[angelom]

The first obvious change is that it is easier and more stable to wear, and less hot.

This is interesting. For me, when I owning the iO-16 several years ago, their earpads, exactly the same size and shape like the earpads of the B&O H9 and H7, are a little small for my ears and I always needing pushing the top part of both ears inside the earpads -- I think this is the obvious reason why Dali and B&O changing their earpads shapes for the iO-12 and H95 models, for fitting more people's ears. The round earpads looking better from design perspective but aren't good for a more large proportion of people's ears. About stability, you mentioning before your more small (than average?) ears size. The iO-12's earpads, by the way, are giving me more stability than any others BT/ANC headphones, one aspect that I absolutely love about the Dalis. But, of course, this is always personal.

Is also curious that for you the iO-12 making your ears more hot. For me, like with the majority of not genuine leather earpads, the iO-6's earpads (that having artificial leather) making my ears hot very soon, and this isn't happening with the iO-12's genuine leather earpads. Of course this is only my own experience and not necessarily applicable for everybody.

 

[jthomp72]

This is interesting. For me, when I owning the iO-16 several years ago, their earpads, exactly the same size and shape like the earpads of the B&O H9 and H7, are a little small for my ears and I always needing pushing the top part of both ears inside the earpads -- I think this is the obvious reason why Dali and B&O changing their earpads shapes for the iO-12 and H95 models, for fitting more people's ears. The round earpads looking better from design perspective but aren't good for a more large proportion of people's ears.

Is also curious that for you the iO-12 making your ears more hot. For me, like with the majority of not genuine leather earpads, the iO-6's earpads (that having artificial leather) making my ears hot very soon, and this isn't happening with the iO-12's genuine leather earpads. Of course this is only my own experience and not necessarily applicable for everybody.

I’m actually with you on this, both the generous size/clamping force and real leather construction of the iO-12’s pads means I find them to be the coolest of all the high end ANC headphones. By contrast my PX8’s get much hotter on my head.

 

[musingclouds]

I also agree that the Dali's stay relatively cool with their stock ear pads, at least to me. However, reduction in bulk cannot be understated. I would love to try IO-6 earpads with real leather on these.

 

[jthomp72]

All right, I just got my second pair of these courtesy of my friend with sizable sports gambling debts. Lucky me, lol and I’ve been just playing back-and-forth with them and my PX8’s and uhhhh okay I was wrong

Yeah, these have a different level of clarity. OK sure you lose some of that thump but I mean it’s not the end of the world with the amount of clarity you get in return. Voices are just so freaking crystal clear.

However, the thing surprised me the most, and this might just be because I have a gigantic… These are so much more comfortable on my head. The clamping force is so much less and I can leave these on for so much longer.

 

[angelom]

Lucky me, lol and I’ve been just playing back-and-forth with them and my PX8’s and uhhhh okay I was wrong

Yeah, these have a different level of clarity. OK sure you lose some of that thump but I mean it’s not the end of the world with the amount of clarity you get in return. Voices are just so freaking crystal clear.

I think that if, in your case (or people with similar preferences) you sometimes feeling that you wanting more "thump" in the iO-12, then activating "bass" mode is a good option.

I really think that even when the "bass" mode is adding more bass, the bass is NOT exaggerated in this mode (like the bass setting in the app of the Solitaire T, for example) and a big part of the clarity in the mids and treble is still there. Different albums have different recording /mastering qualities and sometimes that "bass" setting is appropriate.

I think that Dali doing a very good job deciding how much more quantity of bass (amplitude) the "bass" setting is have, so that the bass in some albums is still falling in an acceptable audiophile territory. BUT, for me, having the "bass" setting and ANC On is adding even more bass (double bass lift, in fact) than is acceptable and, in this case, is not falling anymore in 'audiophile' territory.

 

[jthomp72]

I think that if, in your case (or people with similar preferences) you sometimes feeling that you wanting more "thump" in the iO-12, then activating "bass" mode is a good option.

I really think that even when the "bass" mode is adding more bass, the bass is NOT exaggerated in this mode (like the bass setting in the app of the Solitaire T, for example) and a big part of the clarity in the mids and treble is still there. Different albums have different recording /mastering qualities and sometimes that "bass" setting is appropriate.

I think that Dali doing a very good job deciding how much more quantity of bass (amplitude) the "bass" setting is have, so that the bass in some albums is still falling in an acceptable audiophile territory. BUT, for me, having the "bass" setting and ANC On is adding even more bass (double bass lift, in fact) than is acceptable and, in this case, is not falling anymore in 'audiophile' territory.

I’ve played around with it both ways. After a few more hours of listening I prefer the Hifi and ANC on. Plenty of bass, just not exaggerated. I’m realizing what I missed in the mids and higher end by wanting that PX8 thump.

 

[warrenpchi]

 

[musingclouds]

@mcook1970 am curious if you’ve discovered any new fun things about the Dalis after a few more days with them

 

[shaafmasood]

A fair comparison would be if Denon added BT+ANC to the D7200 (currently ~700 eur) -- IMHO that could sound better than (or at least similar to) the IO-12, around similar price.

One can also add a Bluetooth receiver/amp to a regular wired headphone, but without ANC -- which is the recommended mode for the IO-12 anyway, so then one can indeed compare wireless headphone "solutions". However, the IO-12 is integrated and convenient.

Dali did a decent job on optimizing the whole system given these drivers, maybe save the ear pads, where they compromised on comfort and mainstream BT/ANC sound preferences (lots of bass heaviness) for which we can mainly thank Sony... and younger generations which grew up thinking this is the good sound.
But after some mods resulting in thinner ear pads (less bass boom, more clarity and depth) I came to love the IO-12 enough that I use my wired headphones much less, out of convenience. That means the IO-12 is competing successfully against more expensive wired closed headphones - at least in my case.

I am pretty sure competition will ramp up and BT+ANC headphones will enter more and more the audiophile realm (the IO-12 and T+A ST being first). It will take some years, but we'll get there. Key to this will be good drivers, so Dali has put the money where it matters most.

Have you compared io-12 to your d7200?
I also have d7200 and im looking to sell it and upgrade to io-12 if the sound quality is way better

 

[shaafmasood]

I have tried to use qulcos mub1/ audirect team1 to combine a Bluetooth version denon d7200 , but the effect is not better than Dali. At present, denon plays better in wired mode, and I am also looking forward to denon launching a Bluetooth version of the product.

Denon's headphone unit is no worse than Dali, but the effect under these "Bluetooth mode" is not as good as Dali, which makes me believe that Dali spends money on dac. I have tested the passive mode of io12 with several different devices, such as fiio k7, which is not as good as the built-in dac of io12. Dali must have spent a lot of effort on the training of this dac.

If you think so, dali io12 is composed of a d7200-level headphone + a dac worth $500, you may think that dali has become cost-effective.

Anyway, Dali is still very expensive!

Can you provide more in-depth comparison between io-12 vs denon d7200 wired mode?

 

[musingclouds]

Have you compared io-12 to your d7200?
I also have d7200 and im looking to sell it and upgrade to io-12 if the sound quality is way better

It’s better if you can demo in person.

 

[shaafmasood]

It’s better if you can demo in person.

Actually Its not available in my country to demo and i will import them acc to the reviews

 

[musingclouds]

Actually Its not available in my country to demo and i will import them acc to the reviews

If it makes you feel better, I did the same based off the review and haven’t regretted one bit,

 

[paco Tomoya]

Can you provide more in-depth comparison between io-12 vs denon d7200 wired mode?

My mother tongue is not English, so I can't make accurate and complex text comments. Compared with the d7200 used with mub1, I prefer to use the Bluetooth io12 directly. The dac mode of io12 is better than Bluetooth. I use my mobile phone to play music in apple music. My d7200 has been sold. In my memory, This is where the Bluetooth + io12 I described is better than mub1 + d7200: the sound has more details, the low-frequency atmosphere is more sufficient, and the sound is thicker.

 

[shaafmasood]

My mother tongue is not English, so I can't make accurate and complex text comments. Compared with the d7200 used with mub1, I prefer to use the Bluetooth io12 directly. The dac mode of io12 is better than Bluetooth. I use my mobile phone to play music in apple music. My d7200 has been sold. In my memory, This is where the Bluetooth + io12 I described is better than mub1 + d7200: the sound has more details, the low-frequency atmosphere is more sufficient, and the sound is thicker.

Your English is fine
You mean io-12 sounds more detailed, thicker with more robust low end than d7200? How much difference are we talking about