I’ve yet to find a pair of headphones that sound better than these – but there’s a catch

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Dali IO-8 headphones can be found on Amazon for $1,250.
• They produce a readability of sound and separation that may blow you away.
• The beige colorway is not probably the most enticing, and the designed excuses premium.

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I have been a connoisseur of headphones because the Nineteen Eighties. Again then, I used to be dwelling on a pupil’s finances and could not afford the perfect of the perfect. Nonetheless, I sought out headphones that not solely I may afford however delivered a sound worthy of my discerning palette.

Each time I noticed somebody with headphones, I would ask, “Can I attempt these?” hoping to search out simply the precise pair.

Quick-forward to now, and I obtain a whole lot of headphones for overview. Each time I open a pair, I feel, “Please, blow me away.” A number of have reached such highs (comparable to about something from Beyerdynamic), however even these I would not place within the audiophile class.

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Not too long ago, I acquired a proposal to overview a pair of headphones from an organization I would by no means heard of known as Dali. The headphones in query? The IO-8 over-ear headphones. 

Earlier than I’m going any additional, the IO-8s have a hefty price ticket of $1,250 on Amazon. Due to that value, the IO-8s serve a relatively area of interest viewers, however they serve it so properly. Why do I say that? Easy: the IO-8 headphones are the perfect pair I’ve ever positioned over my ears.

My expertise

There’s one explicit tune I like to tug out once I actually need to examine the sonic high quality of headphones. That tune is “Tricycle” by Flim & The BBs. Again within the mid-nineties, I labored for an audio firm that put in sound programs that reached six and 7 figures. 

After we would end an set up job, the proprietor would are available in with some critical know-how and “noise” the system by introducing white and pink noise by the audio system. As soon as they’d every thing dialed in, the proprietor would play “Tricycle” to see the way it sounded. If the system may play that tune to his insane requirements, he’d name the job completed.

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I do not play “Tricycle” for each headphone overview (as a result of most headphones cannot do it justice); however once I noticed the value tag for the IO-8 headphones, I knew taking part in this piece would instantly inform me how properly they carried out.

This tune is a splendid piece of music that basically highlights a speaker’s soundstage and the way properly it may deal with lows and highs. I am right here to inform you the IO-8s dealt with it to perfection. These are, surely, the best-sounding wi-fi headphones I’ve ever skilled.

Ever. Interval.

And that is with out having to put in an app and alter the EQ curve to fulfill my discerning style. I merely turned them on, paired them with my Pixel 9 Professional, and tapped play on Spotify. These infants are magic. 

The IO-8 headphones have two modes: bass and hi-fi. By default, they’re set on hi-fi, which was beautiful. The bass mode was a bit a lot for “Tricycle,” so I switched it up and tapped play on Devin Townsend’s “PowerNerd.” The bass mode on this tune bumped up till it felt like a large was dancing on my head.

It was head-banging glory. I am not going to undergo a set listing of songs I performed for testing as a result of I can simply say one factor about all of them: Good!

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That is proper. The IO-8 headphones performed each tune and style like they had been constructed particularly for that exact tune. The one draw back of this expertise is that each different pair I check from this level on out will most likely not measure up. 

This isn’t hyperbole, as these headphones are the true deal.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

The Dali IO-8 headphones are costly, little question. However if you’re headphones on this stage, you need to anticipate costs to soar into the 4 and 5 figures. And to be clear, the IO-8 are Dali’s mid-range headphones. 

If spending over $1,250 on headphones is over your finances, look away now. In case your style in audio tends to rise above the common, and also you’re keen to half methods with that a lot money, you would be hard-pressed to discover a higher pair of headphones at this value vary. 

In abstract, in case you can afford them, do not hesitate to purchase the IO-8s. I’ll simply depart you with two warnings: 

1. The IO-8s will spoil different headphones for you.
2. The IO-8s would possibly properly put a everlasting smile in your face.

You’ve got been warned.

Dali IO-8 headphones tech specs

• Frequency vary: 10 – 43,000 Hz
• Driver: 50mm with free edge paper fibre cone
• Headphone precept: Closed again circumaural (over ear)
• Impedance (Passive mode): 25 Ohm
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm mini jack, USB-C
• Bluetooth codecs: AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
• Battery life: As much as 35 hours (30 hours with ANC on)
• Weight: 325g
• Options: Energetic Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency mode, Hello-Fi and Bass sound modes
• IP52 sturdiness score
• Audio codecs: 16 – 24 bit, 32/44.1/48/96 kHz pattern price
• Hello-Res Audio Licensed