We review and compare so many products at What Hi-Fi? that it’s inevitable some of our buying guides require frequent chops and changes. You may reasonably assume that our best wireless headphones guide would be among the most modified, such is the movement within that product market, but actually the established class leaders in our list don’t often tend to be all that shakeable. The Mark Levinson No.5909, for example, have been our go-to recommendation in the increasingly competitive uber-premium wireless headphones space for more than two years – one that became easier and easier to make when they dropped in price last year by 20 per cent in the US and roughly 40 per cent in the UK.
But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and thankfully the end of this particularly successful reign is only to make way for something better. Dali announced its I-O8 Bluetooth headphones in October and, following our in-house testing team’s time with them, we just recently published our glowing five-star review. Of course, not all products that receive five-star reviews make it into our relevant buying guides, which tend to feature only the very best example of their type and/or price, but indeed the Dalis deliver the sound and noise-cancelling performances to get the upper hand over the Mark Levinsons.
While the No.5909 remain fine headphones for those who want – and can afford – near-wired-quality sound at wireless convenience, the Dalis are now our number-one pick and thus the ‘Best audiophile’ option in our best wireless headphones guide. In our minds, the Mark Levinsons can notch up a couple of points on the scoreboard, by having our preferred earcup shape (ovular over round) for better accommodating larger ears, and by providing an extra, longer cable for wired listening. But otherwise it’s a pretty convincing triumph for the Dalis, which claim the all-important sound, noise-cancelling and aesthetic rounds.
We generally like the Mark Levinsons’ look, especially in their red gloss finish, but the Dalis look fresher and more modern, with our reviewers noting their “classy mix of metal, textile and high-quality leather to give a solid aura of luxury”. Comparing the two pairs while out and about in London, they said the Dalis proved better at reducing train and bus noises on the daily commute, too. “They are particularly good at taking out low-frequency rumbles and don’t overreact to short, sharp transients such as traffic or train doors closing,” reads our Dali IO-8 review.
The Dalis wouldn’t be taking top spot without being able to flex some serious muscle in the sound department – and flex they can. We have always been great fans of the Mark Levinsons’ sheer clarity and precise crispness. Back when we first heard them in July 2022, we hadn’t heard such cleanliness and detail from wireless over-ears before. Only now, with the Dalis, do we have a similarly priced pair that sounds more complete as a sonic package – which is saying something considering the No.5909 began life at almost twice their price not all that many moons ago.
The Dalis sound a little crisper, tracking dynamic shifts with more positivity while delivering rhythms with greater verve. Their tonal balance (with their bass boost button turned off) sounds more neutral to our ears.
The IO-8’s benchmark talent when it comes to insight and organisation also make them standouts at their price, and our current wireless headphones recommendation right up until you get to T+A Solitaire T (£1200 / $1600 / AU$2160) level.
Thankfully, they sound the part wired too. Regardless of the connection we used (USB-C or 3.5mm), they retained "the crisp, clean and clear character we so like when we use the headphones wirelessly”.
Who knows whether or not Dali's IO-8 will enjoy their status in our buying guide for as long as the Mark Levinson No.5909 did – after all, this is a burgeoning area of the Bluetooth headphones market that hi-fi companies are increasingly wanting a piece of – but for now, at least, we can confidently say they are class leaders.
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