Danish audio brand Dali says its latest wireless headphones are designed to cancel noise without affecting sound quality. The IO-8 can be preordered for $900 starting October 8 in Iron Black and Caramel White, and will ship in late November.
Dali is being fairly quiet about how it achieves its “audiophile ANC.” It doesn’t mention the number of microphones it uses, something most companies like to brag about, or the software. It simply states that the system “delivers an immersive listening experience, ensuring the audio quality is not compromised.”
Still, the IO-8’s acoustic architecture is said to borrow heavily from the company’s IO-12 flagship headphones, which are among the best wireless headphones we’ve ever reviewed at Digital Trends, so there’s plenty of reason to take Dali’s claims seriously.
Their 50mm drivers are made from randomly aligned paper and wood fibers of variable length, which Dali says creates a light yet stiff diaphragm with optimal damping. The result, it says, is “natural, relaxed sound quality brimming with detail.”
Frequency response has been pegged at an excellent 10Hz-43kHz, far exceeding the capabilities of human hearing, and it should have more than enough low-end room to deliver plenty of sub-bass.
In keeping with the premium price tag, Dali has used premium materials including anodized aluminum and ear pads made of leather. The headphones even offer a small amount of dust and water resistance (IP52) which is unusual in a set of audiophile cans.
The IO-8’s wireless Bluetooth connection supports both aptX HD and aptX Adaptive for phones that are compatible with these high-quality codecs (iPhones do not support them), while you also get two types of wired connections: 3.5mm analog and USB-C.
The USB-C connection lets you charge the headphones, but it also gives you access to lossless digital hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz from computers and smartphones with USB-C ports.
Speaking of charging, Dali says the IO-8 will last for up to 30 hours with ANC on, and 35 hours when it’s off. There’s no quick-charge function, but charging from empty to full is said to take 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Other that this, the IO-8 are fairly spartan. There’s no app for features like EQ adjustments. Instead, Dali offers two “sound modes” — Hi-Fi and Bass, which are accessible from the built-in controls.
If you like the sound of these cans, you’ll be better off buying them in Europe, where they sell for just 599 euros (about $656), a far cry from the $900 price Dali has placed on the U.S. version of these cans.