[logwed]

Originally Posted by leomitch /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Thanks John! That clarifies a bit for me. Does 'dark' also imply 'heavy' or 'veiled' ?
I think you will love your new headphones!

 
I don't think that dark necessarily implies heavy or veiled, I think that the latter two terms indicate that you're losing some energy or detail in the music. Makes me think of a Dynavector 10X5, warm/dark but still capable of picking up small detail and reacting quickly. Similarly, a bright headphone isn't necessarily shrill or tinny.
 
I can't get over how nice the Nighthawks feel, the rubber suspension for the cups is really an ingenious design and perfectly executed. Just enough play to exactly mold to your head, constrained enough to feel secure.

 

[SkylarGray]

  600 dollars? I'm not seeing it. Sure they might sound good. But,liquid wood and plastic? Probably made in China. I would say 300 but not 600. There are headphones made out of better materials and just as good of sound for the same or less money.

I'm glad you brought up plastic. With NightHawk I have very intentionally designed these headphones to minimize the use of plastics for three reasons: (1) I don't like the negative environmental impacts of non-renewable, petroleum-based materials such as most plastics (2) there is a good chance an alternative material will perform better acoustically or mechanically (3) I find that plastics can make a product look & feel cheap.
 
So the vast majority of parts in NightHawk are made from sustainable, recyclable, and/or organic materials. For instance, the earcups are made from wood, the suspension yoke is made from aluminum, the headband is made from stainless steel wrapped in fabric, the headpad is fabric and leather, the speaker diaphragms are made from bacteria-derived cellulose, etc., etc. We were awarded CES' "Best of Innovation" in the Sustainability category for our careful selection of materials and process design in NightHawk's manufacture.
 
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.
 
I encourage you to pursue a hands-on demo of NightHawk. The great thing is...we have dealers evenly sprinkled around the globe. I bet you can find someone near you with a demo unit.
http://www.audioquest.com/dealer-locator/

 

[leomitch]

Well like I said I apologize. I'm 53 years old and I build things. So when I look at something for a certain price or price point I take into account how much it cost to build it. I will say again I apologize.

Jim mate, there is no need to apologize! If I sounded all offended and up tight,that was not my intention. I am an 80 year old guy who sometimes needs to watch the way words fly out of his mouth, uh, err, keyboard!  Pay no attention my friend! I do sometimes get a bug you know where, when people put down China as purveyors of junk only! Not so! They certainly make some of that, but they also can crank out some seriously well engineered stuff. I have a camera tripod from China that makes the Swiss and Italian tripods at twice and three times the price look almost shoddy. I am old enough to remember Japan after WWII and how  they dumped a lot of junk on the  market, but as time went along and they decided to play with the big boys, they managed to build things worthy of much note... stuff like Nikon, Canon, Toyota and so on. I believe China has the same skills providing they don't suffocate themselves with the pollution their industries are belching out.
Sorry, I do go on! 

 
Leo

 

[JMCIII]

   
Thanks John! That clarifies a bit for me. Does 'dark' also imply 'heavy' or 'veiled' ?
I think you will love your new headphones!

 
 
Heavy I suppose (though those two terms are really different things - you can have sound that is both dark and heavy). Usually, to me, heavy means weighty. And lets say you're listing to flute or piccolo, you don't expect them to sound heavy, but light and airy. Get what I mean.

 

[JMCIII]

Well like I said I apologize. I'm 53 years old and I build things. So when I look at something for a certain price or price point I take into account how much it cost to build it. I will say again I apologize.

 
Jim,
 
No apologies necessary. You are entitled to your opinion same as anyone else.

 

[longbowbbs]

 

  600 dollars? I'm not seeing it. Sure they might sound good. But,liquid wood and plastic? Probably made in China. I would say 300 but not 600. There are headphones made out of better materials and just as good of sound for the same or less money.

I'm glad you brought up plastic. With NightHawk I have very intentionally designed these headphones to minimize the use of plastics for three reasons: (1) I don't like the negative environmental impacts of non-renewable, petroleum-based materials such as most plastics (2) there is a good chance an alternative material will perform better acoustically or mechanically (3) I find that plastics can make a product look & feel cheap.
 
So the vast majority of parts in NightHawk are made from sustainable, recyclable, and/or organic materials. For instance, the earcups are made from wood, the suspension yoke is made from aluminum, the headband is made from stainless steel wrapped in fabric, the headpad is fabric and leather, the speaker diaphragms are made from bacteria-derived cellulose, etc., etc. We were awarded CES' "Best of Innovation" in the Sustainability category for our careful selection of materials and process design in NightHawk's manufacture.
 
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.
 
I encourage you to pursue a hands-on demo of NightHawk. The great thing is...we have dealers evenly sprinkled around the globe. I bet you can find someone near you with a demo unit.
http://www.audioquest.com/dealer-locator/

The Nighthawks are really singing Skylar. Thanks for all of your diligence in their development. It has paid off handsomely.

 

[leomitch]

longbowbbs

I can't wait to read your review of the Nighthawks mate! Sounds like you have them now and if I don't miss my guess, you are liking them based on your message to Skylar. When do you think it will be done? I will be interested also to see how your opinions compare to mine on these fine ear cans.
 
Cheers
Leo

 

[longbowbbs]

Leo, This will be a fall review based on our forward schedule for Guru. I invite you to read some of our other reviews while you(and I) are waiting for the Nighthawk review to be completed.

 

[jimdandy]

Well cool. Like I said not downing China. Heard the HIfiman headphones finally. Great headphones. Wish I could get my hands on some of the speakers made there. That I have seen on YouTube. Absolute insane what they can do. I have a silver plated cord for my HDJ-2000. Silver plated PCOCC, Got it for 52 dollars on Aliexpress. Took two weeks direct from China then New Jersey. Nice cable makes the phone sound a little different but not much. I live on a 1800 dollar budget. Sometimes do odd jobs on the side building computers. Taught myself. So bang for my buck is important. I have been looking for single driver speakers for my computer and good amp. Rivial tubes look nice but tubes can be expensive. But still sure do sound good.

 

[jimdandy]

I'll look up your headphones before I buy. I like the fact they are made out of renewable materials. More things need to be made this way I agree. We need more people thinking in this direction. I'm all for Hydrogen cars and Ocean Hydro power planets.

 

[jimdandy]

 

  600 dollars? I'm not seeing it. Sure they might sound good. But,liquid wood and plastic? Probably made in China. I would say 300 but not 600. There are headphones made out of better materials and just as good of sound for the same or less money.

I'm glad you brought up plastic. With NightHawk I have very intentionally designed these headphones to minimize the use of plastics for three reasons: (1) I don't like the negative environmental impacts of non-renewable, petroleum-based materials such as most plastics (2) there is a good chance an alternative material will perform better acoustically or mechanically (3) I find that plastics can make a product look & feel cheap.
 
So the vast majority of parts in NightHawk are made from sustainable, recyclable, and/or organic materials. For instance, the earcups are made from wood, the suspension yoke is made from aluminum, the headband is made from stainless steel wrapped in fabric, the headpad is fabric and leather, the speaker diaphragms are made from bacteria-derived cellulose, etc., etc. We were awarded CES' "Best of Innovation" in the Sustainability category for our careful selection of materials and process design in NightHawk's manufacture.
 
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.
 
I encourage you to pursue a hands-on demo of NightHawk. The great thing is...we have dealers evenly sprinkled around the globe. I bet you can find someone near you with a demo unit.
http://www.audioquest.com/dealer-locator/

Yes we need more products like this. I strongly agree.

 

[jimdandy]

I looked on the locator. I live in San Angelo so Crutchfield might be my best bet. Unless there is a dealer in Austin or San Antonio.

 

[PhilW]

Forget dark, completely erase that word from their description. I'm not sure what has been done since I heard the pre release version but these certainly are not dark sounding. I've just got these out of the packaging and from immediate listening. These are making such a revolutionary change to the audio they remind me of the Flare Audio R2Pro. I'll update once I've spent a while with these.

Phil

 

[leomitch]

Forget dark, completely erase that word from their description. I'm not sure what has been done since I heard the pre release version but these certainly are not dark sounding. I've just got these out of the packaging and from immediate listening. These are making such a revolutionary change to the audio they remind me of the Flare Audio R2Pro. I'll update once I've spent a while with these.

Phil

 Have fun mate!
 
Leo

 

[Sound Eq]

Forget dark, completely erase that word from their description. I'm not sure what has been done since I heard the pre release version but these certainly are not dark sounding. I've just got these out of the packaging and from immediate listening. These are making such a revolutionary change to the audio they remind me of the Flare Audio R2Pro. I'll update once I've spent a while with these.

Phil

so eager to know how it compares to audeze lcd2