[bugeyed]

 
Is that the Nighthawk Carbon? Because I compared Nightowl with Nighthawk Wood. Anyway, best soundstage I've heard on a closed can.

NH Wood & Nighthawk Carbon or the same. Purely cosmetic change. Carbon may be shipping with extra pads???
 
kev

 

[inthere]

  NH Wood & Nighthawk Carbon or the same. Purely cosmetic change. Carbon may be shipping with extra pads???
 
kev

 
Carbon is shipping with extra pads, but I haven't tried the microsuede/velours yet.

 

[K P K]

   
Carbon is shipping with extra pads, but I haven't tried the microsuede/velours yet.

 
Same here, but the NH Carbon's pleather pads are different from those coming with the NH Wood.

 

[inthere]

   
Same here, but the NH Carbon's pleather pads are different from those coming with the NH Wood.

 
I think that may be responsible for the soundstage/clarity improvements  I'm hearing, but I also think the old pads were more comfortable. 
 
The new pads are not uncomftortable, but i feel a lot more heat now.

 

[SearchOfSub]

I am a very big fan of both set of cans, but each has a different sound signature. It really depends on what music you are enjoying with each, so I am hesitant to publish an opinion.

NightHawks: have an amazing linearity and total lack of distortion - even when driving them to absurd volume levels. This is what I notice most when I come back to the 'Hawks after a break listening to my other 'phones.

They are maybe the most "speaker-like" 'phones I've personally experienced and for that attribute alone, I seriously love them. That is, nice sound stage with a presence that sounds like it's outside of your head; unlike the HD-650s (my all-time favorite headphone) where the soundstage is sort-of three blobs: center, left, right that sounds like it's right next to your head (because, well, it is).

What bothers me is the upper-bass / lower-mid bloom. With some music, it's painful and with other music it's magic. Some piano notes, in particular, are difficult to listen to with the 'Hawks. For example, Agnes Obel's poorly mixed "Citizen of Glass" is agony with these cans, but I've found that recording's emphasis on the lower-mid piano notes to be troublesome with many headphones.

With classic rock, however, the 'Hawks are my favorite cans. I've been listening to them today with the new HD Tracks release of the Best of the Grateful Dead and it's just musical and fun.

Sony MDR-Z7: the infamous "fart cannons"; that description isn't entirely wrong with some music, but with Electronica, EDM, Trip-Hop, it's magic - really. I find the bass really clean with music like Carl Finlow - best cans I have for that artist, which has punishing lower bass.

What I like the Z7s is the separation of instruments; so even when the bass seems excessive, somehow, the mids and high aren't masked or muddled. With some classical and some jazz, the Z7s are incredible, from a detail and staging perspective. There is some warmth missing, to be sure, but that's because I am used to my HD-650s with an OTL amp - where the mids are epic.

Don't know if any of that helps, as you haven't mentioned what music you like, but there it is... 

I was under the impression the Sony Z7's were tonally on the warm darkish side but I guess not! I am just gonna take a day off when Magnolia gets the NightOwl Carbon's in and listen to the Carbon's, Elear, Z7, and the Utopia and pick my next headpjone. I am in Los Angeles so very acccesible. Thanks for the impressions again!

 

[K P K]

   
I think that may be responsible for the soundstage/clarity improvements  I'm hearing, but I also think the old pads were more comfortable. 
 
The new pads are not uncomftortable, but i feel a lot more heat now.

 
I cannot second this. For me the pads are most comfortable. The longer I wear the headphone the less I feel it on my head/ears and I have not experienced any heat yet (longest uninterrupted hearing period was ~ 2 hours).

 

[inthere]

  I cannot second this. For me the pads are most comfortable. The longer I wear the headphone the less I "feel" it on my head/ears and I have not experienced any heat yet.

 
I'm only on my 1st day, maybe they soften up over time but right now the old pads feel more comfortable. Of course my old pads are well used and you may very well be spot on, only time will tell.

 

[K P K]

   
I'm only on my 1st day, maybe they soften up over time but right now the old pads feel more comfortable. Of course my old pads are well used and you may very well be spot on, only time will tell.

 
When I compare the NH Carbon with my old Senn (with quite soft velours pads) I can say that I have to readjust the Senns from time to time when I hear for a longer period. With the NH Carbon I nearly never have to readjust the position of the headphone. But maybe this has something to do with the different pressure on the ears

 

 

[inthere]

Well i'm just ecstatic that I now have a portable Nighthawk basically. My main concern was that the Nightowl's soundstage would feel closed in but I actually think it's improved on the original semi open Nighthawk.........maybe it's the pads

 

[Swolern]

   
I am a very big fan of both set of cans, but each has a different sound signature. It really depends on what music you are enjoying with each, so I am hesitant to publish an opinion.
 
NightHawks: have an amazing linearity and total lack of distortion - even when driving them to absurd volume levels. This is what I notice most when I come back to the 'Hawks after a break listening to my other 'phones.
 
They are maybe the most "speaker-like" 'phones I've personally experienced and for that attribute alone, I seriously love them. That is, nice sound stage with a presence that sounds like it's outside of your head; unlike the HD-650s (my all-time favorite headphone) where the soundstage is sort-of three blobs: center, left, right that sounds like it's right next to your head (because, well, it is).
 
What bothers me is the upper-bass / lower-mid bloom. With some music, it's painful and with other music it's magic. Some piano notes, in particular, are difficult to listen to with the 'Hawks. For example, Agnes Obel's poorly mixed "Citizen of Glass" is agony with these cans, but I've found that recording's emphasis on the lower-mid piano notes to be troublesome with many headphones.
 
With classic rock, however, the 'Hawks are my favorite cans. I've been listening to them today with the new HD Tracks release of the Best of the Grateful Dead and it's just musical and fun.
 
Sony MDR-Z7: the infamous "fart cannons"; that description isn't entirely wrong with some music, but with Electronica, EDM, Trip-Hop, it's magic - really. I find the bass really clean with music like Carl Finlow - best cans I have for that artist, which has punishing lower bass.
 
What I like the Z7s is the separation of instruments; so even when the bass seems excessive, somehow, the mids and high aren't masked or muddled. With some classical and some jazz, the Z7s are incredible, from a detail and staging perspective. There is some warmth missing, to be sure, but that's because I am used to my HD-650s with an OTL amp - where the mids are epic.
 
Don't know if any of that helps, as you haven't mentioned what music you like, but there it is... 

Thanks for the run down. I ordered the NH and classic rock is probably my most favorite genres to listen to. Cant wait.
 
Anyone try the Nighthawks with the new Schiit Fulla 2?

 

[mtoc]

  I think he's talking about the NH Carbon 

 
Nah, Nighthawk carbon is still Nighthawk. Like to see a grand and brand new design. Just take two steps forward. They can do that, I believe it.

 

[inthere]

 
Nah, Nighthawk carbon is still Nighthawk. Like to see a grand and brand new design. Just take two steps forward. They can do that, I believe it.

 
 Does it have to be a bird? Think they've run out of nocturnal birds:
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nocturnal_animals

 

[Soundizer]

A wish list idea is Nighthawk/Nightowl headphones with an integrated Audioquest Dragonfly Dac built into the headphone cable. Convenient and tiday. Maybe named 'Nighthawk Dragon, Nightowl Dragon', not sure about the name.

 

[Krutsch]

I was under the impression the Sony Z7's were tonally on the warm darkish side but I guess not! I am just gonna take a day off when Magnolia gets the NightOwl Carbon's in and listen to the Carbon's, Elear, Z7, and the Utopia and pick my next headpjone. I am in Los Angeles so very acccesible. Thanks for the impressions again!

 

 There is some warmth missing, to be sure, but that's because I am used to my HD-650s with an OTL amp - where the mids are epic.

 
When comparing headphones, IMO, it's valuable to describe the sound in comparison with one or more sets of cans. Many are familiar with the sound of the HD-650, so It's all relative. Overall, the Z7s are warm and a little dark, as you describe, but without the rich mid-range of the 650s.

 

[eyoon]

  NH Wood & Nighthawk Carbon or the same. Purely cosmetic change. Carbon may be shipping with extra pads???
 
kev

Carbon has different earpads and cables (in addition to the cosmetic change).. considering that they're going to sell the earpads and cables separately "soon", I would think that you're better off buying the wood since they're only ~$350 right now (unless you think they're unacceptably hideous).  Even if they charge ridiculous prices for the separate earpads & cable, it's unlikely that it'll bridge the $350 vs $700 gap.  The sound is supposed to be identical between the carbon and wood (aside from what the new pads do... and whatever the new cables might do).