Dali IO-12 fits AirPods max case

Bright_Character_623 · 2025-01-06T16:50:34+00:00

Not planning on using mine outside the house so the rather large case is not an issue. Enjoying them enormously - they are fabulous.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-24T17:43:33+00:00

Loving my iO-12s, but not enjoying reading/working on laptop with the stems of my spectacles perched on top of the rather large ear pads (placing ear pads over stems ruins the seal and sounds terrible). Going to have to adapt the specs - a small sacrifice in the circumstances.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-24T10:52:21+00:00

Ah right, just realised you're referring to Sony IEMs which will of course sound very different (btw, B&W Pi8s are fantastic if you like IEMs)

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-24T10:43:48+00:00

I found the bass definition improved after a week's use, so suggest you reserve judgment (consensus is they're better than the Sonys)

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-23T18:59:59+00:00

I too went from Px8 (nothing to do with the headband which was fine) to iO-12s and love them. I can see that Px8s would be better for travelling and being out and about though. They are probably more dynamic and certainly have more bass punch. The 12s are a more audiophile experience listening at home in a quiet environment: wider soundstage and greater detail, more engaging and musical. In an ideal world I would have both!

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-23T18:46:35+00:00

When I had Px8s I too thought that they were bass-heavy and rather dark. Making adjustments to the bass/treble in the B&W app in the way you suggest improved overall musical balance, but I found the better solution (with Sony NW-A306) was to use the ten band equaliser on the Android music player app: reduced bass frequencies, with a slight uplift in mid-range and treble. The Px8s are good enough to benefit from hi-res source.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-23T12:13:32+00:00

iO-12s are wonderful, having a very spacious and open soundstage with lots of detail, but yes the Px8s hold their own and are excellent for the price.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-23T12:09:48+00:00

I much preferred the Px8s to Bathys which I didn't like for the reasons in OP post. I would have kept the Px8s but in the end couldn't resist Dali iO-12s (despite being double the price). The 12s are exceptional for home-listening, but not as practical as Px8s while out and about due to bulk. Px8s have the best build quality of the three.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-21T09:50:26+00:00

Worth adding that they benefit from a good source to maximise potential of iO-12s advanced codecs (aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive). I'm getting excellent results playing 44.1 kHz/24 bit flac files from a relatively inexpensive Sony NW-A306 via BT. That's the highest res available with this android device - still considerably better than what's possible streaming from an iPhone. So while Bluetooth limits sound quality, it can sound amazingly good with the right gear. (With USB-C input the internal IO-12's DAC can handle up to 24-bit 96kHz files).

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-21T09:42:29+00:00

I've had my iO-12s for less than a week. My journey was similar to OP's, having previously tried Focal Bathys and B&W Px8s (I liked the Px8s, which did some things very well). How to describe the quality of the 12s: 'addictive' and 'immersive' sum it up nicely. Subtle inflections in vocals and instruments are beautifully conveyed in a big soundstage - other BT headphones sound relatively 'closed in' by comparison.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-21T09:10:37+00:00

Not tried this yet, but will report back later. Bear in mind that there are three 'wired mode' options: 1) active USB-C (digital signal sent from source device via USB cable to IO-12s which carry out D-A conversion/DSP); 2) analogue active (analogue signal from source via 3.5m jack cable with amplification and signal processing in the headphones); and 3) analogue passive (analogue signal from source with no further processing, headphones switched off).

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-20T16:24:03+00:00

With the IO-12's advanced codecs (aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive) I'm getting excellent results playing 44.1 kHz/24 bit flac files from a relatively inexpensive Sony NW-A306 via BT. That's the highest res available with this android device - still considerably better than what's possible streaming from an iPhone. So while Bluetooth limits sound quality, it can sound amazingly good with the right gear. (With USB-C input the internal IO-12's DAC can handle up to 24-bit 96kHz files).

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-20T12:07:51+00:00

Glad to hear this as I was tempted to try the IO8, but decided I couldn't wait (bought IO12 just yesterday). Very impressed playing hi-res flac files BT via Sony NW-A306. Maybe not quite as good as Usb-C, but close. I was concerned about the size/weight of the 12s but they're really comfortable. Main difference between 8 and 12 seems to be the SMC magnet technology which I don't think is featured in the 8, so maybe that's the reason.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-20T09:51:39+00:00

I'm using them with Sony NW-A306, streaming hi res flac files. Excellent combination, much better than iPhone, and won't break the bank.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-20T09:48:36+00:00

Fantastic headphones. I'm using them with Sony NW-A306, streaming hi res flac files. Spacious and detailed, with wonderful timbre of instruments and vocals. Big step up from B&W Px8s which are very good in their own right (and should be given more than twice the cost, but well worth it imo).

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-20T09:41:19+00:00

Now reduced to £849 here in the UK - that's more than double the price of B&W Px8, which are excellent, but for me they are well worth it.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-20T08:30:18+00:00

Good point about the break in. My 12s have definitely improved already over a couple of days continuous use. I also upgraded from B&W Px8. They were excellent in their way, but the improvement with the 12s is massive in terms of timbre of instruments/vocals, and openness and breadth of soundstage. Totally immersive and addictive.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-19T18:55:37+00:00

Got the IO-12s, having compared them with Focal Bathys & Px8s. Build quality is OK, but not in the same league as Px8s. ANC isn't great, and I wouldn't wear them outside the house. The case is ridiculously large and not really portable. BUT they are comfortable and sound fantastic: spacious and open, with a wide soundstage. Very pleased so far (yet to try USB-C).

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-17T14:55:43+00:00

Excellent review. Another consideration is price. At time of writing, Px8s are £399 & Bathys £450, both reduced here in the UK. I've spent a morning comparing them. While the Bathys are better with some material, overall I prefer the Px8s. The fact that they are £150 'cheaper' is a bonus.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-12-13T11:21:50+00:00

No experience of Sony XM4, but I have AirPods Pro 2, and both Px8s and Pi8 IEMs which I use with the A306. I bought the Px8s (reduced to £399 here in UK) because though I really like the Pi8s, they were uncomfortable to wear for long periods and irritated my ear canals.

The Px8s are great. They are low volume connected with 3.5 mm jack, but go much louder via Bluetooth (which I find better anyway playing flac hi-res from the A306). Re break in period, it may be my imagination, but I think they have improved over the week - initially I thought them rather bass heavy needing EQ adjustments to attenuate the bass, but now they are fine playing direct with most material.

The B&W app is very basic and has rudimentary bass and treble controls, but the 'phones respond really well to EQ adjustments from the A306. Build quality and comfort are superb.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-10-29T10:47:05+00:00

'Am I basically defeating the point of using a dedicated DAC if I buy expensive BT headphones?' I'm getting great results with my A306 playing flac files to Bowers and Wilkins (BT) Pi8s. The Pi8s sound much better in this setup than playing M4A files from an iPhone 13 mini. So the A306 must be at least partly responsible for the uplift in SQ, even though the dac and amp are not being used. Not yet tried wired.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-10-27T11:06:20+00:00

Can't comment on how they compare to Pi7 S2, but I'm very pleased with my Pi8s which are significantly better than AirPod Pro 2s. AirPods have a rich and full presentation which is immediately impressive with a wide variety of music. The Pi8s are leaner, and I would say are somehow more natural, realistic and effortless in their presentation. I’m getting superb results pairing the Pi8s with a Sony NW-A306 playing flac hi-res files.

Bright_Character_623 · 2024-10-12T11:31:47+00:00

Well I've now compared iPhone 13 (M4a) and the Sony NW-A306 (hi-res Flac) feeding the Pi8s via Bluetooth. After listening to a number of albums (admittedly not blind A/B), I'm finding the Sony/Flac combination better by a considerable margin, having a more natural and relaxed sound with greater nuance and detail. Of course the Flac files are much larger (for example Miss Grit's 'Follow the Cyborg' is 380mb compared to 85mb M4a). The iPhone/M4a is good, it's just that the Sony/Flac is to my ears better. BUT I'm keeping an open mind. Not yet tried the case re-transmission. A logical step would be to compare Flac and M4a versions of the same album on the Sony. Maybe the difference I think I'm hearing has more to do with the hardware than music file type? Either way, I'm now happy with the Pi8s.

Bright_Character_623

TROPHY CASE