Music is medicine, therapeutic for many ailments minor to severe. It can be administered in many ways but set and setting are critical. The ability to feel, escape, process, and energize with music on the go is something I fully grasped for the first time with the DALI IO-12 headphones (USD 1300). Previously, I considered proper listening on the HiFi an at-home-only experience. I carry cheap wireless IEMs as a convenience, but these are generally for taking work calls or listening to podcasts more than music. This review entailed more than just evaluating some high-end headphones, which I have done before. I changed my perspective on how I experience immersive music. I found this enlightenment similar to the experience of my first iPod almost 20 years ago in college. Carrying an mp3 library all around campus instead of being stuck in my dorm with my CD player was profoundly liberating. I still have memories of listening to certain music on that iPod imprinted in my mind.

The IO-12 are not the first over-the-ear wireless headphones from DALI but they are the brand’s first assault on the state of the art for the category. Launched in 2023 and retailing for $1300 they were briefly among the most expensive wireless headphones available. The high-end wireless headphone market is growing and changing like the universe after the Big Bang. Only recently have audiophile brands been diving into this space which for years has been the domain of mainstream electronics brands like Sony and Bose. Now there is a proliferation of audiophile-focused models from brands like Focal, Bowers & Wilkins, T+A, Audio-Technica and others, some of which make the IO-12 look affordable.

Features & Specifications

The IO-12 is flexible and capable. The options for signal input are Bluetooth, USB-C for wired listening using the internal DAC and 3.5 mm analog. Active Noise Canceling is available when listening via any input.

When the IO-12 connects with Bluetooth it is controlled exclusively by buttons on the headphone itself so no app is required. Hardcore EQ fans might consider this a miss but I consider it a feature. There is a theme of simplicity about the product that relieved concerns I had about getting stuck in the tech weeds. It's a tech gadget for analog people.

In addition to its simplicity, DALI differentiates itself from the crowd with its driver technology borrowed from the Epicon speaker line. DALI’s paper cone drivers marry a traditional cone material with an advanced magnet material called Soft Magnetic Composite which is said to reduce eddy currents, hysteresis and harmonic distortion.

Frequency range: 10 - 48,000 Hz ±3 dB

Analogue input sensitivity/Passive mode/ Active mode: 91 dB SPL, 1 mW @ 1 kHz 300 mV rms, 94 dB SPL @ 1 kHz

Impedance: (Passive mode) 25 Ohm

Maximum SPL: 100 dBA

Headphone principle Closed-back circumaural (over-ear)

Full range driver 50 mm with SMC-based magnet system

Driver diaphragm: Free edge paper fibre cone

Amplifier principle: Fully bridged (BTL) Class D output stage

Connection input(s) Bluetooth 5.2 (wireless)/3.5 mm mini jack stereo/USB-C

Wireless input audio codecs: AAC/aptX/aptX HD/aptX Adaptive

Supported input audio formats: 16 - 24 bit audio/32 / 44.1 / 48 / 96 kHz sample rate

Functions Power ON/OFF/Bluetooth pair/release/Volume up/down/Play/pause/skip track/Take call/ANC modes (ON/Transparency/OFF)/Sound modes (Hi-Fi/Bass)

Battery - playback time Up to 35 hours

Battery - charge time 1 hour and 50 minutes

Weight 0.37 kg / 0.82 lb

Finish Dark Chocolate

Design & Build

I’ve experienced many pieces of fine-sounding audio equipment where the industrial design dramatically tipped the user experience in one direction or another. What’s true for components that sit on a rack, whose human interaction is limited to the occasional turn of a knob or press of a button is even more so for a component worn on one's head. After using the DALI’s a while I began to think of the IO-12 as a piece of clothing or beloved accessory, especially when traveling. This gave me perspective to appreciate their durability, comfort and style.

The IO-12 makes a strong first impression with the unboxing experience. Packaging is up to par and the included storage case and accessories are commensurate with the asking price. They are different in style and materials than the home-oriented (and similarly priced) Sendy Peacock but equal in quality.

At first glance the so-called dark chocolate colour scheme seems a bit subdued for an expense accessory, however, the monochromatic approach quickly sold itself after a few minutes of handling. From afar the IO-12 does not resemble the myriad mass-market phones one sees around the terminal at SFO. Luxe but not loud. The brown and bronze evoke high-end leather accessories from hard-to-pronounce fashion labels as much as a tech product. The fit and finish seal the deal. The leather wrapping of the ear pads and headband is well-matched to the anodized metal and plastic parts. Buttons for power, noise cancelling, and EQ mode are small and discrete. Pause and skip controls are hidden on the outer panel of the right earcup which is touch-sensitive.

The quality of the assembly on my review loaner seemed excellent, and my confidence in the build grew the longer I used them. The plastic creaks heard and felt when handling affordable headphones were absent. That includes my beloved Sennheiser HD6XX which is bombproof in its own way.

Luxury materials and tight build quality are great but comfort makes or breaks any headphone. A wireless headphone especially needs to balance security for mobile use with comfort for extended listening. The leather-wrapped memory foam earpads and headband are plush and also have the perfect clamping force for my average-sized head. They were relaxing for couch listening but stable enough for hustling through the terminal at O’Hare.

My Use

The Dali IO-12 (USD 1300) made for such a fun review because 99% of the listening work took place outside my normal listening room. For wireless Bluetooth listening I paired the IO-12 flawlessly with my Google Pixel and Apple iPhone. For wired use, I occasionally drove them with the Ferrum ERCO DAC head amp. I also used them in wired mode connected to my laptop for work meetings and plugged directly into airplane seats to watch movies. My other headphones on hand for reference were the Sennheiser x Massdrop HD6XX and Sendy Peacock.

To test the road readiness of the IO-12 I brought them on three trips, including one long haul trip to Eurorpe. When traveling, the standards for everything change. Convenience is prioritized, everything I pack must justify its inclusion several times over. I’ll jump to the conclusion on travel here and say that despite taking up a chunk of space in my backpack, the IO-12 not only earned their keep but changed the travel game for me.

Connectivity

While music reproduction is the top concern at Audiophilia, it is essential to report on the Bluetooth connectivity of these headphones, which was bulletproof throughout the review. Not only was the connection instant and robust with a Google or Apple phone but the range was impressive as well, reaching almost across my whole house. The audio quality on phone calls was excellent. Speaking with the ANC activated takes getting used to because not hearing one's voice is a bit weird. One minor criticism —the minimum volume setting for phone calls was oddly high.

Listening

Like a proper Deadhead, my appetite for the Grateful Dead’s live recordings is insatiable so I’ve branched out into exploring the Jerry Garcia Band. The smaller, looser ensemble plays originals, some Dead classics, and lots of neat covers. With the IO-12 I got deep into GarciaLive Volume 21, a recording of the JGB in Berkeley, CA on Feb 13, 1976 (Round Records, 2024). This era of the JGB featured Donna and Keith Godchaux on backup vocals and keys respectively with a bassist and just one drummer. The show was recorded by the Grateful Dead’s legendary engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson and shares a familiar sonic character with most Dead shows. Moving between my speaker-based system, the Sendy Peacock headphones and the DALI IO-12, JGB’s noodling was always infectious. Detail retrieval was better on headphones generally and on the IO-12 the sound had a saturation and fullness that emphasized the emotional communication over audiophile fireworks. On a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Moonlight Mile,” it was obvious just how much Garcia, then a couple of years into hard drug use, could relate to Mick Jagger and Keith Richard’s ballad about weary life on the road. The mood of the 13-minute jam evolves from yearning to optimism and the groove gets gradually harder accordingly. Over and over I found myself taking breaks from work to stream this track on the IO-12 and coming back to my desk refreshed. Just the medicine I needed.

I discovered a new recording of Terry Riley’s minimalist work In C by cellist Maya Beiser on Islandia (Maya Beiser X Terry Riley, 2024). In C was originally conceived for many musicians but was recorded by Beiser with just her cello and looping machine along with two drummers. The interpretation is highly personal but still epic in scope. When played on my speakers in the office I found it could serve as rhythmic background music for concentrating on writing while on the DALI IO-12, it was hard not to become immersed in the music at any volume level. The pull to know just where the music was going was too strong to ignore. This engagement was an effect of the music itself as opposed to an aggressive sonic signature.

I must be getting old if musical memories are now “taking me back to my youth.” I referenced my college days when I was a swimmer. A common practice then was listening on headphones on my way to a workout or at meets to get energized. That contrasts with my typical late-night couch listening these days, which is something that influences my choice of music. Well, on the move with the IO-12, rock, metal, electronic, punk and plenty of music that just doesn’t work on the couch became all of a sudden appealing. I’m ashamed to admit I just discovered Gang of Four’s 1979 classic debut Entertainment! (EMI). This absolute banger of a post-punk record is urgent, snarky, and so funky it's almost danceable. It makes no sense as a couch-listen. Listening out and about, in the sunshine, moving and sweating, I realized I had expanded the music in my library that I wanted to hear. And that is a gift from the DALI IO-12.

Conclusion

The simple takeaway is that the DALI IO-12 looks cool, fits comfortably and sounds fantastic. The real question though is who are these headphones actually for? This is a headphone for someone who wants to bring a quality listening experience, previously attainable at home, on the go and who isn't afraid to pay a few bucks to get it. The sound of the DALI is up to par with a dedicated sweet spot listening session but they are built to venture out in the world.

Not long ago the idea of a $1000+ wireless headphone was preposterous. The IO-12 at $1300 was one of the early products to smash that psychological barrier. My prediction is that higher-end headphones will proliferate and the IO-12’s value proposition will continue to grow in retrospect. Many audiophiles, like myself, are realizing that headphones are not just tech accessories or phone peripherals but a way to bring a high-end listening experience anywhere. If music is medicine, that flexibility could be lifesaving. I enthusiastically endorse the DALI IO-12 for audiophiles looking to cut the cord and expand their music listening paradigm.

Further information: Dali Speakers