These wireless headphones are an audiophile's dream - and my new all-time favorite - technology-news.space

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

The Dali IO-8 headphones are available on Amazon for $1,100.
They produce a clarity of sound and separation that will blow you away.
The beige colorway isn’t the most attractive, and they’re not cheap.

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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.” I’ve had a few reach such highs (such as about anything from Beyerdynamic), but even those I wouldn’t place in the audiophile category.

Also: I review headphones for a living. Here are my 4 favorite Amazon Spring Sale deals to shop now

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 $1,100 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 into 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.

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The controls are easy to access.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

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.

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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 here 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 $1,000 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.

Also: My favorite noise-canceling headphones for work and travel are on sale for 25% off

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

You’ve been warned.