If you want longer battery life and a wired 3.5 mm listening option for work, choose DALI IO-12; if you need adjustable call-focused microphones and app-based controls, choose Bowers & Wilkins Px8. Both are over-ear wireless headphones with active noise cancellation, but they make different trade-offs around battery, call features, and how you manage settings.
DALI IO-12 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8 at a Glance
• DALI IO-12: Up to 35 hours of noise-cancelling playback and a 3.5 mm connection; its trade-off is that the listed battery life is longer than the Px8’s, but it has no stated quick-recharge figure.
• Bowers & Wilkins Px8: Two adjustable external microphones and app-based EQ and ANC controls; its trade-off is up to 30 hours of battery life.
• Both use Bluetooth 5.2, offer active noise cancellation, and include a microphone for calls.
• Choose DALI if you want more stated battery life and straightforward wired listening.
• Choose Px8 if call clarity features, voice control, and settings through an app are higher priorities.
The DALI IO-12 is a strong fit for someone who wants one pair of over-ear headphones for focused listening across a workday and beyond. Its stated battery life is up to 35 hours with noise cancellation, and it supports Bluetooth with aptX Adaptive as well as a 3.5 mm headphone connection. That gives you a wireless option for moving around and a wired option when you prefer a cable.
Its 50 mm dynamic drivers and DALI SMC driver technology are central to its audio design. The supplied description presents the SMC magnet system as a way to reduce distortion, while the product information lists a frequency range of 10–48,000 Hz. Those numbers and design details will appeal to listeners who care about the audio hardware, though specifications alone cannot tell you how you will personally perceive the sound.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
The IO-12 also has active noise cancellation, touch controls, a voice prompt and LEDs for battery information, and a microphone described as suitable for calls and voice recordings. Its real-leather headband, oversized square ear pads, and included protective case point toward a comfort- and portability-minded design. I’d consider it for work if long battery life and wired flexibility are more important than app-based call features. If you specifically want adjustable external microphones or a stated quick-recharge option, the Px8 has clearer evidence for those needs.
The Px8 is aimed at someone who wants over-ear Bluetooth headphones with ANC and more explicit controls for calls and listening preferences. It includes two adjustable external microphones, and the product information says they are intended to improve voice clarity. It also supports voice control and has an accompanying app for EQ adjustments, ANC modes, and other settings.
For work, those features make the Px8 an appealing choice if you often switch between listening and calls or want to change settings without relying only on the headphones’ touch controls. It lists up to 30 hours of battery life, with a two-hour charge time and quick-recharge support that provides up to seven hours of playback from a 15-minute charge. That short-charge detail may matter when you have limited time to plug in between meetings.
The design uses Nappa leather and lightweight aluminum arms, with oval ear cushions and a protective case. Its 40 mm carbon drive units are described as angled, and the product information lists a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz frequency range. The Px8’s trade-off against the IO-12 is its shorter stated battery life and lack of a listed 3.5 mm headphone jack; the included cable is described as USB-C to 3.5 mm. I’d skip it if your main priority is the longest stated ANC playback or a direct headphone-jack connection.
• Best for longer stated battery life → DALI IO-12. It lists up to 35 hours with noise cancellation, compared with up to 30 hours for the Px8.
• Best for a quick recharge before heading out → Bowers & Wilkins Px8. Its stated quick-charge support offers up to seven hours of playback from 15 minutes of charging.
• Best for a direct 3.5 mm headphone connection → DALI IO-12. Its listed connectivity includes a 3.5 mm jack, alongside Bluetooth.
• Best for adjustable external microphones → Bowers & Wilkins Px8. It has two adjustable external microphones; the DALI microphone is described as suitable for calls and recordings, but no adjustable external-mic design is specified.
• Best for app-based sound and ANC adjustments → Bowers & Wilkins Px8. Its app includes EQ and ANC-mode controls.
• Best for someone who wants DALI’s SMC driver design → DALI IO-12. That model specifically uses the company’s Soft Magnetic Compound magnet system.
• Best for voice-control options → Bowers & Wilkins Px8. Voice control is listed alongside touch controls.
• Best for work that mixes listening, calls, and frequent settings changes → Bowers & Wilkins Px8. Its microphone and app features are more specifically described for that routine; the IO-12 remains a compelling alternative when battery life matters more.
One distinction worth keeping straight: these are both over-ear headphones, not in-ear earbuds. If you are searching for the best in ear headphones for work, neither matches that form factor. And if by “best bluetooth headset for work” you mean a pair for calls as well as music, both include Bluetooth and a microphone, but the Px8’s two adjustable external microphones make its call-oriented setup more explicitly specified.
I’d choose the DALI IO-12 for work if I wanted the longer stated battery life and the option of a direct 3.5 mm connection. Those are practical advantages for long listening stretches and flexible setups.
I’d choose the Px8 instead if adjustable microphones, app controls, or quick charging would make more difference to my workday. My overall opinion: DALI is the better fit for battery-focused listening; Px8 is the more clearly equipped option for calls and settings control.
The DALI IO-12 lists up to 35 hours of noise-cancelling playback. The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 lists up to 30 hours, but also specifies quick-charge support.
The Px8 lists two adjustable external microphones intended to improve voice clarity and also supports voice control. The IO-12 has a microphone described as suitable for calls and voice recordings, but its product details do not specify adjustable external microphones.
Yes. The IO-12 lists a 3.5 mm headphone jack as well as Bluetooth connectivity. The Px8’s included cable is described as USB-C to 3.5 mm, rather than as a direct headphone-jack connection on the headphones.
Choose the Px8 if you want app-based EQ adjustments and ANC-mode controls. The IO-12 lists active noise cancellation and touch controls, but the supplied details do not describe a companion app with EQ settings.
• SYENGKKY 5.4 vs Qozybuds Gel Cushions Ear
• TOUCH TWO Helmet vs QAZITV Bone Conduction Headphones
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.