Introduction

Mainstream brands have tried to focus on the high-end HEADSET territory for a while, but it wasn’t a one-sided fight. The premium establishment is back in full swing, right where mass market appeal meets audiophile excess. Danish speaker specialist Dali has done just that for the IO-8, watering down the wireless flagship into something more attainable – without losing sight of what its fans care about most.

There’s aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, 24/96 playback via USB-C, and wired analog listening hasn’t been forgotten either, so sound quality is still the focus. Active noise cancellation still makes the cut, but it’s the kind that will never color your music to shut out the outside world. He didn’t skimp on the materials either.

At $899/£599, it takes on other premium quality headphones including Bowers & Wilkins PX8 and Focal Bathys. But seeing how Dali IO-12 just squeaking under four figures of the narrowest of margins, could the IO-8 be anywhere close to affordable in comparison?

Design and build: leather case

The round earcups and brushed metal trim give the IO-8 a slightly more traditional look than the IO-12. A sneak peek at the CE info reveals IO-12 branding that suggests the two share a few parts in common, so only the square-shaped ear pads and color scheme visually separate the two.

You get a similar fabric-wrapped band that feels suitably luxurious, has a reasonable amount of adjustment and applies just the right amount of tightening force. There is a memory foam pad underneath, but not enough to fit Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphonescloud-like cushioning sensation. At 325g these are lighter than the Focal Bathys, but considerably more than the more common ones Sony Wh-1000XM5 and Sennheiser Momentum 4.

The leather covering those massive circular ear pads is genuine, and vegans aren’t offered a synthetic alternative. The cups themselves have a good amount of recline and swivel 180 degrees, so I had no problem getting comfortable. You’ll need particularly large ears for these to turn into over-ears rather than over-ears. Each pad twists easily for cleaning or replacement, which bodes well for long-term ownership.

My review unit arrived in Iron Black; even with the anodized metal finish, I think it is the more subtle of the two offered. Caramel White combines tan leather and fabric with a white chassis and silver trim, which is more of a design statement than I want to make with my tech. That said, both have more going on than the somewhat stripped-down headphones from Sony, Sennheiser and Sonos.

Features and Battery: Wired for sound

The IO-8 comes in a fabric-lined hardshell case that’s handy for taking the headphones with you on the go. There’s room inside for the USB-A to USB-C charging cable and 3.5mm auxiliary cable, but I didn’t think the materials felt as high-performance as the cases you get with the B&W PX8 or Focal Bathys.

Which cable you use dictates whether you’ll get 24-bit/96kHz digital playback or true analog listening from your source; the 3.5mm cable allows you to completely disable the internal headphone amplification and digital signal processing, so all the heavy lifting is done by your player. This passive mode also requires no power, so you can use it when the battery is low fully discharged; it’s something the B&W PX8 can’t do.

On the wireless side, Bluetooth 5.2 isn’t quite cutting edge these days, but the IO-8 still supports the aptX Adaptive codec for higher quality listening on compatible equipment. I also had no problems pairing to two devices at once.

We’ve seen very close to the Dali’s 30 hours of ANC listening over Bluetooth, and it’ll get closer to 35 if you can go without noise cancellation. Charging from empty takes about two hours, and you can listen through the 3.5mm while you’re at it.

Dali hasn’t strayed from the IO-12’s “no companion apps, please” approach, which is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on whether you equate a long list of features with value for money. You won’t find head-tracking spatial audio, EQ-adjusting hearing tests or customizable controls here – just a few physical buttons that take care of the basics.

Aside from the 3.5mm input, everything is found on the right earcup. The home button also handles Bluetooth pairing; there are dedicated buttons for switching between ANC modes and the two EQ presets; individual volume keys; and a play button that lets you skip songs with a double tap or wake up your phone’s voice assistant with a long press.

I love how a voice announces the remaining battery life and confirms you’re connected as soon as you turn on the headphones (in the poshest British accent I think I’ve ever heard from a pair of wireless boxes)

Sound quality and noise cancellation: Audio comes first

Dali says the IO-8 has “audiophile-grade ANC,” which is another way of saying these headphones aren’t chasing Bose, Sony, and the rest for total noise cancellation. Instead, the game’s goal is to reduce background noise enough that you can still pick out details in your songs without an audible impact on sound quality. It seemed like a pretty accurate description from my testing, where louder external noises creep in, but in most environments I could listen at 50% volume and still appreciate the subtle guitars from Eddie Kendricks. My people… Wait.

This also gave the IO-8’s 50mm dynamic drivers their best possible chance to shine. Dali tuning favors a balanced presentation with presence at each end of the frequency spectrum and a smooth transition between the two. Subbass and bass notes have a satisfying impact, while hi-hats and vocals maintain a sense of clarity. They don’t squeeze out every ounce of detail like the B&W PX8, but are perhaps a bit more nuanced in the low end.

I definitely preferred the standard Hi-Fi EQ preset; the Bass mode made my playlists sound a little too loud, adding some extra low-end but distracting from the rest of the mix. There were certain tracks that I thought were still quite full in Hi-Fi mode, making me wish for some sort of neutral or balanced preset – or rather, a fully custom EQ.

Chet Faker’s downtempo interpretation No Diggity they highlighted a satisfyingly spacious sound, but equally these headphones do justice to more comfortable compositions. James Blake is more claustrophobic Fall back it prevented the instruments from tripping over each other. Overall, the tracks aren’t pushed as far forward or inward as its closer competitors, which I think makes them a great choice for long listening sessions without fatigue.

Dali verdict IO-8

A few years ago, the Dali IO-8 would have been aimed exclusively at audiophiles – but today it’s a different story, long after Apple AirPods Max effectively made £500 headphones ‘mainstream’. It’s not just up against other high-end brands, and the competition is full of positive features.

Whether you put enjoyable listening ahead of companion apps and added functionality will decide whether these boxes are worth your attention. They’re undeniably comfortable, have decent enough noise cancellation for the money, and will no doubt last longer than some rivals, thanks to the option for true analogue playback. The sound quality is comfortable up there too.

So they’re no ordinary headphones – the alternatives only cover one or two other bases – but there’s a lot to be said for the Dali’s more singular focus.

Dali IO-8 technical specifications