Noise-cancelling headphones · Ranked #1 of 23 · Top pick, narrowly

Dali IO-8

93
Acclaimed
Average of 4 professional reviews
4 of 4 recommend it · critics agree
Where the 4 reviews landedRange 90–95

Exact average 92.5 · all scores printed by the outlets

Dali IO-8Image: Dali

4 professional reviewers tested the Dali IO-8, and 4 recommend it. Most praised: sound quality and comfort. Most common complaint: controls and app.

Reviewed by What Hi-Fi?, TechRadar, Trusted Reviews and 1 more

The catch: There is no app, noise cancelling trails Sony and Bose, and the price is high.

Early score: only 4 professional reviews so far. Expect it to move as more reviews come in.

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What 4 critics said

Highest score first · all converted to 0–100
  1. 95
    What Hi-Fi?The outlet's top rating, counted as 95 · Hands-on review · 2025

    A superb effort with crisp, dynamic sound, effective noise cancelling and quality build.

    Read What Hi-Fi? review
  2. 95
    TechRadarThe outlet's top rating, counted as 95 · Hands-on review · 2024

    Great-sounding noise-cancelling headphones that can also run passively.

    Read TechRadar review
  3. 90
    Trusted ReviewsHands-on review · 2025

    Premium wireless headphones with excellent, musical sound and fine build quality, rivaling top competitors.

    Read Trusted Reviews review
  4. 90
    Tom's GuideHands-on review · 2024

    Stunning, comfortable headphones among the best wireless pairs, though the $900 US price makes them hard to justify.

    Read Tom's Guide review

"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates

What critics praise most

Sound quality4 of 4
Comfort2 of 4
Build quality2 of 4

What critics dislike most

Controls and app3 of 4
Price2 of 4

Other noise-cancelling headphones critics rate highly

Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2Image: Bowers
Best for luxury sound qualityBowers & Wilkins Px8 S25 reviews · critics agree91
Sony WH-1000XM5Image: Sony
Most reviewed pickSony WH-1000XM517 reviews · broad agreement89
Technics EAH-A1000Image: Technics
Best for sound and comfortTechnics EAH-A10005 reviews · broad agreement89
Soundcore Space 2Image: Soundcore
Best budget over-ear noise cancellingSoundcore Space 24 reviews · broad agreement89

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Common questions

Is the Dali IO-8 worth it?

Most critics think so: 4 of 4 recommend it. There is no app, noise cancelling trails Sony and Bose, and the price is high.

Do critics agree about the Dali IO-8?

Critics agree: scores range from 90 (Trusted Reviews) to 95 (What Hi-Fi?), a spread of 5 points across 4 reviews. Reviewers broadly agree.

What do critics dislike about the Dali IO-8?

Controls and app (3 of 4 reviews), Price (2 of 4 reviews).

What is the best alternative to the Dali IO-8?

The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 (critic score 91), best for luxury sound quality.