[Schopenhauer]

that's easy to answer, because, the measurements you just quoted used different compensations.
tyll himself uses sometimes olive-welti compensation(which was your first graph), but uses df compensation for the measurements in resources page(which was the second graph), 
and go on and on..., and if you know how the compensation and raw graphs work, you will know they are comparable. and please ignore last two csd graphs, because they are measured in 1/1000 of seconds so most of time doesn't make any different in human ears. 

Lol. Yes, please ignore the CSD plots. They tell you nothing. But definitely pay attention to my graphs. My graphs might look incredibly weird, and no one knows who I am, but I'll wave my hands around, arrogantly posture, and tell you a story about how they're different. Preciously different. Get real, man.

 

[ultrabike]

well, that's because, you just quoted used different compensations.

that's easy to answer, because, the measurements you just quoted used different compensations.
tyll himself uses sometimes olive-welti compensation(which was your first graph), but uses df compensation for the measurements in resources page(which was the second graph), 
and go on and on..., and if you know how the compensation and raw graphs work, you will know they are comparable. and please ignore last two csd graphs, because they are measured in 1/1000 of seconds so most of time doesn't make any different in human ears. 

I think it's more than different compensations, since the bass at IF is not compensated (nor in other sites).

It's possible you have a little bit of leakage in your measurements. For pads that require seal (such as those leather pads), you might need to insure the materials used to couple the cans to the mic give you good seal.

This may be less of an issue with headphones that employ leaky pads.

 

[grizzlybeast]

Whats all of this crying going around. Someone send me a pair and Ill settle this. J/P. This hp is almost as controversial as the Sony Z7 if not more. Any direct comparisons????based on what I have read I may take the z7 if I had to choose. Man I was never more hyped for a hp than the Z'

 

[Tagjazz]

I am still really interested in these but there is such a wide range of opinion. I am a musician so am looking for a really musical, engaging headphone that will take me into the music, no matter what the genre. Can this headphone deliver in this area? I am hoping so. I find my AKG's fatiguing after a while and I am not really engaged in the listening with them, almost bored really. PM3 on the other hand is awesome but I crave a more open soundstage. Any help will be gratefully received since the reviews seem to be taking a while.

 

[leomitch]

  I am still really interested in these but there is such a wide range of opinion. I am a musician so am looking for a really musical, engaging headphone that will take me into the music, no matter what the genre. Can this headphone deliver in this area? I am hoping so. I find my AKG's fatiguing after a while and I am not really engaged in the listening with them, almost bored really. PM3 on the other hand is awesome but I crave a more open soundstage. Any help will be gratefully received since the reviews seem to be taking a while.

 
 
I too am a musician, albeit an amateur and the musicality of the Nighthawks, is what I find most appealing. They are so natural and pure sounding. The warmth and timbre of instruments like the cello, violin, guitar, viola and  double bass is marvelous. Saxophones, clarinets and French horns are particularly hard to reproduce realistically, but these headphones do it in spades. I could go on and on, but I will end by pointing to the piano's wonderful and complex sound...no problem at all. Andras Shiff and his Steinway sound like they are right there with you as he plays a Mozart concerto.
I know test figures are important when trying to decide on the worth of any audio device, but musicality to me trumps figures and anything else when it comes to headphones and speakers in my opinion. Skylar Gray has engineered the most musical headphones I have ever heard with these old ears.
 
Leo

 

[Oregonian]

Whats all of this crying going around. Someone send me a pair and Ill settle this. J/P. This hp is almost as controversial as the Sony Z7 if not more. Any direct comparisons????based on what I have read I may take the z7 if I had to choose. Man I was never more hyped for a hp than the Z'

Wish I had kept them to allow you to hear them.  After comparing to the Denon lineup (MD2000, MD5000, LA7000) and all the other cans I have on hand, they just didn't cut it for me.  The Z7 I preferred by quite a bit. 

 

[deafdoorknob]

42

 

[deafdoorknob]

not sure if this was already posted... from HFRR

 

[Mark Up]

One of the most interesting graphs I've seen. Great sub bass and higher detail. Odd dip at 1 khz, too low vs a huge spike (the loudest part of the plot) higher up. Yet people never call these harsh or bright, or scooped in the mids. This shows how graphs may not always tell the whole story. Which had better low sub bass to you, the Sony or the AudioQuest?

 

[deafdoorknob]

42

 

[Mark Up]

Glad you utilized that track. I'm trying to spread the word as it being the best true low sub test. The second half of the "beat goes boom" parts hits 17.3 hz with harmonics in the 20-30 hz range. I'm not as fond of the bloom in mid or higher bass, preferring true low subs. If the AQ is on point with the M50x on that second, lower boom, that is a good sign.

 

[deafdoorknob]

42

 

[Mark Up]

Especially with HM5 pads. They help but there still is a resonance to the M50 that makes them inaccurate to me. Hence my getting the SRH1540. My favorite closed headphones.

 

[deafdoorknob]

42

 

[Jackson9696]

hello (a long time lurker's first post)

I headed down to my local headphone shop with the intention of getting some replacement pads for a battered pair of MDR-7506 I use at work, just out curiosity, I had a listen to the oppo pm3 considering that it was so well reviewed overall. I would like to preface below with the fact that I am not really a head-fier per se until recently, my point of reference is largely speaker-oriented, and acknowledge that headphone enthusiasts and speaker guys appear to be after different priorities and that I am a newbie in regards to cans.

anyhow, Oppo did not engage me in the sense that it is neutral but dispassionate. Curious, I proceeded to have a listen to a few cans around the same price range...

Audioquest Nighthawk > Shure 1540 > Fostex TH600 > Sony MDR z7

My suppose my priority is more effusive than many here - it's emotional engagement first, scale second. Coming from speakers, I tolerate/enjoy colouration well lol

Nighthawks, Shure and Sony are in my opinion from the same continuum, with Shure being the more detailed and most hifi of the 3.

Nighthawks and the Sony are similar but different. Perspective AQ tho felt more foreshortened/condensed whereas the Sony felt more spacious. In speakers terms AQ reminded me of Vandersteens and Sony closer to Harbeths/Spendors.

My head unfortunately didn't agree with the fostex at all... they felt really loose but from what I heard, it would be drier than Shure, AQ or Sony. After 2+ hours, with the majority of time devoted to listening to the Sony using my Fiio X3 G2 as source. I forgot about the earpads and left with the z7 (plus Kimber single ended)*

* Sony HK is doing a promo deal atm, approx 560$ (kimber included plus 90$ cash coupon)

I totally agree with the order you placed these in exactly! Having heard the nighthawk alongside these headphones plus the audeze xc and lcd 3 I was VERY impressed. So much so that I've been selling all of my headphones lately and have been waiting for a used nighthawk to pop up because I hate buying things at full retail. I've owned all the headphones in this post and you hit the nail right on the head, love the 1540, but when I compared it to the nighthawk it sounded lifeless. I feel like I could listen to the nighthawk for days, and it's beautiful lush sound would never bore me. Love the bass response as well, was pleasantly surprised by its weight down there. One thing to note though is, if you don't like dark headphones, DO NOT get these. They are the darkest headphones I've ever heard, but hey, I like dark chocolate.
If someone wants to get rid of their nighthawk please let me know!