[oddidude]

Has anyone here tried the Nighthawks with the Toxic Cables silver poison silver/gold cable? I'm thinking about getting it as a balanced cable

 

[nwavesailor]

  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).

 
Yep, a real deal at $350................... plus you get the classic 'woody' look with the original NH!

 

[tunes]

Has anyone found a replacement SE cable at any price that would really noticeably improve the treble clarity and detail for the NightHawks? Overall I think they are great for the price but comparing to other TOTL headphones like Grado GS 1000 or HE 1000, they sound muffled and lack detail and shimmer at the top. I know some have said this improves with burn in but have had mine on a continuous loop CD player for 1 week 24/7 without major differences to my ears.

 

[MattTCG]

Has anyone found a replacement SE cable at any price that would really noticeably improve the treble clarity and detail for the NightHawks? Overall I think they are great for the price but comparing to other TOTL headphones like Grado GS 1000 or HE 1000, they sound muffled and lack detail and shimmer at the top. I know some have said this improves with burn in but have had mine on a continuous loop CD player for 1 week 24/7 without major differences to my ears.

 
Most people here are okay with the treble response on the NH. It kinda fits the house sound I think that AQ is going after. But to answer your question, the best way to get more treble/clarity in that region is to cut/EQ the bass. The best way to do this is simply to use a good EQ (parametric) to do this. Some people get frustrated with EQ and it's certainly not always "a piece of cake" to get it right. 
 
Maybe the simplest answer for you is to try the new velour pads, as they become available. The new pads will effectively serve as a form of hardware EQ and cut the bass for you and will be done on Audioquest's term and tuning practices. Good luck...

 

[bavinck]

Has anyone found a replacement SE cable at any price that would really noticeably improve the treble clarity and detail for the NightHawks? Overall I think they are great for the price but comparing to other TOTL headphones like Grado GS 1000 or HE 1000, they sound muffled and lack detail and shimmer at the top. I know some have said this improves with burn in but have had mine on a continuous loop CD player for 1 week 24/7 without major differences to my ears.

Sounds like the NightHawk tuning is not for you.

 

[Swolern]

Sounds like the NightHawk tuning is not for you.

Agreed, especially if he favors the GS1000.

 

[betula]

Has anyone found a replacement SE cable at any price that would really noticeably improve the treble clarity and detail for the NightHawks? Overall I think they are great for the price but comparing to other TOTL headphones like Grado GS 1000 or HE 1000, they sound muffled and lack detail and shimmer at the top. I know some have said this improves with burn in but have had mine on a continuous loop CD player for 1 week 24/7 without major differences to my ears.

I find what AQ says regarding NH's treble to be true. Most of the headphones out there have an unnatural treble exaggeration/sparkle, which gives you the false impression of more details. AQ's approach to treble is different. NH has got a very natural speaker-like/life-like treble. It is also very detailed. Give some time to your brain/ears to adapt to this new kind of treble from a headphone. Listen to NH exclusively for a few days. After getting used to NH's smooth and natural treble I find the highs on many other headphones sharp and unnatural. (A better DAC is essential though. Out of a phone I don't find NH as impressive as it can be with better source.)

 

[Soundizer]

Has anyone found a replacement SE cable at any price that would really noticeably improve the treble clarity and detail for the NightHawks? Overall I think they are great for the price but comparing to other TOTL headphones like Grado GS 1000 or HE 1000, they sound muffled and lack detail and shimmer at the top. I know some have said this improves with burn in but have had mine on a continuous loop CD player for 1 week 24/7 without major differences to my ears.

I find what AQ says regarding NH's treble to be true. Most of the headphones out there have an unnatural treble exaggeration/sparkle, which gives you the false impression of more details. AQ's approach to treble is different. NH has got a very natural speaker-like/life-like treble. It is also very detailed. Give some time to your brain/ears to adapt to this new kind of treble from a headphone. Listen to NH exclusively for a few days. After getting used to NH's smooth and natural treble I find the highs on many other headphones sharp and unnatural. (A better DAC is essential though. Out of a phone I don't find NH as impressive as it can be with better source.)

100 percent agree with you.

 

[inthere]

I find what AQ says regarding NH's treble to be true. Most of the headphones out there have an unnatural treble exaggeration/sparkle, which gives you the false impression of more details. AQ's approach to treble is different. NH has got a very natural speaker-like/life-like treble. It is also very detailed. Give some time to your brain/ears to adapt to this new kind of treble from a headphone. Listen to NH exclusively for a few days. After getting used to NH's smooth and natural treble I find the highs on many other headphones sharp and unnatural. (A better DAC is essential though. Out of a phone I don't find NH as impressive as it can be with better source.)

 
 Agree. 
 
  I'm not missing any detail at all, it's just that the detail doesn't have edges on it and scraping my ear drums with the extra treble.

 

[Madmollusk]

I find what AQ says regarding NH's treble to be true. Most of the headphones out there have an unnatural treble exaggeration/sparkle, which gives you the false impression of more details. AQ's approach to treble is different. NH has got a very natural speaker-like/life-like treble. It is also very detailed. Give some time to your brain/ears to adapt to this new kind of treble from a headphone. Listen to NH exclusively for a few days. After getting used to NH's smooth and natural treble I find the highs on many other headphones sharp and unnatural. (A better DAC is essential though. Out of a phone I don't find NH as impressive as it can be with better source.)

Good advice. This period of Nighthawk exclusivity should allow new listeners time to adjust to the Nighthawk's “relaxed” tuning. The difference between the Nighthawk and brighter headphones can be stark. They truly buck the trend in headphone tuning, which at present favors bright, sparkly, analytical, or hyper-detailed sound-signatures. But if new listeners spend just a few days listening solely to the Nighthawk, what initially may sound lackluster, should soon sound organic and natural. And if (mark the “if”) the new listener acclimates to the Nighthawk's unique sound signature, most brighter headphones will thereafter sound off. The Beyerdynamic T1 (first generation), for example, sounds painfully, perversely bright to me now.
 
In a way, the Nighthawk makes a bold, philosophical statement regarding headphone tuning; they seem to say: “You don't need an elevated treble response in order to appreciate the more nuanced aspects of music.” And I like this. A lot. True, I think the Nighthawk slightly misses the mark with its upper mid-range, but I suspect that the forthcoming boost pads will perfectly resolve this problem.

 

[bugeyed]

   
Most people here are okay with the treble response on the NH. It kinda fits the house sound I think that AQ is going after. But to answer your question, the best way to get more treble/clarity in that region is to cut/EQ the bass. The best way to do this is simply to use a good EQ (parametric) to do this. Some people get frustrated with EQ and it's certainly not always "a piece of cake" to get it right. 
 
Maybe the simplest answer for you is to try the new velour pads, as they become available. The new pads will effectively serve as a form of hardware EQ and cut the bass for you and will be done on Audioquest's term and tuning practices. Good luck...

Are there any Hi Res DAPs  that offer EQ for HiRes files? My DX80 does not. I think 44.1/16 is the max for EQ. 

 

[MattTCG]

Many of the AK daps offer more "airy" treble but I don't think that you'll get what you're looking for there. Pads and EQ are my suggestions. 

 

[nwavesailor]

  Many of the AK daps offer more "airy" treble but I don't think that you'll get what you're looking for there. Pads and EQ are my suggestions. 

What is an 'AK' DAP?

 

[MattTCG]

^^ Yes, Astell and Kern. 

 

[nwavesailor]

  ^^ Yes, Astell and Kern. 

Got ya!
 
Thanks, Matt