[Loquah]

I own the Nightowl and i gotta say the Dragonfly Red with the NO is a really good pairing. I think you get 99% of the performance of a 1000€+ amp setup.

Have to agree! The DFR is hard to beat

 

[Devodonaldson]

Ha, good to know the hybrids are what the originals are. I might give the boost pads a try. Suede seems a bit unappealing as I do enjoy the bass these headphones put out.

Boost pads do increase the treble, but the open/holographic sound signature of the hybrid pads gets subdued.

 

[RiseFall123]

Boost pads do increase the treble

Somebody says also the bass is increased.

I need an advice or better an opinion for the NightHawks owners. I own also the famous HD 650 and after I tried for many weeks the Nighthawks, I cannot go back to listen the HD 650 with pleasure. At the first, I like the more open mids of the 650 and a more "correct" image. But after some minutes I need to back to the Hawks because I miss their... "fun".

Somebody here "feel" the same?

 

[Larryp12]

I have the same problem. I have to force myself to use HD 650 and other headphones.

 

[RiseFall123]

HD 650

Also, I find the 650 very bad confortable for my jaws but in the past I never noticed it so much.

 

[Badas]

Somebody says also the bass is increased.

I need an advice or better an opinion for the NightHawks owners. I own also the famous HD 650 and after I tried for many weeks the Nighthawks, I cannot go back to listen the HD 650 with pleasure. At the first, I like the more open mids of the 650 and a more "correct" image. But after some minutes I need to back to the Hawks because I miss their... "fun".

Somebody here "feel" the same?

I came from the other way. I started with the Hawks and tried HD650 out of curiosity.

I thought the HD650's were rubbish. Such a narrow soundfield.
Signature was fine/great.

I'm playing around with the Aeon Open at the moment. I think it is a NightHawk beater.

 

[RiseFall123]

Aeon Open

They should be comfortable for bed listening due to its shape (could you try?) and very sensitive.

They are bright warm or neutral? Any harsh or sibilance?

 

[Badas]

They should be comfortable for bed listening due to its shape (could you try?) and very sensitive.

They are bright warm or neutral? Any harsh or sibilance?

They require about double the power of the Hawks. Very comfortable.

They are a warm tint (lush) with more treble detail than the Hawks. I haven't heard sibilance however I have a very clean/clear DAC.
Soundstage is pleasing and similar to the Hawks.
Tuning pads are a real good idea and change the sound.

I have picked up some distortion on the Hawks which are not on the Aeon's.

 

[ted_b]

Is the Aeon Open a fair fight? $800 cans vs $259? Or are you comparing to Carbons (which are, IMO, not worth 3x the wood ones)?

 

[Devodonaldson]

Is the Aeon Open a fair fight? $800 cans vs $259? Or are you comparing to Carbons (which are, IMO, not worth 3x the wood ones)?

It is a fair fight because Nighthawk aren't $259 cans. Only reason they are this price is because the Carbon came out. Same headphone with new paint job, cable, and different pads. This is really a $800 vs $700 battle. Tried they Aeon. Yes more treble detail, but I love the uniqueness of the Nighthawk/Nightowl with hybrid pads.

 

[Devodonaldson]

Somebody says also the bass is increased.

I need an advice or better an opinion for the NightHawks owners. I own also the famous HD 650 and after I tried for many weeks the Nighthawks, I cannot go back to listen the HD 650 with pleasure. At the first, I like the more open mids of the 650 and a more "correct" image. But after some minutes I need to back to the Hawks because I miss their... "fun".

Somebody here "feel" the same?

Boost pads do not increase the bass compar d to the hybrid pads.best way to put it, consider the hybrid pads the norm. US pads reduce mid bass, boost pads raise treble. Bass of hybrid and boost pads are the same, but with extra treble, and less holographic sound coming from the Boost pads. Not a huge difference, but noticeable, and IMO, instruments and vocals sound more natural/accurate on the hybrid pads.

 

[Badas]

It is a fair fight because Nighthawk aren't $259 cans. Only reason they are this price is because the Carbon came out. Same headphone with new paint job, cable, and different pads. This is really a $800 vs $700 battle. Tried they Aeon. Yes more treble detail, but I love the uniqueness of the Nighthawk/Nightowl with hybrid pads.

Agreed. It is a fair battle. Similar pricing.

There was no clear winner. I wasn't looking for a Hawk replacement.
Rather a Hawk complimentary.
I get that with the Aeon.
The Hawks are going nowhere. They still have a place in my system.
If some recording is overly bright and badly recorded I will be reaching
for the Hawks.

 

[.Sup]

Does anyone have a balanced Audioquest cable that he/she would trade for a(the) new (has a few hours on) short cable with remote? I have a balanced portable player and have never tried balanced before.

 

[RiseFall123]

I'm playing around with the Aeon Open at the moment. I think it is a NightHawk beater.

Just using the afo filters doesn’t do the trick?

Instead, I sent back my NHC and bought the AFO. Hope I did the right thing but I cannot use multiple headphones I usually stick to one and only.

 

[Badas]

Just using the afo filters doesn’t do the trick?

Instead, I sent back my NHC and bought the AFO. Hope I did the right thing but I cannot use multiple headphones I usually stick to one and only.

I’ve had the AFO for a few weeks now. I done over 50 hours so it should be mainly burned in.

Here is my impression compared to the NH.

Similarities: Similar soundstage and presentation to NH. I’m very pleased about this as Ether Flow was distant and I couldn’t get use to it. Silky lushness is very similar.

Differences: NH has a tad more bass however AFO renders it cleaner/clearer.
AFO believe it or not is warmer.
AFO has more treble and that is most welcomed as like the NH that treble doesn’t get sibilant. It adds more texture and dynamics to the sound.
At times the NH renders some frequencies with a tad bit of distortion. I have a few songs that highlight it. If I was going to guess the frequency I would say it is the mid treble. Same frequency and songs on the AFO are played cleanly.

Like the NH the AFO seems to be a play all music well HP. So it should be great for single HP owners.

It may apear that I’m bagging the NH. I’m not. I love the NH. It is truely the first HP that I adored and thought this is it. My NH is not going anywhere and I think I would still prefer it for treble rich music that needs toning down.