[waynes world]

Yes

Yeah, I went that route as well for quite a while for the same reasons as you. Strange thing is that after using them for a few months, I switched back to the original pads, and all was very good, which took me by surprise. Seems like the headphones took a while longer to burn in and to tame the bass. Maybe try switching back after a long while and let me know what you think. I think I might try out the HM5 hybrids again myself for fun, because I really recall digging them on the NH's

 

[mbwilson111]

Oh I see. I had no problem stretching the BW hybrid pads over the ring even though the shapes are slighty different. Comfort went up a couple notches from the original pads.

I have the Brainwavz hm5 hybrids on my Fostex t50rp mkii and I love them... very comfortable. Sound is great as well but I have no idea if it changed. I forgot to listen first just before changing them. But I am happy with them. They were my first good headphones.

My second pair of BW hybrids were bought for my BossHifi B8 and again I found it to be super comfortable but it ruined the sound so I went back to stock. I also tried them on the NAD HP50 (because the stock ones hurt) and they ruined the sound of those even more...shrill, no bass. I have ended up with Sony V7 pads on those. I am thinking of trying the BW hybrid on my Yamaha HPH MT220 although I don't mind the stock pads that much. I would not want the sound to change. I want to do a superlux type cable mod on those (currently non detachable coiled cord)... at some point...not sure if they are still in warranty so I hate to cut the cable.

I would not want the sound of my NH to change so I am sticking with the original pads. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I did try the Ultrasuede ones over the summer and I did like those as well. But the original are, for me, the original magic.

 

[mbwilson111]

Seems like the headphones took a while longer to burn in and to tame the bass.

I remember loving my NH out of the box but I did do the 150 hour recommended burn in right away... left it hooked up to my desktop system for over a week.... listening whenever I was sitting at the PC and leaving it to play alone the rest of the time.

I still do not even know if I believe in burn in but I do it anyway... because headfi tells me I must

 

[jaco61]

Very interesting blog concerning burn in:

http://blog.prof-x.de/2017/10/29/1-teil-break-in-von-kopfhoerern-wissenschaft-wunder-oder-wunsch/

Its written in german, but you see the effects on the Nighthawk after 50 h easily in the FQ

With this was proofed the effect on the NH, very impressive! Well done Mark!

 

[black9white]

Very interesting blog concerning burn in:

http://blog.prof-x.de/2017/10/29/1-teil-break-in-von-kopfhoerern-wissenschaft-wunder-oder-wunsch/

Its written in german, but you see the effects on the Nighthawk after 50 h easily in the FQ

With this was proofed the effect on the NH, very impressive! Well done Mark!

I can attest to this, damn this cans changes when they have been burned in.. things opened up once it has been use. Though I miss the first sounds on these headphones

 

[jaco61]

The BW Hybrids HM5 let the hawk really fly.. A revelation everytime when I change from AQ Suedes and even more the AQ hybrids to the brainwavz
But i know myself falling again back after some time to these mystic dark and bassheavy AQ pads with a smile on my face...
These pads makes somehow two very pleasing phones with an outstanding good signatures out of one.

Very special ones, feel..looks...sound! .. too bad the smell is almost gone

 

[Taylor Smith]

The BW Hybrids HM5 let the hawk really fly.. A revelation everytime when I change from AQ Suedes and even more the AQ hybrids to the brainwavz
But i know myself falling again back after some time to these mystic dark and bassheavy AQ pads with a smile on my face...
These pads makes somehow two very pleasing phones with an outstanding good signatures out of one.

Very special ones, feel..looks...sound! .. too bad the smell is almost gone

Are you using the angled or non angled? I'm going to purchase a the pair right now, haha.

 

[jaco61]

non angled

 

[vampirehunterd]

O-ho, another one bites the dust
Please let us (me) know what the sound difference is between both birds. Still considering buying a NightOwl myself.

I just got the Nightowls and initial impression is what I was expecting, a closed version of the Nighthawk. They came with the boost pads installed and I listened to a few of my favorite tracks to see if I wanted to swap pads. It's readily apparent my ears are wired like some other Head-Fi members who prefer the Hybrid pad treble tuning so I yanked off the boost pads and threw on the hybrid pads from my NHs. I have a feeling I'm going to track down a second set of hybrid pads ASAP to avoid using the boost or microsuede pads on the Nightowl. My wife definitely appreciates less sound leakage compared to the NHs when she's in the same room. The sound stage is very impressive and it's the same non-fatiguing sound signature I'm used to from the NHs (w/ hybrid pads on NO). I was honestly expecting to notice more bass compared to the NH open design but bass appears to be very similar with my source and material (Grace M9XX and PC).

On a side note - Isn't it ironic that a cable company like Audioquest is having such a hard time with the cable aspect of the their ear speaker division? Original Nighthawk had issues with the thicker cable having a high failure rate and their included portable cable could be used as a jump rope due to it's length. After that less than stellar marketing/engineering decision they seem to have decided to include one short cable with the Nightowl. It boggles the mind how they produce a resolving but non-fatiguing headphone defying the industry norm of overcooked treble with exemplary comfort and modular pads then seem to make boneheaded choices on the included cables. There had to be at least one person during testing that said maybe our cable choice needs some common sense applied before these things hit the market.

 

[earChasm]

I just got the Nightowls and initial impression is what I was expecting, a closed version of the Nighthawk. They came with the boost pads installed and I listened to a few of my favorite tracks to see if I wanted to swap pads. It's readily apparent my ears are wired like some other Head-Fi members who prefer the Hybrid pad treble tuning so I yanked off the boost pads and threw on the hybrid pads from my NHs. I have a feeling I'm going to track down a second set of hybrid pads ASAP to avoid using the boost or microsuede pads on the Nightowl. My wife definitely appreciates less sound leakage compared to the NHs when she's in the same room. The sound stage is very impressive and it's the same non-fatiguing sound signature I'm used to from the NHs (w/ hybrid pads on NO). I was honestly expecting to notice more bass compared to the NH open design but bass appears to be very similar with my source and material (Grace M9XX and PC).

Excellent summary, thank you ver much.

 

[vampirehunterd]

Excellent summary, thank you ver much.

Some additional thoughts after more time with the Nightowls. They are very sensitive to amp output impedance mismatches just like the Nighthawk. SQ from Grace M9XX or Astell and Kern Jr. is great but trying them on an Aune T1 with an output impedance of ~10 Ohm and the SQ takes quite a nosedive while other headphones like the Beyer DT880s 250 Ohm sound great with the T1. I'm wondering if the people that didn't enjoy their Nighthawk experience had them paired with a tube amp or solid state amp with too high of an output impedance. With the right amp or portable device the Nighthawks are phenomenal but I can see where some negative comments are coming from since the SQ is altered significantly in a negative fashion as output impedance rises (to my ears).

 

[betula]

Some additional thoughts after more time with the Nightowls. They are very sensitive to amp output impedance mismatches just like the Nighthawk. SQ from Grace M9XX or Astell and Kern Jr. is great but trying them on an Aune T1 with an output impedance of ~10 Ohm and the SQ takes quite a nosedive while other headphones like the Beyer DT880s 250 Ohm sound great with the T1. I'm wondering if the people that didn't enjoy their Nighthawk experience had them paired with a tube amp or solid state amp with too high of an output impedance. With the right amp or portable device the Nighthawks are phenomenal but I can see where some negative comments are coming from since the SQ is altered significantly in a negative fashion as output impedance rises (to my ears).

Mojo with 0.075 ohms output impedance and 750mW output power does a pretty good job with the NH. And still quite a big leap away from the astonishing Hugo2.

 

[jaco61]

Got a used Meier corda Jazz today, very amazing pairing with the Hawks. They do respond truely sensitive to different amps. The better the more refined Sound could be squeezed out of this high class beauty

 

[overhaze]

Well I got my hybrid pads. Its one thing to read about it and quite another to actually hear it. How can a pair of headphones have both veiled treble and tones of treble detail? They are weird and I love it!

Also on amping. I've found the Hawks respond better to my Mayflower Arc than they do to my odac+O2 combo. I don't know if thats because of the the Arcs 0.096 ohms output impedance or the fact I have to use a galvanic isolator with the odac. Also for fun, if you engage the Arcs quite lovely bass boost the Hawks will blow the side of your head off.

 

[bjj51]

How would the nh's pair with an otl tube amp like the little dot mk iii?