Based on a short audition of the DALI IO-12 headphones during its launch at Stars Picker Audio Library yesterday, I found that the pair of headphones needs the best ancillary components for it to perform at its best. And it has to be wired.
I started off listening to DALI IO-12 headphones with a Fiio DAP feeding the music files wirelessly and I felt they sounded okay but not spectacular.
Then I switched to a much higher end system comprising a Chord TT2 DAC and Cayin HA-3A tube headphone amp with the headphone cable plugged in.
My, oh, my, what a difference in sound quality! So, if you are testing out these headphones, please do yourself a favour and ask the staff at Stars Picker to plug them to the best components available. And don’t bother to listen to them wirelessly.
These are high-end headphones and they deserve the best.
With the Chord TT2 and Cayin HA-3A headphone amp, the DALI IO-12 headphones sang very nicely, but overall it has the DALI sonic signature of a neutral and natural sound. There’s nothing bright, nothing hard and nothing out of place. The headphones just play music in a most enjoyable way, but it’s a must to match them with the best DAC and headphone amp in your collection.
The headphones are priced at RM4,999. Ask Stars Picker whether the special price for the early bird — RM4,250 plus a RM250 Stars Picker cash voucher — is still available after the launch.
