate in both wired and wireless modes, with the latter offering the choice of ANC on, ANC off or transparency mode. As before, there’s no companion app, which is unusual for smart headphones; everything is done with the buttons on the headphones. That means you don’t get features like customizable EQ; instead, the controls let you switch between HiFi or Bass mode. The ear cushions are finished with genuine leather and the cups are made with a radial brushed and anodized finish.
The diaphragms in these headphones are made from proprietary paper and wood fiber materials, with randomly aligned fibers of variable length that Dali says provide lightness, stiffness and effective cushioning. The company says that “the result is natural, relaxing sound quality packed with detail” from the 50mm drivers. Given the stellar performance of the IO-12 headphones, we have no reason to doubt that; as we said in our on-ear flagship review, while some rivals might offer punchier bass or a flattering audio curve, the Dalis delivered “insight, detail, neutrality and precision”.
The DALI IO-8 will be available from today, October 8, 2024, for £599 (about $795 / AU$1,155) – that’s still a lot higher than most of the best noise-canceling headphones, but Dali’s sound is delivered with a clear upgrade over the majority of the competition. Please note, we do not say ‘we’ to expect Dali’s sound comes with a clear upgrade’ and that’s because, as luck would have it, you can already read our quite positive review of the Dali IO-8…