[Level5]

For those that missed the Nighthawk Wood sale, you can still get the promo price at any local Best Buy Magnolia dept since they're no longer selling the wood ver. and any remaining stock is being sold for $350, even the website doesn't list it anymore so you have to either call or go there to confirm if they still have some. I managed to snag the last pair for $350+tax because I wanted a backup to swap different pads.

 

[Selbi]

What are the NightHawk "Wood", if one may ask? I thought the normal ones are already made of (liquid) wood.

Other question: What DACs and Amps do you guys use for the NH? I know they're easy to drive, but considering how unique these sound, I assume they work quite differently for different output devices. Is a Schiit Stack good?

 

[Anatidae]

What are the NightHawk "Wood", if one may ask? I thought the normal ones are already made of (liquid) wood.

Other question: What DACs and Amps do you guys use for the NH? I know they're easy to drive, but considering how unique these sound, I assume they work quite differently for different output devices. Is a Schiit Stack good?

 
I'm using a Violectric V100 and find that it tightens up the bass, increases the overall speed and makes the whole picture more holographic. Fantastic amp for the price.

 

[betula]

What are the NightHawk "Wood", if one may ask? I thought the normal ones are already made of (liquid) wood.

Other question: What DACs and Amps do you guys use for the NH? I know they're easy to drive, but considering how unique these sound, I assume they work quite differently for different output devices. Is a Schiit Stack good?

Level5 is referring to the original version. All NH and NO are made of liquid wood, but the orig. version has a woody look coating, while the new version has a grey 'carbon' look coating.

Many of us use NH and Chord Mojo with great satisfaction. Compared to a basic source it is much cleaner and tighter, especially the low frequencies. Also depth and layering is superb with a very black background and no distortion at all.

 

[Level5]

What are the NightHawk "Wood", if one may ask? I thought the normal ones are already made of (liquid) wood.

Other question: What DACs and Amps do you guys use for the NH? I know they're easy to drive, but considering how unique these sound, I assume they work quite differently for different output devices. Is a Schiit Stack good?

 
Ya sorry I meant liquid wood. I'm using Audio-gd NFB-11 with mine, it definitely enhances the overall SQ quite a bit which made me love it even more! 

 

[Sakujin]

I just got the wood ver about a week ago ,I'm currently using the thick cable on the either Asus Xonar Essence STX or my Marantz CD-67SE and I'm loving it. My only problem is that I keep going back to Philips X2 when I listen to either pop or EDM, I find it more fun with those cans but for jazz, classical and nature music is better with the Nighthawks.
 
I don't have any headphone amp atm but I see that some people mentioned Chord Mojo for the NH, has anyone compared it to the O2+ODAC by any chance?

 

[Bitsir]

I bought mine for $330 from a guy who had burned them in on his stand for over 400 hours, barely any head time. Visually it is mint condition!
 
For reference, I was not impressed with the HD650 at all even though it was without a doubt the best audio medium I had listened through at that point. It's supposed to scale hard with gear but I can't ever see it improving to the point that I would pick it over the Nighthawk. I'm not sure I would give up the presentation of the NH for any headphone. I am overwhelmingly impressed with the Nighthawk. I will wait for Audioquests future high-end offering.
 
So yeah, my pair is supposed to be burned in and then some. They sounded sublime from the first moment I started playing music. I didn't get why people say these sound weird but I immediately experienced things headphones up until that point had not provided me. First thing was the very clear, supple and delicate holographic placement of instruments (the capable bass of NH also gives instruments real body too), second, was the pretty much the overall grain free sound and third was that on some songs, certain sounds very clearly would come flying towards me from way in front of me in the sound stage. Like woosh, it started way back and came up to my face before it flew past my head/ear. It's not the same as with other headphones where the sound was just becoming louder, no it feels like the sound itself is actually coming closer. The sound almost becomes a physical manifestation within the soundstage. That characteristic is priceless to me. Width is okay, it's enough for me but not as impressive as the depth.

 

[Bitsir]

The new NH Carbon are also made from Liquid wood are they not? I said wood because they look more like wood than the new offering
 
In the future I will refer to the "wood" NH as Original NH.

 

[betula]

  The new NH Carbon are also made from Liquid wood are they not? I said wood because they look more like wood than the new offering
 
In the future I will refer to the "wood" NH as Original NH.

 That is fine here, as most of us know, what you think by "wood" NH. For people who are not that familiar with AQ headphones it can be confusing though. There are many wooden headphones out there, but liquid wood is a different material. (Even though, the coating of the orig. NH has a wood effect.)

 

[Bitsir]

One of the best reviews of NH out there. It is a satisfying read for sure.
 
*circlejerk*
 
http://ultrafi.com/audioquest-nighthawk-2/

 

[knowhatimean]

From all that I've been able to read the material being used to create the "Liquid Wood" for both the NH & NO hasn't been changed. The only difference between the original Earcups & the newer Carbon models is the 'Carbon' finish that's being applied to these Earcups now. (According to AQ; I can't remember if it was Bill Low or Skylar who talks about this in a video)
 
There's always a possibility the 'finish' is adding a slightly different 'new' set of sound characteristics, but the visual prompt of the Carbon look may be enough of an influence to think this is a different material.
 
(I hope someone at Magnolia HQ cuts the PO for my NO soon; I wlsh they would move at the same pace they would had this been an extensive entire Home Theatre purchase) (I miss the old days of buying my Audio Equipment in a Dedicated Audio Store location; But I can't spend that kind of $$$ these days anyway)

 

[EdwardPL]

Everything is the same minus the finish and ear pads and cable.

 

[Selbi]

Alright, after a week of delivery my pair of NH finally arrived. Now I can put them to test against my Fidelio X2's and see if the upgrade was worth it. All I got as source device right now is a Fiio E10K, so that's something to tackle. Hopefully it'll work fine anyway.

 

[Bitsir]

Give them your time and exclusivity. Don't A-B with your X2's because then you will miss out on what makes the Nighthawk amazing. 
 
I liked them from the first listen, but even so, my appreciation has deepened with further listening.

 

[Venture Guy]

  I just got the wood ver about a week ago ,I'm currently using the thick cable on the either Asus Xonar Essence STX or my Marantz CD-67SE and I'm loving it. My only problem is that I keep going back to Philips X2 when I listen to either pop or EDM, I find it more fun with those cans but for jazz, classical and nature music is better with the Nighthawks.
 
I don't have any headphone amp atm but I see that some people mentioned Chord Mojo for the NH, has anyone compared it to the O2+ODAC by any chance?

Another one to consider is the Oppo HA-2SE. Great SQ and plugs directly into your iDevice WITHOUT the CCK...