[Arjestin]

Is the Nighthawk Carbon identical to the original Nighthawk, apart from the black color?

Audioquest claims it is "a more sophisticated, more mature version of the original" and also more comfortable. Any truth to that, or is it just a marketing tool?

 

[surfgeorge]

The NightHawk Carbon has different earpads (2 pairs: protein leather boost and velour) and a different cable. Othere than that only the paint is different AFAIK.
Betula wrote a detailed review about NightHawk and NightOwl with the 3 different pads: Hybrid (original Hawk), Boost (full protein leather) and velour pad. He liked the Hawks best with the boost pad of the Carbon model.

 

[Arjestin]

3 different pads: Hybrid (original Hawk), Boost (full protein leather) and velour pad

Pictures of the original Hawk show regular protein leather pads, not hybrid. Can you link to the Betula review please?

 

[Arjestin]

Can the original Nighthawk pads be bought separately?

 

[surfgeorge]

Can the original Nighthawk pads be bought separately?

Yes, they can.
Sources are a little hard to find but there are some if you search the internet.
By the way, Indo agree with betula, that the hybrid pads work well for the NightOwl, and the protein leather “boost pads” for the NightHawk

 

[Arjestin]

In case other head-fi members are interested, this is the official AudioQuest reply to my inquiry:


Here are all the differences between the original NightHawk and NightHawk Carbon. The drivers are identical between the two models.


Acoustic Refinements

• Tooling modifications: Tighter tolerances eliminate air leaks for improved airflow and lower distortion
• Two sets of earpads
  • Protein Leather Boost Pads seal tighter for better isolation and slightly enhanced treble clarity
  • Ultra-Suede Pads breathe freer for greater comfort and slightly reduced bass impact
• Improved plugs: High-purity Tellurium Copper (TeCu) base metal for smoother surface, higher plating quality, better mating contact, and, consequently, less noise

Ergonomic Refinements

• Improved headpad: Genuine leather headpad with stitched detailing for enhanced comfort, more luxurious look and feel
• Improved cable
  • Shorter length (4.25ft) for easier desktop/mobile use
  • Flexible, non-braided jacket increases durability, eliminates kinking, minimizes microphonics
  • Robustly engineered and rigorously tested strain relief further increases durability
  • Discreet microphone and smartphone controls enable phone calls and playback functions (Play, Pause, Skip) without compromising sound quality

Cosmetic Refinements

Luxurious finish: Porsche Carbon Grey Metallic high-gloss paint meticulously applied via multistage process