AudioQuest NightHawk Impressions and Discussion Thread
Dec 25, 2017 at 7:36 AM Post #7,351 of 10,189
Do you mean the carbon with the hybrid?

Btw, thank for the opinion, i have a few of days to try them with my dacs and setup so still testing.
 
Dec 25, 2017 at 7:48 AM Post #7,352 of 10,189
NH wood (its just a carbon with different colours and pads) I am delighted with the brainwavz hybrid non angled hm5 pads. The AQ microsuedes I do enjoy also a lot for special missions .. more bass and far more recessed mids, mystic dark signature..club athmosphere ..fenomenal.
With bw hybrids the hawks are playing more open and in comparison to all others on the bright side (..if needed dame some treble with 1 layer of toiletpaper behind the pads).. still dark but a lot less compared to all aq pads. AQ hybrid pads (standard on the wood) are the darkest and bassiest of them all.
 
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Dec 25, 2017 at 7:53 AM Post #7,353 of 10,189
I have to remind myself that even the Mojo is still in break-in (maybe).

If you have a "minimum" of 24-hrs. of run time with the Mojo, it should be sufficiently broken in.
 
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Dec 25, 2017 at 7:57 AM Post #7,354 of 10,189
... haha not really! 200+ some patience needed.. anyway I had fun right from the start :wink:...uups I meant the Nighthawk. The Mojo sure is on top now
 
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Dec 25, 2017 at 9:47 AM Post #7,355 of 10,189
My very trivial issue with the NH is the poor comfort listening at them on the bed (90% of the time I spend with headphones i spend in the bedroom) the larger and deep pads give me pain on the pillow. :-D

That, sum to the fact that actually i feel them very close to the hd650 make me lean to return them.

Just initial thoughts yet.
 
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Dec 25, 2017 at 10:21 AM Post #7,356 of 10,189
To my ears, the E1-HD650 sound better. While the M-NHC seem more fun and "fast" the first is a more dynamic, neutral and "filling" combo. Also, but this is my personal issue, the NHC are not "pillow-friendly" to me. I mean, the pads on the AQ headphone are very large comparing to the HD650 and, in a bedroom bed listening, I have more pain listening to the AQ than the HD650 that are less large.

What I am thinking, but still testing, is that NHC and HD650 are not so different and using the latter with a good amp I have a more "neutral" presentation and more dynamic maybe less "engaging" but spending 600 euros to have almost the same quality of an headphone that I already own maybe is not a good point to me.

Weirdily, I am thinking to ending with Nighthawk sending back, Mojo as main dac in the speakers chain and Asus E1 in the bedroom as amplifier for my HD650.
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..no worry its just a matter of personal taste between these two..both are outstanding good phones. If you are in the mood again for Nhs you can get them used for 250++ (euros)
 
Dec 25, 2017 at 4:44 PM Post #7,357 of 10,189
Here again, reporting here in the NH thread and not in the NHC thread due to the fact that this thread is more "alive".

This morning I comparing the Mojo-NHC combo with the Asus E1-HD650 combo. It's not fair because the NHC are still in breakin, but since I am in the returing window I have to take a decision soon.

To my ears, the E1-HD650 sound better. While the M-NHC seem more fun and "fast" the first is a more dynamic, neutral and "filling" combo. Also, but this is my personal issue, the NHC are not "pillow-friendly" to me. I mean, the pads on the AQ headphone are very large comparing to the HD650 and, in a bedroom bed listening, I have more pain listening to the AQ than the HD650 that are less large.

What I am thinking, but still testing, is that NHC and HD650 are not so different and using the latter with a good amp I have a more "neutral" presentation and more dynamic maybe less "engaging" but spending 600 euros to have almost the same quality of an headphone that I already own maybe is not a good point to me.

Also, even if the Mojo is praised for it's presentation, I am starting to think that I appreciate more it for my main hifi chaing as dac while I am starting to apreciate more my desktop amp as dac/amp for headphones. That due to the fact that the Mojo soundstage is narrow and that I find it a little poor in dynamic (but correct).

Weirdily, I am thinking to ending with Nighthawk sending back, Mojo as main dac in the speakers chain and Asus E1 in the bedroom as amplifier for my HD650.

That's my thoughts for now, but I have more days for testing the NH and I have to remind myself that even the Mojo is still in break-in (maybe).
I respect your decision to use the line out dac on the Mojo, I've been doing that lately with active speakers and I have not one complaint when there is another amp taking control. Was thinking of getting an amp for my headphones too.

As for the HD650 and NH, I don't blame you for sending the NH back if you already have the HD650. Everything I searched confirms that these two headphones are equivalent, but NH has a lot of polarizing reviews while HD650 has a following and reputation.

I have only the original NH and I'm cool with these phones. I've wanted a HD6xx to try out or something to decide if I would want to keep one or not, only because I want to know if it really is more "neutral." If I can mix with it then I'm satisfied. (And the consensus seems to be that you can with the HD650)

From what I read people also mix with the NH and nothing becomes unbalanced, just wanted to ask/confirm here if that's the case for anyone who may have the experience.
 
Dec 25, 2017 at 7:01 PM Post #7,359 of 10,189
I've wanted a HD6xx to try out or something to decide if I would want to keep one or not, only because I want to know if it really is more "neutral." If I can mix with it then I'm satisfied. (And the consensus seems to be that you can with the HD650)

Amp them very good though.
 
Dec 27, 2017 at 12:18 AM Post #7,360 of 10,189
I took delivery of these NH phones and I've concluded they are not of this world. Aliens left us these headphones. They are not normal. They are far more advanced than normal headphones. I've never heard my music sound this good. The build, the bass, the mids, all of the details are there, and no fatigue to speak of. These headphones have effortless texture/weight for days, and layering.. Everything is there, and again no fatigue. Aliens... These are alien headphones.
 
Dec 27, 2017 at 2:29 AM Post #7,361 of 10,189
I took delivery of these NH phones and I've concluded they are not of this world. Aliens left us these headphones. They are not normal. They are far more advanced than normal headphones. I've never heard my music sound this good. The build, the bass, the mids, all of the details are there, and no fatigue to speak of. These headphones have effortless texture/weight for days, and layering.. Everything is there, and again no fatigue. Aliens... These are alien headphones.

Hahaha, I’ve never read such an entertainingly enthusiastic post. Enjoy your headphones. :)
 
Dec 27, 2017 at 3:24 AM Post #7,362 of 10,189
I took delivery of these NH phones and I've concluded they are not of this world. Aliens left us these headphones. They are not normal. They are far more advanced than normal headphones. I've never heard my music sound this good. The build, the bass, the mids, all of the details are there, and no fatigue to speak of. These headphones have effortless texture/weight for days, and layering.. Everything is there, and again no fatigue. Aliens... These are alien headphones.
Yes they are, they even smell like alien fart...:thinking:
 
Dec 28, 2017 at 2:13 PM Post #7,364 of 10,189
After selling my Nighthawks about 6 months ago, i just purchased the Nightowls. Ive read a lot of info, that the stuff that made me sell my NHs was fixed with the NOs (especially that lower mid bump). Im currently using the Fidelio X2 which i love but i just missed that smoothness the NHs had. Really hope I will be happy with the Owls. Can anyone compare to the X2?
 
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Dec 28, 2017 at 3:13 PM Post #7,365 of 10,189
I own AKG K812, Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7, Shure SRH1540, Sennheiser HD650, and Audioquest Nighthawks. The Nighthawks are the absolute best sounding headphones on my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana...and it's not even close.
The Sennheiser HD650 isn't burned in yet.
 
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