[nmatheis]

It can be done... the Sony MDR-Z7 is such an example.

Ooh, I listed to those at RMAF and quite liked them. Might've considered a pair of the Sony rep I interacted with wasn't such a hero jerk (stupid autocorrect), lol.

And from my listening session with and songs load up on LPG with NH vs NO, NO did indeed have higher bass than NH. NH had several characteristics that led me to prefer it, though.

 

[joeq70]

It can be done... the Sony MDR-Z7 is such an example.

IMO the Z7 is an example of loose bass.

 

[misteral201103]

   
I better jump in and clarify/correct the info given...
 
 

1. The earcups are still made the same way from liquid wood. The wood aroma remains.

 
I love the deadpan nature of this! 
 
@Soundizer You can tell your niece she can rest easy!

 

[nmatheis]

Smells a bit like bacon to me, lol

 

[SearchOfSub]

Can't wait for some sound comparisons between the two carbon models. I had the Hawks for over a year and thought they were the most musical and engaging headphones that I had experienced. However, with Classical and some Acoustic music I was craving just a little more detail so I got the Ether C. Going back to the Hawks after this was a challenge then as they suddenly sounded a little muddy in the lower frequencies. I sold them thinking that I would get the Elears, but I am really missing them and seriously considering getting the updated model. Tyll mentioned that there was tighter bass and more treble on the Nightowls so would be great to get peoples impressions of the differences, especially in soundstage, which is something I really miss about the Hawks.  Great job yet again Audioquest. I love good quality audio at a reasonable price as things are just getting beyond crazy in this hobby.

Hopefully they got the balance right on the Nightowls and keeping the Nighthawks signature musicality. From my experience, more treble and bass always took away from musicality of a HP.

 

[Krutsch]

IMO the Z7 is an example of loose bass.

Fair enough. It's not a Planar, but I would say it's tighter than the NightHawk and other dynamic cans I own.

 

[betula]

 
Fair enough. It's not a Planar, but I would say it's tighter than the NightHawk and other dynamic cans I own.

TH-X00 is a good example for tight bass in a closed can. Although, some consider it semi-closed, but it is rather closed in fact.
I do not really miss out anything in NH's bass, so the closeness of NO seems to be a purely practical matter to me.
 

 

[kman1211]

 
Fair enough. It's not a Planar, but I would say it's tighter than the NightHawk and other dynamic cans I own.

I actually found the Z7 to be on the tighter side in terms of bass as well, the headphone's aluminum plated drivers create a rather unique presentation. Honestly the headphone I'm looking forward to listening to and possibly purchasing is the Sony MDR-Z1R, which I get the feeling may be a nice step-up from the Nighthawks. Still waiting on proper reviews on it that delve more into the actual fidelity of the headphone moreso than tuning(which I already know is on the bassy side for many audiophiles but still quite linear). I've heard enough headphones to know it's a fallacy to generalize headphones based on open vs closed. 

 

[MattTCG]

IMO the Z7 is an example of loose bass.

 
+1 on this. Let's just be honest and call them what they are, fart canons. Plain and simple. There is nothing "tight" about the bass on the z7, period. With hours worth of modding you can get them to sound mildly flabby. 

 

[jarnopp]

Can't wait for some sound comparisons between the two carbon models. I had the Hawks for over a year and thought they were the most musical and engaging headphones that I had experienced. However, with Classical and some Acoustic music I was craving just a little more detail so I got the Ether C. Going back to the Hawks after this was a challenge then as they suddenly sounded a little muddy in the lower frequencies. I sold them thinking that I would get the Elears, but I am really missing them and seriously considering getting the updated model. Tyll mentioned that there was tighter bass and more treble on the Nightowls so would be great to get peoples impressions of the differences, especially in soundstage, which is something I really miss about the Hawks.  Great job yet again Audioquest. I love good quality audio at a reasonable price as things are just getting beyond crazy in this hobby.

To my ears, you can get tighter bass and more treble now with the NH using the angled pleather HM-5 Brainwavz pads. Looking forward to comparing those to the new pads.

 

[YtseJamer]

  Honestly the headphone I'm looking forward to listening to and possibly purchasing is the Sony MDR-Z1R, which I get the feeling may be a nice step-up from the Nighthawks. 

 
Ouch $2300..

 

[mbwilson111]

To my ears, you can get tighter bass and more treble now with the NH using the angled pleather HM-5 Brainwavz pads. Looking forward to comparing those to the new pads.

I have only had mine for 11 days but I am more than  happy with the stock pads myself. So comfortable.  I would not want more treble.  I am not sure how to know if bass is "tight" or not but nearly 200 hours of burn in I think my NH sound great,  Actually I really  enjoyed picking them up and listening to them off and on throughout the 8 day burn in process.  I often would end up listening to a whole album or two.  Normally I don't like to sit at my desk that long.I had queued many albums in foobar2000 and played though my desktop dac/amp to the headphones.  Now the NH are free to be used with my more relaxing set up in the  living room.  Planning to listen to the new Leonard Cohen today and Yello-Toy (which I have already listened to on several headphones.  Not sure it that album would sound bad on any headphone though.

 

[Krutsch]

   
+1 on this. Let's just be honest and call them what they are, fart canons. Plain and simple. There is nothing "tight" about the bass on the z7, period. With hours worth of modding you can get them to sound mildly flabby. 

Ha ha... Yeah, that's how I would describe the bass on the NightHawks.
 
The upper bass / lower mids are the most bloated, loose sounding cans of anything I own. I still like them, but nonetheless...

 

[waynes world]

Ha ha... Yeah, that's how I would describe the bass on the NightHawks.
 
The upper bass / lower mids are the most bloated, loose sounding cans of anything I own. I still like them, but nonetheless...

 
I wouldn't describe them like that lol. 
 
Having said that, have you tried other pads on the NH's? I love the HM5 hybrids on the NH's (but looking forward to trying others including velours and hopefully the upcoming AQ pads).

 

[Krutsch]

   
I wouldn't describe them like that lol. 
 
Having said that, have you tried other pads on the NH's? I love the HM5 hybrids on the NH's (but looking forward to trying others including velours and hopefully the upcoming AQ pads).

 
I keep reading that comment, so I am interested in trying other pads to see how that changes the sound. I will likely acquire a pair of the upcoming AQ pads.
 
To be honest, I just limit the types of music I listen to with the 'Hawks. I am one of those people that cycles through my collection of 'phones to match the music to my personal taste.
 
For example, older classic rock is incredible with the 'Hawks (e.g. Cream) as these recordings are light in the aforementioned registers.