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 are available on Amazon for $1,250.
• They produce a clarity of sound and separation that will blow you away.
• The beige colorway isn’t the most attractive, and the designed excuses premium.

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I’ve been a connoisseur of headphones since the 1980s. Back then, I was living on a student’s budget and couldn’t afford the best of the best. Still, I sought out headphones that not only I could afford but delivered a sound worthy of my discerning palette.

Whenever I saw someone with headphones, I’d ask, “Can I try those?” hoping to find just the right pair.

Fast-forward to now, and I receive a lot of headphones for review. Every time I open a pair, I think, “Please, blow me away.” A few have reached such highs (such as about anything from Beyerdynamic), but even those I wouldn’t place in the audiophile category.

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Recently, I received an offer to review a pair of headphones from a company I’d never heard of called Dali. The headphones in question? The IO-8 over-ear headphones. 

Before I go any further, the IO-8s have a hefty price tag of $1,250 on Amazon. Because of that price, the IO-8s serve a rather niche audience, but they serve it so well. Why do I say that? Simple: the IO-8 headphones are the best pair I’ve ever placed over my ears.

My experience

There’s one particular song I like to pull out when I really need to check the sonic quality of headphones. That song is “Tricycle” by Flim & The BBs. Back in the mid-nineties, I worked for an audio company that installed sound systems that reached six and seven figures. 

After we’d finish an installation job, the owner would come in with some serious technology and “noise” the system by introducing white and pink noise through the speakers. Once they had everything dialed in, the owner would play “Tricycle” to see how it sounded. If the system could play that song to his insane standards, he’d call the job 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 for the IO-8 headphones, I knew playing this piece would immediately inform me how well they performed.

This song is a splendid piece of music that really highlights a speaker’s soundstage and how well it can handle lows and highs. I’m here to tell you the IO-8s handled it to perfection. These are, without a doubt, the best-sounding wireless headphones I’ve ever experienced.

Ever. Period.

And this is without having to install an app and adjust the EQ curve to meet my discerning taste. I simply turned them on, paired them with my Pixel 9 Pro, and tapped play on Spotify. These babies are magic. 

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

It was head-banging glory. I’m not going to go through a set list of songs I played for testing because I can just say one thing about them all: Brilliant!

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That’s right. The IO-8 headphones played every song and genre like they were built specifically for that particular song. The only downside of this experience is that every other pair I test from this point on out will probably not measure up. 

This is not hyperbole, as these headphones are the real deal.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Dali IO-8 headphones are expensive, no doubt. But when you’re looking at headphones on this level, you should expect prices to soar into the four and five figures. And to be clear, the IO-8 are Dali’s mid-range headphones. 

If spending over $1,250 on headphones is over your budget, look away now. If your taste in audio tends to rise above the average, and you’re willing to part ways with that much cash, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better pair of headphones at this price range. 

In summary, if you can afford them, don’t hesitate to buy the IO-8s. I will just leave you with two warnings: 

1. The IO-8s will ruin other headphones for you.
2. The IO-8s might well put a permanent smile on your face.

You’ve been warned.

Dali IO-8 headphones tech specs

• Frequency range: 10 – 43,000 Hz
• Driver: 50mm with free edge paper fibre cone
• Headphone principle: Closed back 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: Up to 35 hours (30 hours with ANC on)
• Weight: 325g
• Features: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency mode, Hi-Fi and Bass sound modes
• IP52 durability rating
• Audio formats: 16 – 24 bit, 32/44.1/48/96 kHz sample rate
• Hi-Res Audio Certified