[Quadfather]

I finially sold my Ether Flow open HP. Never really could into them.
NightHawk ruined it for me. I far preferred the NH.

Anyhow it has given me more time to play with the NH and tubes.
I've been playing around with tubes exclusively for NH and not trying to please
another HP. I'm lucky to own over 300 sets of tubes. Many different types.

Boy I have made the NH sing. Far different from what I have heard previously.
It's like a super charged NH.

I'm using Yggy DAC into Violectric V281 as a pre-amp / volume control into a Woo WA22.
Very special selection of tubes to elevate the NH. I'm getting a more holographic
Soundstage and boosted treble without loss of bass or other NH magic.
It is very adictive. NH really responds to tube rolling.

After selling the Ether Flows I will replace it with something else.
Likely Aeon Open.
I did get a pair of HD6xx as well. Wow these are over rated. What a terrible
Soundstage and presence. Signature is nice but that's it.
HD6xx is getting thrown to the kids to use. Utter rubbish.

I have some Audioquest Nighthawks that I just love out of my Sony player in balanced. But yet I love my AKG K812 just as much for different reasons out of my Questyle QPR1. I am about to try my Sennheiser HD650 on a Bottlehead Crack with the 1.1 Speedball upgrade. I think each headphone shines in different areas depending on the source. I was about to get rid of the QP1R when I found out how wonderfully it paired with the AKG headphones.

 

[earChasm]

I think each headphone shines in different areas depending on the source. I was about to get rid of the QP1R when I found out how wonderfully it paired with the AKG headphones.

So true. Yesterday, after listening to Pat Benatar on my HD800 (marvelous) I had a hunger for No Doubt. No doubt about it (pun), it sounded terrible on the Sennheiser but great on the Hawks. I like that, it reminds me why I have them both.

 

[Serre Dent]

Do you like more US than leather? Why?

Because the full leather pads are too bright for me. (they call them "boost pads" actually)

 

[Devodonaldson]

Because the full leather pads are too bright for me. (they call them "boost pads" actually)

Someone after my own heart(ears). I have the Nightowl Carbon as I needed closed for home use, but just could not get with the boost pads. I've been in love with nighthawk for years. 6 months ago, purchased a pair of original pads and I can't go back. Even when I try, it just doesn't sound natural to me. With the hybrid pads and a detailed, but mellow amp. (Cayin C5) the sound is somewhat cavernous in appearance, and I love it! Will certainly miss Skylar's presence in the headphone Dept at Audioquest

 

[Serre Dent]

I wonder how the original nighthawk cable compares to the carbon cable (with an, imo, unnecessary microphone...). Just curious...
Anyone has compared ?

 

[RiseFall123]

I tried the US pads two times and never liked and I am treble sensitive.

I will buy the hybrid one day.

 

[Devodonaldson]

I tried the US pads two times and never liked and I am treble sensitive.

I will buy the hybrid one day.

Hybrid pads = bass,mids from boost pads, treble from US pads, more cavernous presentation

 

[ted_b]

OK, so now I'm a little confused about the earpad options for the NH wood/originals. I bought a demo pair last month from Music Direct and they came with the stock hybrid pads (pleather with a small ring of velour/microsuede on the inner portion. I wanted to try the pleather ones so I ordered a pair from NewEgg ($49). I was not only looking forward to the treble boost "presence", but also the diamond L and R array on the grills (not a big deal but whatever).

Here is what came in the mail today....no diamond pattern, no printing at all, but leather inner ring. Anybody see this anomaly before (sorry I did a search but never found an answer)? No big deal, but worried they are some sort of copy.

 

[Devodonaldson]

OK, so now I'm a little confused about the earpad options for the NH wood/originals. I bought a demo pair last month from Music Direct and they came with the stock hybrid pads (pleather with a small ring of velour/microsuede on the inner portion. I wanted to try the pleather ones so I ordered a pair from NewEgg ($49). I was not only looking forward to the treble boost "presence", but also the diamond L and R array on the grills (not a big deal but whatever).

Here is what came in the mail today....no diamond pattern, no printing at all, but leather inner ring. Anybody see this anomaly before (sorry I did a search but never found an answer)? No big deal, but worried they are some sort of copy.

You ordered from Newegg. Those are very old stock. Real pads. There are a number of Nighthawk owners with those pads from Audioquest, but they were obtained very earlier in the lifespan. I believe a change was made to labeling the pads prior to Carbon headphones debut, but boost pads were already produc d without the labeling.

 

[ted_b]

Thanks. I may give them a quick listen then return them to Newegg (I was perusing Newegg when I saw them). I'll order the newer ones from Audio Advisor or another AQ dealer, as I'd rather have the newer stock. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Badas]

Thanks. I may give them a quick listen then return them to Newegg (I was perusing Newegg when I saw them). I'll order the newer ones from Audio Advisor or another AQ dealer, as I'd rather have the newer stock. Thanks for the heads up.

Mine were obtained early and don't have markings. Sound great tho.

 

[ted_b]

Yes, mine sound great too! I am keeping them. At the end of the day the L/R printing is somewhat irrelevant, and certainly no longer worth a return and rebuy. Net/net, the presence pads are, for my ears, a needed improvement. Thanks all who responded.

 

[Devodonaldson]

Yes, mine sound great too! I am keeping them. At the end of the day the L/R printing is somewhat irrelevant, and certainly no longer worth a return and rebuy. Net/net, the presence pads are, for my ears, a needed improvement. Thanks all who responded.

Honestly I think it's great that Audioquest offers three slightly different tuned pads for it's great headphones. We all hear a lil bit differently due to canal shape, etc. To some the boost pads sound a lil artificial, and kill the presentation. For others, they bring out the treble that some thought the hybrid pads we're seriously missing. For some the hybrid pads are unique and amazing. For others the US pads drop the mid bass and produce clear instrument and vocals where you get to hear every last bit in those upper mid frequencies. An amazing pair of headphones, the nighthawk/nightowl

 

[ninetylol]

Since i still want to try the Hybrid Pads on my Nightowl and those are nowhere available I was thinking on just buying the Nighthawks again, using those Hybrid Pads on the NO and using the Microsuede on the Nighthawk.

Can anyone tell me how the Microsuede Pads change sound on the Hawk? I did not like the bloated mid bass too much on the NH which is why i sold them, but mabye the Microsuede could actually fix that?

I think the NO and NH is so different that you could actually own both

 

[Devodonaldson]

Since i still want to try the Hybrid Pads on my Nightowl and those are nowhere available I was thinking on just buying the Nighthawks again, using those Hybrid Pads on the NO and using the Microsuede on the Nighthawk.

Can anyone tell me how the Microsuede Pads change sound on the Hawk? I did not like the bloated mid bass too much on the NH which is why i sold them, but mabye the Microsuede could actually fix that?

I think the NO and NH is so different that you could actually own both

Ordered my pads directly from Audioquest, via email. I emailed back and forth with a rep from there and that is how my transaction was processed. Try amejia@audioquest.com