[inthere]

  What!? No thanks on higher-priced headphones. One of the main reasons I like what AQ and Skylar are doing with their line of headphones is that they aren't going bonkers with the pricing, while maintaining excellent SQ. Sweet and welcome price/performance.

 
I think that if Skylar would have done a more conventional "high-end" tuning Audioquest could've easily doubled the price of the Nighthawk. 

 

[Hi-Fi EDU]

Originally Posted by SkylarGray /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
...[SNIP]...
 
Based on our actual cost to build NightHawk, we could have easily set the retail at double the current price to be in-line with the rest of the headphone market's profit margin structure. In my opinion, NightHawk is an incredible value. You will only find premium materials and workmanship in its build.
 
...[SNIP]...

 
@inthere I'm aware of what you stated. I kept the above quote bookmarked because it showed me that they were conscious of this crazy trend of charging way too much for some of these recent headphones/gear. Speaks volumes to me and its something I can happily get behind. The NH bucked the trend in more ways than one IMO.

 

[Soundizer]

When is it going to be released?



I hope AQ comes out with a $999.00 and a $1,499.00 headphones soon though!

What!? No thanks on higher-priced headphones. One of the main reasons I like what AQ and Skylar are doing with their line of headphones is that they aren't going bonkers with the pricing, while maintaining excellent SQ. Sweet and welcome price/performance.

I agree mate. Some thing just wrong in the high end headphone industry where new models keep getting more expensive.

If you compare it to other Consumer Goods (TV's / Mobile Phones), the prices stay about the same after Inflation and successor better models either replace previous models, or the older models are dropped in price and kept in the product range.

 

[Henery]

I bought my pair on January. I looked at Audioquests website and read carefully about their design philosophy. It all sounded logical: vibration damping, rubber surround, bio-cellulose etc. Despite this there was one problem that irritated me. It was that very fatiquing treble. I couldn´t listen to it more than 10 minutes even on low volume on Samsung Galaxy S2. On Dacmagic Plus it was more tolerable. Fortunately i had some sorbothane on hand. I glued about 10 pieces (0,5x0,5x0,2 mm) to ABS driver baffleplate. That cured treble and improved dynamics and channel separation. Now i can listen it without pain.

 

[Airlight]

Just got my NH today. Coming from a completely open Hifiman HE400i, driving with a Schiit Magni.
 
Started out positively impressed with the texture, though they were quite warm-sounding. Realized I had processing enabled in Foobar from yesterday. Doh... removed that.
 
After an hour or so, I'm quite pleased. My Hifiman is, I'll be frank, more transparent, though that could be simply because it presents the sound in a more "compressed way" (not to be confused with slow in attack or decay), ie lower volume sound isn't as far-away sounding/low, and is more easily heard.
 
The NH seems more dynamically "tall". If you imagine standing on the edge of a building looking down, the HE400i is a 10-story house where you can comfortably make out plants and details. The NH is a 80-story house as seen though a slight fish-eye lens, where the ground just seems to fall away more and it seems more elusive.
 
Listening to Meshuggahs "Nostrum", the timbre of cymbals and treble in general is, to my ears, much better than the HE400i. I think the strongest resemblance I got was to that of the Etymotic ER4. After some adjusting, it just seems entirely right both in tonality and texture.
 
 
Furthermore, 1 hour in, and these are, to my ears and with the amp I use, far from liquid or syrup-y. That's the terminology I'd use for slower attack and decay with a warmer EQ tilt. The NH remind me a lot of the Gr07, which is my absolute favourite IEM, and also uses Biocellulose material. It's obviously not piped directly into the ear, and the Gr07 has a slightly different EQ response, but they both seem fast and with that sandwich-paper texture.
 
Unlike my planar HE400i, the NH is sensitive to placement, and you basically have a gentle EQ at your fingers depending on how you place them.
 
No closed-back bass pressure, despite blocking some outside sound they feel quite open and un-pressurized.
 
Watching movies, they are more vivid than the HE400, textures can be harder, sounds seem more immediate. The T2 minigun texture sounds as dry and clear as ever. Overall the sound is wonderfully textured, and the surface is very fast and responsive and dry.
 
So far this is a real treat to listen to, like my GR07 but less "IEM direct", and with the wonderful timbre and transient-capabilities closer to an ER4. the EQ response after just 2 hours of adjusting already seems completely natural, and the balance is such that in most cases, most of the spectrum reaches "optimal" loudness simultaneously, and I don't find treble to be too far away or too upfront, plus with the way the treble textures, it's really clear and easy to "feel" even when not in your face. Like the Vsonic GR07, the upper-mids are stepped back just enough to fall back into line with the mids and lower treble, and most metal tracks (that always seem to have a 3-4K bump with most other headphones) sound balanced and leveled.
 
It's just a really comfortable sound signature, though I'm very much used to it after owning GR07s for a few years. In some instances I can feel like I'd like just a bit more in the presence range, BUT that same desire would also yield fatigue at the levels I'm using.
 
Coupled with awesome texture and perceived detail, I've pretty much been won over completely in 2 hours.
 
 
Ninja Edit: This treble is incredible. it's almost IEM-fast at times, listening to "Blood Bag" from the fury road soundtrack, it's incredibly uncompressed-sounding dynamics-wise despite being thundering bass.
Also adding more presence just doesn't seem right. I could maybe see an argument for dropping the mid-bass area 2-3 dBs, which I think some pads do, but that would also make me raise the volume 2-3 dBs, which would probably induce fatigue.
And despite being quite present, the mid-bass and lower mids just seem so open and easy, it's not the low-quality headphone slow, thick, impenetrable, fatiguing wall.

 

[Krutsch]

   
...
 
If HD700 has bass like Nighthawk, i think i'll get them over Nighthawk. HD700 is one of the most comfortable headphones for me and has highest performance for the dollar. From where i am, they are almost 1/3 the price of HD800.

 
The bass on the HD-700 is very clean; I would describe it as "tight" and "realistic", though I hate to use words like transparency and realistic on Head-Fi for obvious reasons.
 
The bass on the NightHawks is "fun" in that with some music it's a joy to listen to and with other music it sounds WAY too bloomy in the upper-bass/lower-mids for my tastes. For the headphones I personally own, when I am looking for crisp, tight bass for music like electronica/EDM, I turn to the Sony MDR-Z7s. For natural lower registers for classical music, I personally prefer the HD-700s.
 
In my amateur opinion, the important difference between the HD-700 and the NightHawks is the complete lack of distortion, at ANY volume or frequency range, with the NightHawks. It took me some time to really grasp it, but it's the first thing I notice when I go back to my Sennheiser cans after extended listening with the NightHawks.

 

[Headphone4Life]

I have both the HD700 and the Nighthawk and the HD700's bass is really nothing like the NH's imo.  The NH has more power and goes down deeper, and it also sound cleaner than the HD700's imo.  On some tracks with thick or hard bass the HD700 can sound a bit distorted to me at times, and no I'm not using bad mp3 and most are good flac recordings.  Over all I feel the NH is a better headphone from build quality to SQ and the only thing the HD700 has more of is treble and its not better than the NH's treble imo.  
 
The NH is my favorite headphone for the time being but I should be getting my Focal Elear within the next week or 2 (hopefully because the place I ordered from is waiting on a shipment) and I can't wait to see how they compare and yes I've seen the Youtube video that compares them.

 

[Badas]

   
In my amateur opinion, the important difference between the HD-700 and the NightHawks is the complete lack of distortion, at ANY volume or frequency range, with the NightHawks. It took me some time to really grasp it, but it's the first thing I notice when I go back to my Sennheiser cans after extended listening with the NightHawks.

 
That is an interesting statement and I agree with it. Probably the best explanation I have read on the NightHawks. They just don't distort. One of the factors I like about them the most. My LCD-3's distort in higher frequencies and they are not a bright HP. So it shows how good the Hawks are.
 
The other qualities I like is the holographics and soundstage. You should hear these on the Violectric V281 amp. Bloody amazing. Unfortunately my V281 time has been short lived. It has broken down and is in Germany being repaired. Itching to get it back tho. Dream combo.

 

[MattTCG]

   
That is an interesting statement and I agree with it. Probably the best explanation I have read on the NightHawks. They just don't distort. One of the factors I like about them the most. My LCD-3's distort in higher frequencies and they are not a bright HP. So it shows how good the Hawks are.
 
The other qualities I like is the holographics and soundstage. You should hear these on the Violectric V281 amp. Bloody amazing. Unfortunately my V281 time has been short lived. It has broken down and is in Germany being repaired. Itching to get it back tho. Dream combo.

 
It's interesting what you say about the pairing with the v281. I have not heard it but owned two other Violectric amps. They were both VERY warm IMO, too warm. Which would seem a bad match for the NH. But I'd certainly like to hear them together some time. 

 

[Krutsch]

   
That is an interesting statement and I agree with it. Probably the best explanation I have read on the NightHawks. They just don't distort. One of the factors I like about them the most. My LCD-3's distort in higher frequencies and they are not a bright HP. So it shows how good the Hawks are.
 
The other qualities I like is the holographics and soundstage. You should hear these on the Violectric V281 amp. Bloody amazing. Unfortunately my V281 time has been short lived. It has broken down and is in Germany being repaired. Itching to get it back tho. Dream combo.

Thanks for that... 

 
I listened to a pair of broken-in 'Hawks on a Bryston BHA-1 at a local dealer and my jaw fell to the floor. Maybe the best head-fi listening I've ever experienced. I sat there for an hour listening to Eric Clapton Unplugged and I almost walked out with the amp. Very sorry to hear your V281 is being repaired, but sounds like they are making it right. I agree: the 'Hawks are solid-state friendly.

 

[YtseJamer]

  the 'Hawks are solid-state friendly.

 
I hope that the Jotunheim will be a good match with the Hawks.
 
Now I'm wondering if I should wait for the Carbon version.

 

[Badas]

 
Thanks for that... 

 
I listened to a pair of broken-in 'Hawks on a Bryston BHA-1 at a local dealer and my jaw fell to the floor. Maybe the best head-fi listening I've ever experienced. I sat there for an hour listening to Eric Clapton Unplugged and I almost walked out with the amp. Very sorry to hear your V281 is being repaired, but sounds like they are making it right. I agree: the 'Hawks are solid-state friendly.

 
Yip. Nighthawks are very versatile. Sound good with just about everything. I would give the V281 the win for fast music like electronic or rock. The Woo tube amp wins for slow female focused type of music.

Has anyone tried the Hawks directly from a DAC. No amp?
I have a mate that is doing this with the new Ether Flow. He said the results are spectacular. I'm going to listen in the weekend.
 
I've ordered a XLR harness from moon audio. So you plug it directly into the XLR output of a DAC. The power from that is enough to power efficient HP's. The beauty of this is no amp in the chain (less distortion).
Some members are using V281's pre-amp functions to do the same thing. So the harness plugs into the XLR outputs. Users say they are getting nice warmth but with the smoothest treble. Seems like it would be to my taste.
 
I think we will see more DAC's like this in the future. Like Chords Dave. Which powers HP's directly. My Auralic Vega has enough power as well. Standard XLR voltage is 2.5 volts and the Vega does 4 volts. So it will power the Hawks nicely. I will try the harness on the DAC directly and the V281 when everything arrives.

 

[Krutsch]

   
Yip. Nighthawks are very versatile. Sound good with just about everything. I would give the V281 the win for fast music like electronic or rock. The Woo tube amp wins for slow female focused type of music.

Has anyone tried the Hawks directly from a DAC. No amp?
I have a mate that is doing this with the new Ether Flow. He said the results are spectacular.
 
I've ordered a XLR harness from moon audio. So you plug it directly into the XLR output of a DAC. The power from that is enough to power efficient HP's. The beauty of this is no amp in the chain (less distortion).
Some members are using V281's pre-amp functions to do the same thing. So the harness plugs into the XLR outputs. Users say they are getting nice warmth but with the smoothest treble. Seems like it would be to my taste.
 
I think we will see more DAC's like this in the future. Like Chords Dave. Which powers HP's directly. My Auralic Vega has enough power as well. Standard XLR voltage is 2.5 volts and the Vega does 4 volts. So it will power the Hawks nicely. I will try the harness on the DAC directly and the V281 when everything arrives.

 
Huh... My Bel Canto DAC 2.5 has this feature; XLR and RCA variable outs with a precise digital volume control (does this with analog in, as well - I use this for my turntable).
 
I am very tempted to try this, so do report back on how this works for you with the 'Hawks. 

 

[Badas]

   
Huh... My Bel Canto DAC 2.5 has this feature; XLR and RCA variable outs with a precise digital volume control (does this with analog in, as well - I use this for my turntable).
 
I am very tempted to try this, so do report back on how this works for you with the 'Hawks. 

Yes. That will work. Any DAC with a XLR output and volume control will power efficient HP's.

As great as the V281 is and it is the best freakin amp I have heard some users say they can hear slight sparkles in the upper treble. So slightly. They say using it as a pre-amp the sparkle disappears.
 
Some say direct from a DAC can be a touch bright. I will try it. However V281 as a pre-amp adds warmth with virtually no distortion of treble. Sounds like it would be great.
 
The XLR harness from Moon Audio is only $140.00 so well worth a try.

 

[YtseJamer]

  Listening to Meshuggahs "Nostrum", the timbre of cymbals and treble in general is, to my ears, much better than the HE400i. 

 
Good to hear that they sound great with Meshuggah