These hi-fi headphones might have the best noise cancellation

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When you’re on the look-out for a set of the top headphones, things often look pretty similar. Top features like active noise cancellation are a must. Or maybe you’re after hi-fi sound. But what if you’re after both? These hi-fi headphones from Dali might have the best active noise cancellation without sacrificing audio quality.

Read more: Best noise-cancelling headphones in 2024 reviewed and rated

Dali has borrowed plenty from the IO-12, but also spiced things up. These headphones are all about versatility – whether you prefer a good ol’ fashioned cable or to roam free with wireless bliss. Sound quality remains top-notch. These headphones have been designed to satisfy audiophiles. The 50mm driver, the biggest in its class, is proof enough that Dali is not mucking about.

Dali has also thrown in proprietary paper fibre driver diaphragms – the kind of stuff that hi-fi purists rave about. It’s all designed to give you that natural, relaxed sound that’ll leave you catching tiny details in your favourite tracks you didn’t even know were there. Combine that with premium materials like real leather ear pads and a brushed anodised finish on the ear cups, and you’ve got yourself a pair of headphones that look and feel as expensive as they sound.

But here’s the real party trick: active noise cancellation (ANC) that doesn’t destroy your audio. None of that muffled nonsense you get with lesser headphones. Dali’s Audiophile ANC lets you block out the world while still enjoying every detail in your music. And with three ANC settings – ANC on, transparency mode, and ANC off – you can choose just how much of the outside world you want to endure.

Another win is that you won’t need to faff around with an app to control these bad boys. There’s a set of multifunction buttons that let you do all the important stuff without pulling out your phone. The Dali IO-8 headphones will set you back £599/€599 and are available to order now.

Related: These are the highest-quality headphones I’ve ever heard

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around seven years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.