[Gaikotsu]

  Amplification is DragonFly Red ... it doesn't look like amping issue. Any one experienced AQ NH with rock and EDM? Is everything ok?
 

Actually, I can speak to this.  I use the DragonFly Red and the NH. I have not been able to confirm my theory, but here's what I have found. The DragonFly red intermittently produces rich, punchy, clean mid bass like those from kick drums and sometimes it does not. I have narrowed the scope to the device delivering the music. Somehow, and in some way, the Micro USB port is shifting between low-power saving (3.3v) and full 5v power. I have also seen this happen on the PC when connected. In both instances, I have to hard boot to resolve the issue. The DragonFly Red is sensitive to power, is my best guess for now. I am not sure how to frame my question to AQ to find out how the Dragonfly red responds to any change in power output by USB.

In regards to amplification, the Dragonfly is SS and plugging it into a headphone amp makes  HUGE LEAP in audio quality. So its 2.1 volts is enough to get the NHs to function as a reasonable level. However, once that signal is amped by a standalone amp...it powers the NHs in a much more robust way that the Dragonfly by itself cannot.

Just my 2 cents

 

[inthere]

Well, the Nighthawk has failed the basshead test over on the basshead thread and didn't make the list. 
 
The HD 650 doesn't have a mid bass bump.
 
The Nighthawk doesn't have a "screwy tonal balance" and the bass isn't bloated. 
 
 I would strongly suggest against looking at graphs. No one has solved it yet and there are always variables that get missed, namely different sources, amps, DACs, etc. 
 
 As a music professional I haven't yet found a graph based measurement system I trust yet.  Every time i see the word "curve" I say "here we go again!" They're still working on it though! I think the last Harmon Curve revision was in 2014, so maybe a new one comes soon, there seems to be a lot more debate about it lately. Warren Tenbrook found that manufacturers using the present Harmon Curve would result in a headphone that was tuned bright and light on the bass, and Audioquest found out the same thing. 
 
 I own at least 10 high end headphones that fit into that category. The Nighthawk isn't one of them.

 

[EdwardPL]

The HD650 is famous for it's mid bass hump that goes into the lower mids to give it that lush presentation. The NH didn't fail the bass head test what you talking about, I'm always on the thread looking since I am a part time basshead LOL but sure it's not in the category as something like an XB500 which as silly bass but it's at least an audiophile basshead headphone. 
 
 
I would also trust the ears of the guy who wrote that over most on here and he has become well known for his accurate measurements. It's extremely ignorant to just tell people not to look at graphs, they are telling you what is going on in a headphone and whether your ears can pick out these differences is completely personal. I agree with the screwy FR comment and that's what I like about them, they are mental headphones but I like different. Bio-cellulose headphone have always had this type of strange, impactful bassy character and I love that.
 
I respect your decision to not follow graphs, that's a personal choice but graphs have been very valuable to the headphone world and to not see that isn't good. Personally I read graphs to see where's what, sometimes I'll hear things in a headphone then look at a graph. When I first heard the NH there was a lot going on like rough treble, pushed back upper mids and lots of bass and I wanted to confirm that and when all the measurements popped up it was very handy. I don't think a graph should tell you if you enjoy a headphone though that's different. 
 
Inthere you are confusing the Harmon curve with something else, the HM target curve is bassy, downward slope to the treble, like the NAD HP50. The NH isn't that much different from the HTC. I think the NH's response should of been placed in an open enclosure, I've always thought that. We now live in a time where it's possible to be open dynamic with low distortion and fairly linear bass extension in the lows.
 
I do think the NH is an acquired taste and I love it!

 

[6a6uH BHyK]

  Actually, I can speak to this.  I use the DragonFly Red and the NH. I have not been able to confirm my theory, but here's what I have found. The DragonFly red intermittently produces rich, punchy, clean mid bass like those from kick drums and sometimes it does not. I have narrowed the scope to the device delivering the music. Somehow, and in some way, the Micro USB port is shifting between low-power saving (3.3v) and full 5v power. I have also seen this happen on the PC when connected. In both instances, I have to hard boot to resolve the issue. The DragonFly Red is sensitive to power, is my best guess for now. I am not sure how to frame my question to AQ to find out how the Dragonfly red responds to any change in power output by USB.

In regards to amplification, the Dragonfly is SS and plugging it into a headphone amp makes  HUGE LEAP in audio quality. So its 2.1 volts is enough to get the NHs to function as a reasonable level. However, once that signal is amped by a standalone amp...it powers the NHs in a much more robust way that the Dragonfly by itself cannot.

Just my 2 cents

That's reasonable, but in my case I use DragonFly DACs with JitterBug plugged to the Mac book USB, haven't try it with mobile. At this moment I'm owing DragonFly Red, Black and old 1.2 version. After switching from Red to 1.2 or Black version, it appears that NH start sounding a bit more tighter and punchier ... Clearly hearable at drums - strange ... maybe this all about a smooth signature of DragonFly Red ... 

 

[Gaikotsu]

 
That's reasonable, but in my case I use DragonFly DACs with JitterBug plugged to the Mac book USB, haven't try it with mobile. At this moment I'm owing DragonFly Red, Black and old 1.2 version. After switching from Red to 1.2 or Black version, it appears that NH start sounding a bit more tighter and punchier ... Clearly hearable at drums - strange ... maybe this all about a smooth signature of DragonFly Red ... 

Interesting.I also use the Jitterbug. The only thing I hadn't tried was taking the Jitterbug out of the equation. o__O
 

 

[orudne]

The ifi nano LE arrived today and im listening to "The M Machine's" newest album which just released today. Amazing!!! Hard to say so early, but imo the synergy with the Nighthawks is better then the Mojo.

Cool, i hope you enjoy it for a long time!

Even when i upgrade i'll keep it, because it's such a handy tool.

 

[orudne]

I'm jealous. I have never been able to get any headphone to image anything in front of me. Center images are always above me at best. Maybe it's from many years of listening to properly set up speakers & my brain being accustomed to having the soundstage out front.

kev

I don't have this with many headphones. (My Sony e.g. plays completely in my head. Feels more like mono
And the soundstage is much smaller, compared to a hi-fi speaker set with a good amp.
But for a headphone it's great.

 Whats interesting - at this moment I'm owing DragonFly Red, Black and old 1.2 version. After switching from Red to 1.2 or Black version, it appears that NH start sounding a bit more tighter and punchier ... strange ... maybe this all about a smooth signature of DragonFly Red? Anyone experienced similar?    

Just a theory, but the DragonFly Red delivers 2.1 V and has a digital volume adjustment, the Black something around 1.2 V with an analogue volume adjustment. (don't nail me down on the numbers)
Maybe the Red is in a range to low to perform (the NHs are quite easy to drive) and the power of the Black is fitting better to the load of the NH?!

 

[Gaikotsu]

  Well, the Nighthawk has failed the basshead test over on the basshead thread and didn't make the list. 
 
The HD 650 doesn't have a mid bass bump.
 
The Nighthawk doesn't have a "screwy tonal balance" and the bass isn't bloated. 
 
 I would strongly suggest against looking at graphs. No one has solved it yet and there are always variables that get missed, namely different sources, amps, DACs, etc. 
 
 As a music professional I haven't yet found a graph based measurement system I trust yet.  Every time i see the word "curve" I say "here we go again!" They're still working on it though! I think the last Harmon Curve revision was in 2014, so maybe a new one comes soon, there seems to be a lot more debate about it lately. Warren Tenbrook found that manufacturers using the present Harmon Curve would result in a headphone that was tuned bright and light on the bass, and Audioquest found out the same thing. 
 
 I own at least 10 high end headphones that fit into that category. The Nighthawk isn't one of them.

I am personally having a hard time with comparisons of what the NH's can and cannot do. I am slowly discovering that it has more to do with what equipment you have it attached to rather than the cans themselves. However, I will admit that I do not have any experience with other audiophile headphones.  So for me, the NHs are the upper echelon I have experience with.

For example, the headphone amp I am using has tubes for pre-amp.  I rolled the stock tubes for a pair of matched 1970 Ameperx 6688s and the sound quality changed in ways that seemed contrary to the sound profiles stated here. Then I rolled those tubes for a pair of date matched Mullard E180Fs from 1967 and the now the sound is beyond anything listed here.  I sense ZERO drop in mid-treble. In fact, I think the sound is overly detailed and treble heavy...which seems to directly conflict with what is largely considered to be a mid-range and bass hefty pair of cans.  

My take thus far is that the NHs are very transparent and don't amp or dampen the sound in any category.  They just reproduce whatever they get.  Honestly, how do you engineer a driver to purposely roll off 3Kh and then leap up higher after that frequency range without any active circuitry controlling the frequency? 

 

[Anatidae]

  Honestly, how do you engineer a driver to purposely roll off 3Kh and then leap up higher after that frequency range without any active circuitry controlling the frequency? 

 
Different earcup housing materials, different damping materials, Helmhotz resonator...basically what every engineer is doing when they make a pair of headphones?
 
Transducer >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Amp > DAC.
 
Headphones ARE purposely tuned that way though.

 

[Gaikotsu]

   
Different earcup housing materials, different damping materials, Helmhotz resonator...basically what every engineer is doing when they make a pair of headphones?
 
Transducer >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Amp > DAC.
 
Headphones ARE purposely tuned that way though.

I understand that, to a degree.  Obviously, if you cover the driver with any material the sound waves have to penetrate it or disperse when it hits it. I suppose I should narrow my question to, how to do you pick such a small frequency range of 3Kh and roll just that off. If you have damping materials then they must be active during all ranges of movement, not just a vibration peak of 3Kh. If it did, it should adversely affect ranges above 3Kh, but instead they increase. It's weird to me.  Which is understandable since I come from the floor standing speaker world.

 

[Anatidae]

  I understand that, to a degree.  Obviously, if you cover the driver with any material the sound waves have to penetrate it or disperse when it hits it. I suppose I should narrow my question to, how to do you pick such a small frequency range of 3Kh and roll just that off. If you have damping materials then they must be active during all ranges of movement, not just a vibration peak of 3Kh. If it did, it should adversely affect ranges above 3Kh, but instead they increase. It's weird to me.  Which is understandable since I come from the floor standing speaker world.

Ahh ok I understand you now...read into Helmhotz resonator. That's how they managed to tame the infamous 8khz peak on the HD800 without negatively affecting the other frequencies.

 

[EdwardPL]

I sent a reply to a PM and the 2nd part was mainly about the NH, I will share that here as I thought it would be fitting for the thread. 
 
 
"
I do find the NH to have a bit of a character to it,has a bit of an inherent warmth to it I think a lot of people have problems with it because of it's tone which I love. I'm speculating of course, most of my post have been either my own experience or speculation.
 
Another theory I have is most recordings are meant to be played on speakers, well pretty much all of them. Audioquest clearly went for a speaker sound and openly admitted it, I'm also wondering if a speaker presentation in a headphone is causing the "Issues" people complain about. A speaker presentation may not be right for how we know headphones and due to our ears, could cause problems. Most headphones have to take that in to account, the way sound hits our ears but going the speaker route in a headphones design is going to have different effects. The bass has a very speaker like affect, the bloom, expansion, depth with the low distortion, speed and texture of a hifi headphone. 
 
 
I was a big speaker fan growing up which is prob why I love the NH so much but hear these "flaws" because I'm hearing it in a headphone"
 
 
 
Either way, love it, hate it, or simply like it the NH is IMO the most controversial headphone in a long time and it's caused arguments, sharing of passion and interesting discussions. 

 

[SkylarGray]

For those asking about our Perch headphone stand, it is now available for U.S. residents here:
 
shop.audioquest.com
 
If you are outside of the U.S., Perch will start to become available over the next one to two weeks from authorized AudioQuest dealers worldwide.
 
More info in this thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/838111/audioquest-perch-headphone-stand-available-now
 

 

 

[boerps]

Hi,
 
could someone tell me how the AudioquestNighthawk compare to the Oppo PM-3?
I currently have the Nighthawk for testing and like them. However, from what I've briefly read about the PM3 they have a more relaxed treble which is one of the main reason I tried the Nighthhawk in the first place. The problem is I live in europe so it is kind of difficult to try the PM-3, at the very least amazon doesn't offer them.
 
So what would you say generally: Nighthawk or Oppo PM-3? And why?

 

[6a6uH BHyK]

  Hi,
 
could someone tell me how the AudioquestNighthawk compare to the Oppo PM-3?
I currently have the Nighthawk for testing and like them. However, from what I've briefly read about the PM3 they have a more relaxed treble which is one of the main reason I tried the Nighthhawk in the first place. The problem is I live in europe so it is kind of difficult to try the PM-3, at the very least amazon doesn't offer them.
 
So what would you say generally: Nighthawk or Oppo PM-3? And why?

If You don't need a closed cans, I'm 100% You have to go with NightHawks! It's much more comfortable and open sounding compare to Oppo PM-3. Both headphones are warm, maybe PM-3 has a tad tighter bass response, but with new configurable AudioQuest pads You could play with NH sound signature, while there is no possibility to replace pads on PM-3. I'm using my NH ~ 5 hrs. every evening and haven't noticed any discomfort or fatigue yet, not sure whether PM-3 will give You same experience.

Treble on original NH became smoother after 150 hrs. burning time.