[ishmaelk]

Pues encantado Yes, AFAIK there are two videos from Josh on the hawks : the initial review, and the halfway complement (75h). I honestly don't believe much in burn-in time (measurements don't show it). I don't want to create yet another endless debate on burn-in, so those who believe in it, good for them, I won't be discussing it. I think it's your brain that's adjusting. Yes, it's weird that it seems to happen so "suddenly". But the hawks definitely like to mess with our brains, by providing a very particular sound that we're not used to. So in the beginning our brain has a hard time finding all the mid & treble info because it's there but recessed, so it has to concentrate. With time, suddenly that concentration becomes more natural, and once the brain learns how to do it effortlessly, then suddenly everything comes up more easily. That could be an explanation. But nobody can tell, really.

We've seen the same videos by Josh then. The one missing is the final one.
I don't have much faith in the burn-in process either. I seem to recall Tyll Hertsens did measure changes in the burn in of an AKG K701. I can't find the original post (it doesn't seem to have been kept in the Stereophile archive) but I think the changes were subtle but noticeable in the measurement graphs.
We're talking a couple of decibels in certain areas, not much but beyond the margin of error of the measurement gear.
But this is not to discuss if it's real or not. My guess certain materials used in the drivers may be more susceptible than others to changes with time and use.
Brain adjustment, though, makes all the sense in the world. To an extent.
We only have one brain (if we're lucky) and many headphones. If brain adjustment was responsible for the added clarity, we would have to experience the same with all our headphones. Given enough time, all of them would feel as if we had applied that famous Sonarworks neutral tuning.
I'm just exaggerating.
Anyway, the NH are very interesting and they have great imaging.

 

[PROblemdetected]

Hi folks.

Ive bought the Nighthawk a couple of month ago.
Lovin it so hard, electronic music is another experience with this pair.

 

[nigi]

I have mine original browns for over 1.5 year now. No problems with switching between them and modified DT990s or Fidelio L2s, maybe sometimes first few bars seem a bit odd but soon it's OK. I like them a lot both with and without EQ but for heavy overdive on guitars with fast drums I prefer DT990 or EQ on NH. I am using them with dragonfly red on mobile phone and aune X1S + atom amp on PC and CDs.

 

[dakanao]

I have mine original browns for over 1.5 year now. No problems with switching between them and modified DT990s or Fidelio L2s, maybe sometimes first few bars seem a bit odd but soon it's OK. I like them a lot both with and without EQ but for heavy overdive on guitars with fast drums I prefer DT990 or EQ on NH. I am using them with dragonfly red on mobile phone and aune X1S + atom amp on PC and CDs.

How does the Nighthawk compare to the Fidelio L2 in terms of treble smoothness?

 

[prionsarebad]

I recently acquired some Nighthawk carbons and with Oratory1990 Harman pEQ am loving them.

However, I am now looking to order a custom cable from Skyaudio cables here in the UK.

My question is whether, despite being extremely easy to drive, the Nighthawk benefits or sounds marginally better with a balanced connection? I'm sure there are opinions both ways, so I just wanted to test the current temperature of opinion one way or the other

I will be using the ifi zen dac v2 for balanced. For single ended I run the zen dac to the JDS Atom.

Thanks!

 

[iFi audio]

the Nighthawk benefits or sounds marginally better with a balanced connection?

It depends on an amp mainly. If it's designed as a fully balanced circuit (our ZEN range is), then using balanced headphone outs is the way to go.

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

My question is whether, despite being extremely easy to drive, the Nighthawk benefits or sounds marginally better with a balanced connection? I'm sure there are opinions both ways, so I just wanted to test the current temperature of opinion one way or the other

This should cover it nicely : https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/05/balanced-vs-unbalanced-audio-connections/
Short answer : no, balanced headphones won't sound better to your ears on any good equipment, but you can make them sound louder.
So unless you really need those extra dBs (which aren't needed with most usual headphones, and certainly not with the Nighthawks because they are easy to drive), there's no reason for paying (much) more for balanced.
People claim they can hear the difference, until the day you put them in a real ABX test with matched levels. Then suddenly they can't hear it anymore.

 

[FiGuY1017]

Yeah that is one worry I have about the Hawks, any of the 3 stock pads are like impossible to find by themselves now. They’re discontinued and I’m not sure how the stock pads, suspension headband, and the rubber suspension system will hold up over time. Most worried about the rubber suspension system in the coming years due to rubbers tendency to become brittle and hard with age.

No worries just send back to audioquest and theyll fix the suspension rubber supports for cheap. I did a few months ago when I droped my hawk and busted two

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

No worries just send back to audioquest and theyll fix the suspension rubber supports for cheap. I did a few months ago when I droped my hawk and busted two

Any particular address or contact email for after-sales issues ?

 

[FiGuY1017]

Any particular address or contact email for after-sales issues ?

Steve Parker <Sparker@audioquest.com> is the man, great guy to deal with.

 

[nigi]

How does the Nighthawk compare to the Fidelio L2 in terms of treble smoothness?

Totally different headphones but both nice and way smoother then for example Fidelio X2 which I tried to love but couldn't. X2 had very annoying uneven treble (otherwise great headphone with subwoofer like bass but cymbals sounded wrong, lots of hiss without body). Both has lots of bass but NH more bass overall and especially more high bass and low mids while X2 had more rumble in lowest bass. To me DT990 and NH are V shaped (with 990 having more trebles) while X2 were U shaped
About L2 vs NH: L2 lower treble and high midrange is much more prominent then those frequencies are with NH. Overall L2 is much brighter headphone. Midrange tuning is opposite as well. AQ dark mids, L2 bright. AQ has higher treble more prominent then lower treble and higher midrange. Not as bad as X2 althought. Overall music still sound good. I like L2 but I changed worn pads for something else (I've forgotten what already, maybe brainwaves?) and I use them on the go only with parametric EQ in USBAPP all the time so I'm not sure if I still remember well how did they sound like stock.

 

[lycantivis]

is there a go to pad replacement? My carbons pads are starting to peel the exterior.

 

[dosley01]

I feel like a Boomerang, early pandemic I bought some NightHawks, then NightOwls and around Black Friday bought some LCD-2 Classics and sold off both the Hawks and Owls to fund them. Fast forward and now I'm back in the office full time so I sold the LCD-2 Classics and just picked up a pair of NightHawk Carbons.

Anyhow, happy to back!! Just something special about these headphones.

 

[GREGGO1545]

I've owned and sold a ton of headphones - Sennheiser HD700, HD800S, Focal Utopia, Elear (& Elex), Clear, Stellia, Sony MDR Z7, and a few others I am forgetting - I love these Nighthawks! What a shame they were discontinued. Such a different sound but nice tone and very easy to wear. I really enjoy them while just relaxing, not necessarily for critical listening. They definitely are bit muffled but once you get used to it, it is really unlike anything else. Just pleasant to wear and listen to. They definitely need a more clean, clear sounding dac/amp than other headphones.

It's funny I can remember auditioning them against the Elear and HD800S (and LCD-X) back in 2017 and completely dismissing them because in a demo they just come off dull, especially against those other headphones, but I saw them for a pretty good deal and decided to check out that sound signature everyone was talking about. Definitely different yet enjoyable.

That said they are definitely a bit closed off sounding which is the only thing that I'm needing to adjust to - the Focals are just so open sounding in comparison (not talking about soundstage if that makes sense).

 

[Jose Hidalgo]

They definitely need a more clean, clear sounding dac/amp than other headphones.

Rather than that, if you have a PC you could just use Mega Switcher and its various options / sound modes : https://sourceforge.net/projects/mega-switcher/
The effect on a pair of Nighthawks is spectacular. They become competitive EVEN for critical listening !