[nwavesailor]

  I recommend that you temporarily abandon the A/B comparisons. Comparisons of this sort tend to hyper-accentuate the differences between headphones, complicating and sometimes outright thwarting your ability to acclimate to a new sound signature. After a sufficient amount of burn-in, try devoting a full week to the Nighthawk. Listen to them exclusively, and by the end of the week, you'll have little to no doubt. Either you'll love the Nighthawk (as I do), or you'll find them off-putting, in which case, you can and should return them for a full refund. Either way, you will have given the Nighthawk a fair shake, and what's more, you will have learned something important about your preferences. Good luck and happy listening!
 

 
Thanks for the suggestion, Madmollusk!
 
If I remove the cable from the HE400S and put it back in it's case, I MIGHT be able to just let the NH burn in w/o non stop comparisons between the 2 hp.
 
Yes, I do have 30 days to make a final decision and I'm only on day 3.

 

[Bern2]

  I've seriously added and removed the NH from my cart at least 3 times today. So close to pulling the trigger but I am unable to audition them and the feedback is so polarizing. Although there has been a recent surge of praise, especially with the discount...

I bought a second pair a few weeks back....love the wood look and will probably get the NightOwl as well.  (at least eventually).  I could not audition them either...but very glad I took the chance.  Thinking of sending my 1st pair to sonarworks to get calibrated after the New Year to see if I can squeeze any extra goodness out of them.  Super comfy and they EQ very well, IMO.  These cans have the ability to go really low as well.  I'm not sure I believed in burn-in of any sorts...but these proved me wrong.  I think most people give up on them too early...glad I didn't.  I alter between these and the HD800 (with sonarworks).  Just got a B&W P7 wireless for on the go.  Driven by a HP Probook dedicated to audio only...then to Teac HA-501.
 
Bern

 

[K P K]

  Incredibly bad PR move for a audio cable company not to have immediately and comprehensively addressed shoddy cables on these headphones once the issue surfaced. It boggles the mind that they continue to sell them, more than a year after release, with the same problem. People who bought these phones recently are still having their cables break on them.
 
It is no less comical than if a tire company called AutomobileQuest were to manufacture an automobile for the first time, and .... a large number of the AutomobileQuest RoadChicken cars suffered flat tires on the way home from the dealership.
 
Not only did AudioQuest perform a disservice to their customers by not fixing their cables, they shot themselves in the foot with their penny pinching ways. No doubt that a few fanboys in this thread will deflect and minimize the problem, and they may even be right that the headphones are superb and everyone else is missing out. Even so, the reality is that at least within the headphone world, this is catastrophically bad PR. Too bad, because it could easily have been handled to everyone's benefit and satisfaction. Now, there are many people who won't go near them for the simple reason that an audio company that has specialized in cables for decades screwed up so badly their metier. Why should they? There are many other capable contenders at this very crowded and competitive price point

 
 
I'm sorry to say that, but I second ns6490's statement completely.
If there weren't these issues, I already would have purchased the NH after hearing them at my dealer.
I appreciate what Mr. Skylar Gray told us about stress tests done before marketing the NHs. Obviously these tests were not done with the thick cable or during the tests cables different from those for the public marked were used. I'm only a customer and I am not able to identify what is simply PR speach and what has really been done. When I spend 500 € or more for a headphone I want to be sure that all parts of the phone (including the cable) are durable for a long time. If I have my doubts, I will refrain from purchase.

 

[betula]

  I may need to be talked off the ledge as I am in the midst of burn in and getting antsy while I rack up hours.
 
I have been doing a bit of A/B listening with the new (only 42 hours of burn -in) NH and my HE400S. I know the 400S 'sound' very well and have been comparing tracks between the 2 hp. Right now, WELL short of the magic 150 hours, I prefer the 400S.
 
I am hoping the NH really open up when they have a full 150 hours on them!
 
I absolutely love the comfort and look of the NH and am hoping by Tuesday night / Wednesday, and 150 hours, I will prefer their sound. I suppose time will tell.

 NH and 400s have two very different characteristics. 400s is very clean sounding, with impressive quality in the mids. I did find it lacks bass however, and sounded a bit thin to me. (Stock pads are rubbish IMO, but even with HM5 pads I was not convinced. (Of course, it matters a lot, what music you listen to. For classical the 400s was quite nice.)
 As others said, I would highly recommend not to form opinion before you reach the magical 150 hrs, and I also second Madmollusk's advice to stop A/B testing for a while. A/B testing won't let your brain to adjust to NH unique sound representation. After burn in time give a few days/week to NH exclusively, and then go back to 400s and let us know what you think.
Happy listening!

 

[Bern2]

   
 
When I spend 500 € or more for a headphone I want to be sure that all parts of the phone (including the cable) are durable for a long time. If I have my doubts, I will refrain from purchase.

You have a very valid point.  The main reason I have stayed away from Audeze.
 
Bern

 

[Nitreb]

 

   
 
When I spend 500 € or more for a headphone I want to be sure that all parts of the phone (including the cable) are durable for a long time. If I have my doubts, I will refrain from purchase.

You have a very valid point.  The main reason I have stayed away from Audeze.
 
Bern

I have both the NH and the LCD-XC and I have no problem with either the headphones or the cables. Makes me wonder how the people use their cables...

 

[ericp10]

Well, I couldn't resist any longer. I have to see what this NH magic is all about. I should know Monday (well, after an extensive burn-in anyways). 

 

[bavinck]

Well, I couldn't resist any longer. I have to see what this NH magic is all about. I should know Monday (well, after an extensive burn-in anyways). 

Congrats and welcome to the club!

 

[audi0nick128]

Well concerning the cable situation I have to say, that I knew about potential issues with the solid conductor cable, before I bought the Nighthawks.

Don't know where it was, but I read that the second cable was added, because the solid conductor cable didn't pass the stress test.
So the way I see it the solid conductor cable is a bonus... since you still got another cable, which did pass the stress test.

That being said I still bought a nice aftermarket cable and am real happy with it.
Plan on doing some back to back listening against the stock cable and will report in detail how the Forza Noir Hybrid compares to stock cable.

Cheers

 

[ericp10]

Congrats and welcome to the club!

 

 

[mochill]

Congrats ericp10

 

[bavinck]

Congrats ericp10

What kind of eq do you use on your nighthawks? I assume you boost subbass?

 

[nwavesailor]

 
 NH and 400s have two very different characteristics. 400s is very clean sounding, with impressive quality in the mids. I did find it lacks bass however, and sounded a bit thin to me. (Stock pads are rubbish IMO, but even with HM5 pads I was not convinced. (Of course, it matters a lot, what music you listen to. For classical the 400s was quite nice.)
 As others said, I would highly recommend not to form opinion before you reach the magical 150 hrs, and I also second Madmollusk's advice to stop A/B testing for a while. A/B testing won't let your brain to adjust to NH unique sound representation. After burn in time give a few days/week to NH exclusively, and then go back to 400s and let us know what you think.
Happy listening!

Thanks, betula. I do expect the NH to be somewhat different............. If not, why try another hp!
You appraisal of the 400S as "very clean sounding, with impressive quality in the mids" may be what I find enjoyable in those hp. I agree that the 400S may not go as low as some would like even with the Brainwavz pads. I suppose I will see, in time, if that is what I may find missing or want to hear in the NH.   Having read many posts / reviews, the common theme seems to be that the NH don't over emphasize any region of the audio spectrum, low, mid or high.
 
Only at 60+ hours at this point. I should hit the 150 mark in a few more days and then give them a proper audition w/o doing the A/B thing!

 

[punkhouse]

Hey all. Any recommendations on aftermarket cables for the 'hawks?

 

[bavinck]

Hey all. Any recommendations on aftermarket cables for the 'hawks?

I like copper litz. Got one from Impact Audio that is nice.