DALI IO Whitepaper Wireless Noise Cancelling Hi-Fi Headphones User Guide

: June 6, 2024
: DALI

Table of Contents

DALI IO Whitepaper Wireless Noise Cancelling Hi-Fi Headphones
LISTEN TO HIFI
BACKGROUND
DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED IN DENMARK
COMFORT
DURABILITY
INTUITIVE UI
CONNECTIVITY
DALI SOUND
DALI SOUND
ELECTRONICS
ACCESSORIES
GO WITH MUSIC
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

DALI IO Whitepaper Wireless Noise Cancelling Hi-Fi Headphones

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LISTEN TO HIFI

DALI enters the headphone market for the very first time with DALI IO-4 and DALI IO-6. With over 30 years of experience in creating high-quality loudspeakers, we decided to use our passion and expertise to create two headphone models dedicated to today’s music lovers. The DALI IO-4 and DALI IO-6 are wireless, battery-rechargeable hi-fi headphones. Both models are over-ear (circumaural), closed-back designs, engineered to offer extremely high-quality sound reproduction. Both will be available in four colour finishes: Iron Black, Caramel White, Army Green, and Chalk White. The IO-6 differs from the IO-4 by incorporating active noise cancellation (ANC) that also includes a ‘transparency’ mode. However, by forgoing ANC the IO-4 is able to offer an incredible battery life of up to 60 hours per charge. Today, we spend more and more time on the go, whether it be commuting to work or traveling for business and pleasure. All of this time we spend ‘on the go’ can also become time to spend doing what we enjoy, whether that be listening to our favorite music or watching a great film. The DALI IO headphones are intended to be the perfect travel companion for those ‘on the go situations. There is always an opportunity to LISTEN TO HIFI.

BACKGROUND

The way we listen to music today has changed radically since DALI was established in 1983. Hi-fi systems with their separate components were once at the centre of our music consumption. Mobile phones have now overtaken as the dominant element, and for most people are their primary music source. Thanks to mobile phones and streaming services we now listen to more music than ever before. 75% of all music consumption is now via mobile phones and streaming services*. With phones now being our primary source of music, we no longer have to accept being constrained to our favorite listening room and chair to experience our favorite music in hi-fi sound quality. Hi-fi sound quality can now travel with us wherever we go. With our passion for music reproduction, we were convinced that we could do with headphones what we have done with speakers; provide a better-sounding product that delivers music experiences superior to the established competition. We thought: “fundamentally, headphones are essentially loudspeakers mounted on each side of the head”. They are a personal set of portable hi-fi speakers that enable you to take that fabulous DALI sound with you wherever you go.

Headphones are essentially loudspeakers mounted on each side of the head.
How hard can it be?

DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED IN DENMARK

Like many, we probably didn’t appreciate the sheer complexity of headphones before we started the IO project.
We quickly realized that to create a headphone worthy of carrying the DALI logo, we would have to dedicate an R&D team to look into every aspect and detail of the design, audio performance, and construction.
Our dedication has paid off; the DALI IO-4 and DALI IO-6 are true DALI products, made with extreme attention to detail. Every single component in the IO headphones is unique. They have been created to the highest possible standard in terms of design, durability, comfort, functionality, and of course, sound quality.
From the beginning we set a clear goal; DALI headphones must deliver the best possible sound quality, as well as be comfortable to wear for a long period of time.
It was quickly decided that the first DALI headphones should be of the over-ear (circumaural) format, that encloses the entire ear and rests on the side of the head.
The circumaural format has the twin advantages of optimizing comfort and reducing air-leak variation from user to user. This is hugely important to ensuring that all users experience the same fantastic sound quality.
The circumaural format has also allowed us to choose a bigger and better driver for maximum sound quality. It was clear that our headphones had to be of the closed-back type in order to offer the best possible passive noise isolation (PNI), and a fundamental requirement for active noise cancellation (ANC).
Closed-back circumaural headphones are fundamentally bulkier than other types, so one of the huge design challenges was to strike the right balance between elegance, performance, and size.
Through several design concepts, prototypes, and user tests groups, we believe we have designed headphones of a universal and timeless appeal, without compromising comfort or sound quality.

We are all individuals.

COMFORT

Every one of us is unique; we all have different-sized heads and ears. DALI IO headphones have been ergonomically optimized to ensure they comfortably fit as many people as possible. This required numerous prototypes, and analysis of different combinations of earpads, headband curves, and ear-cup angles. The result is a design with the right amount of adjustability required to provide a natural fit to anyone. The earpads of the DALI IO headphones are made from memory foam that naturally shapes the head, therefore creating the best possible deal. The pads are covered in soft synthetic leather, chosen for maximum comfort and durability.

Weight watching

The DALI IO headphones have been designed with the lowest possible weight in mind. The weight of the headphones was an extremely important factor for long- term comfort over long periods of use. The material choice of every individual component has been carefully selected in order to achieve minimum weight without compromising quality or durability.

Softly does it

The ear pad is the primary contact point between the user’s head and the headphones. It is an incredibly important component, not only for comfort but also for acoustic performance. For consistent acoustic performance, the earpad needs to create a seal to the head. For maximum comfort, it must be soft and compliant to distribute the headband pressure evenly.

DURABILITY

Headphones live an incredibly tough life and are not always handled with care.
They are put on and taken off multiple times a day, get twisted and pulled, knocked and stuffed in bags, used inside and outside, in rain and snow. The fact is, most headphone failures are due to mechanical components not being strong enough to withstand rigorous real-life use. As a result, we have made sure the DALI IO headphones are extremely durable and robust.
The DALI IO headphones have been designed with real users in mind and have been tested to meet all the challenges that real life can throw at them. For example, the headphone ear cups are able to rotate +/- 90 degrees in order to fold flat for compact storage or to hang comfortably around the neck
One of the main components that will get worn on daily use is the ear pads. Therefore, we have designed the earpads with a bayonet fit for quick and easy user replacement. The other main wear component is the headband padding. This has been made from soft silicon rubber, chosen for its comfort and durability, and ability to be cleaned if needed.

INTUITIVE UI

DALI IO headphones have been specifically designed to be as intuitive to operate as possible. No need to read the manual, just switch them on, connect to a source and start enjoying the music. Many headphones on the market often appear as though they have been designed without taking the real-world user into account. The buttons are often too small and positioned haphazardly, resulting in a clumsy and unintuitive user interface (UI). Creating an intuitive UI was therefore a clear part of the DALI IO design brief from the start. The user should not have to search for the main buttons. The buttons should be easily found and operated, even with cold fingers on a rainy November morning or with thin gloves. However, this would seem to require big buttons which would typically not be very attractive or easy to integrate with a tightly focussed overall design. The solution to this challenge was to have the three main control buttons elegantly integrated into the design of the right ear cup. The logo plate is the multi-function button for controlling Play, Pause, Next, Previous, Take Call, and End Call. The upper and lower part of the ear cup outer ring, which surrounds the logo plate, control Volume Up and Down respectively.

Play/ pause/ skip track /take a call: press the Logo
Volume up: press the upper part of the outer ring
Volume down: press the lower part of the outer ring

The remaining buttons; “Power/ BT pair” and “ANC” (IO-6 only), are placed more conventionally but are still easy to locate. To support the user experience, the IO headphones feature voice prompts that report the state of operation, connectivity, battery level, and ANC mode (IO-6 only). On/Off, Pairing and Battery Level are also indicated visually by two multicolour LED indicators on the right ear cup.

CONNECTIVITY

DALI IO headphones are designed primarily with wireless Bluetooth use in mind. For the best possible Bluetooth performance, they support the latest high- quality audio codecs: AptX, AptX HD, and Apple AAC. For battery charging and the best possible quality, DALI IO headphones use a USB-C connector. This supports digital audio and allows music to be streamed in CD quality from a Windows or Mac OS computer. The use of a USB-C connector avoids the common failures with micro-USB connectors resulting from their incorrect insertion. In addition to Bluetooth and USB connection, IO headphones also incorporate a traditional wired analog jack input located on the left ear cup. The wired input enables connection to legacy sources and in-flight entertainment systems and works when the headphones are switched either on or off. When the headphones are switched “off” they operate in a simple passive mode; none of their control functions will be operational. Use in passive mode means that an exhausted battery need not mean an end to headphone listening.

DALI SOUND

With DALI IO headphones, users benefit from over 30 years of experience designing some of the finest hi-fi loudspeakers in the world. DALI IO headphones are designed and engineered by the same team and informed by the same basic principles as any other DALI loudspeaker. The aim is to create the most natural and authentic sound possible and to reproduce music exactly as intended by the artist. All done, “In admiration of music”.
Headphone acoustics
Headphone acoustics are somewhat different from traditional loudspeakers, yet the design challenges are strangely familiar. The basic principles that must be followed to achieve high-performance audio quality are still true.
With headphones, there are no listening room reflections to mask the sound as we are used to with loudspeakers. This means that the user is likely to hear significantly
more detail in music recordings than usually possible with traditional speakers.
Additionally, with headphones, there are no issues with getting a single driver to play loud enough across the entire frequency band, and therefore no directivity issues requiring multiple drivers and crossover networks.
The main acoustic influencers on headphone acoustic performance are:
- Driver quality
- Leak control
- Cavity design/ material
High-performance driver
As with any other loudspeaker, the heart of the headphone is the driver and in order to achieve a natural and undistorted sound, a high-performance unit is essential.
Being a loudspeaker company we fully understand the importance of a high-performance driver. It was therefore a big surprise for us to discover that within the headphone industry drivers are often considered as cheap commodity components, with no real engineering attention paid to them.
They all appear to be “copies of copies” originating back to the 50’s telecom industry and are even often still referred to as the “receiver”.
DALI IO headphones utilize a high-quality custom-designed driver with a large 50mm diaphragm and an optimized neodymium magnet system to achieve low distortion, minimal coloration, and accurate dynamics throughout the entire frequency range.

DALI SOUND

The large-diameter driver ensures linear operation with minimum compression. This, together with the well-controlled breakups of the fiber paper cone diaphragm, means that even the most minute music details, stand out crystal clear.It also means that the sound never gets tiring, even after hours of listening. Leak controlThe bass performance of a headphone is incredibly sensitive to leaks between the headphone and the head. Variations in leakage can result in low-frequency variations of up to 20dB. On the DALI IO headphones, we have designed the ear pads specifically to achieve minimum leak variation, ensuring that every user will experience the sound as we intended. Cavity design Being a closed back headphone, the driver is mounted in an enclosure like a miniature loudspeaker cabinet. With loudspeakers, the main purpose of the cabinet is to isolate the front and rear surfaces of the diaphragm from one another, in order to create low-frequency output. The speaker cabinet simply prevents the air pressure on the front of the diaphragm from being canceled by the reverse phase air pressure rear of the diaphragm. With headphones, on the other hand, the front and rear sides of the diaphragms are isolated by the ear pad, so there is no need for the driver to sit in a sealed enclosure to create bass. However, if there is no enclosure behind the headphone driver, the only barrier between the ear and the ambient noise will be the thin diaphragm of the driver, and that offers very minimal acoustic isolation. The driver plays as loud on the rear surface as on the front, so with no enclosure, the music heard by the headphone user will be equally as audible to everyone. Although the main purpose of the enclosure is different for headphones compared to loudspeakers, the principles and requirements for good enclosure design are the same. As with loudspeaker cabinets, the headphone enclosure needs to be as rigid and well-damped as possible, because even low levels of enclosure vibration will color the headphone sound. On the DALI IO headphones, the enclosure design has been optimized and strengthened for minimum resonances. The enclosure material has been specially selected to minimize the enclosure vibration. Additionally, to improve the passive noise isolation performance, a special vibration damper is incorporated between the driver and rear wall of the enclosure.

ELECTRONICS

The electronics used in the DALI headphones have been chosen for the best possible sound quality and support the latest high-resolution audio formats, including AptX HD which allows you to hear the music in the best possible quality. Until very recently, headphones were passive devices. The playback source had very limited output power and no active EQ possibilities. Headphone acoustics were tuned via leak – and enclosure design. Wireless headphones, by definition, are active/powered loudspeaker that offers significant opportunities to fine-tune and optimize sound quality. To an extent, that simply isn’t possible with a passive headphones. The active drive helps us achieve exactly the right DALI sound. Battery Long battery life means a lot to users, as it grants freedom from worrying about running out of power. The DALI IO-4 and IO-6 use a very large capacity (1100mAh), high quality, li-ion battery. This provides the IO-6 a best-in-class matching 30-hour battery life, and the IO-4 an incredible new class-leading 60-hour battery life; enough to go for days without charging. Hands-free call support DALI IO headphones have built-in microphones for hands-free calls and voice support. The CVC (Clear Voice Capture) functionality filters out background noise and ensures that the user’s voice is heard loud and clear by the receiver. DALI IO

Active Noise Cancellation (IO-6 only)
We are constantly surrounded by noise in our daily life.

The DALI IO headphones are both closed back units, designed to provide a high level of natural passive noise isolation (PNI). However, low frequency noise cannot be removed passively.
The DALI IO-6 employs the latest ANC technology to remove background noise and help the user relax and enjoy their favourite music, whether it be at home, in the office, or on an airplane or train.
Along with reducing the annoyance of external noise, noise cancelling improves the audibility of music detail, meaning the user can listen at lower volume – reducing the potential of long term hearing damage.
The DALI IO-6 offers three different ANC modes that enable users to choose how much of the surrounding noise is attenuated.

ANCON: Actively cancels low-frequency noise.
TRANSPARENCY: Bypasses the Passive Noise Isolation by feeding external ambient audio into the headphone audio. The headphones effectively become one-way (out to in) acoustically transparent.
ANC OFF: All noise cancellation functions are switched off. IO-6 battery life is significantly improved when ANC is switched off.

ACCESSORIES

Both DALI IO-4 and DALI IO-6 are supplied with a USB-C cable for charging and computer audio use, as well as a 3.5mm jack cable for connection to traditional audio sources and in-flight entertainment systems. The IO-6 is supplied with a high-quality travel case to protect the headphones when not in use.

GO WITH MUSIC

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

	IO-4	IO-6
Headphone principle	Closed back circumaural (over ear)	Closed back

4.0 AAC aptX aptX HD

| Bluetooth

4.0 AAC aptX aptX HD

Functions| Power ON/OFF Bluetooth Pair/ Release Volume up/down Play/pause/skip track Take call| Power ON/OFF Bluetooth Pair/ Release Volume up/down Play/pause/skip track Take call

ANC mode (ON/Transparancy/Off)

(Passive mode/ Active mode)

| 200 mV rms /175 mV rms| 200 mV rms /175 mV rms
Impedance ( Passive mode)| 25 Ohm| 25 Ohm