[Jammin72]

They are a special sound. Still a new toy but they are fitting the bill well.

I didn't realise quite how beautiful and huge the case is!

One of the few companies that got it right the first time.... But they had some expendable capital.

 

[HipHopScribe]

Dudes I haz Nighthawk. They're 32 ohms.... Just get an amp with an output imedance of 4 ohms or less and you'll be good. The rest is flavor. Love them, they're DryAF and super detailed. Don't overthink it.

25 ohms actually, and high sensitivity.
They're very easy to drive

 

[alekc]

They are a special sound. Still a new toy but they are fitting the bill well.

I didn't realise quite how beautiful and huge the case is!

Who cares about the case as long as the sound signature is so special (read: beautiful)

Enjoy mate!

 

[n05ey]

Truly beautiful.

One thing I re-learnt in this latest experience is that one of the great delights in a new headphone is going through your music and letting the headphone highlight it's strengths (something I greatly missed while trying to demo some headphones in store).

Listening this morning I have come back to Brooke Fraser's first album, what to do with daylight. It can often sound flat on more 'exciting' headphones but my goodness, what a lovely experience on the owls...

 

[Darksoul]

Anyone know where to get a new headband for the Nightowl/NightHawk? The connection is starting to show its age.

 

[nsdjoe]

^^ Also does anyone have a line on new ultrasuede pads for NightOwl? Mine are starting to flake and AQ support says they only have the protein leather pads in stock.

 

[Beagle]

AQ support says they only have the protein leather pads in stock.

Protein? Are they edible?

 

[FiGuY1017]

Anyone know where to get a new headband for the Nightowl/NightHawk? The connection is starting to show its age.

No problem just contact Audioquest and they'll have you send them in or send you the part. I dropped my Hawks about a year ago, broke the rubber supports, they fixed her wings and got her back good as new.

 

[nsdjoe]

Protein? Are they edible?

Just a dumb name for fake leather, aka "vegan" leather

 

[oghoter]

Some more listening notes - owl vs hawk. I have both.
Owl wins out, in this session, though I like both. The owl is somewhat more precise and better adjusted to the sound courve.
The hawk sounds a bit lazy in comparison, but good in its own way.
I note a cable difference, the shorth thick cable that came with my hawk sounds better, on both phones, than the thinner ca double length cable that came with my owl. Not a very great difference, but notable.

 

[Mink]

Some more listening notes - owl vs hawk. I have both.
Owl wins out, in this session, though I like both. The owl is somewhat more precise and better adjusted to the sound courve.
The hawk sounds a bit lazy in comparison, but good in its own way.
I note a cable difference, the shorth thick cable that came with my hawk sounds better, on both phones, than the thinner ca double length cable that came with my owl. Not a very great difference, but notable.

For a long time I favored the Hawks over the Owls, but I find the Owls more engaging, more dynamic and their treble is smoother. Note that I use the micro-suede pads on the Hawks and the protein leather pads on the Owls. The protein leather pads boost the bass and treble, so the Owls are clearly different tuned than the Hawks, otherwise they should sound more bassy and trebly, which they don't. Contradicting the claim of the developer Skylar that the Owls are meant to be identical, well at least as closely as possible to the Hawks, but with closed cups.

 

[Ronengeller]

Some more listening notes - owl vs hawk. I have both.
Owl wins out, in this session, though I like both. The owl is somewhat more precise and better adjusted to the sound courve.
The hawk sounds a bit lazy in comparison, but good in its own way.
I note a cable difference, the shorth thick cable that came with my hawk sounds better, on both phones, than the thinner ca double length cable that came with my owl. Not a very great difference, but notable.

My experience also, and the chord mojo is amazing with them.
Also the Cardas a8 is such a similar IEM to them that you can really call it nighthawk IEM! and they utilize the same technology and are also from a cable manufacturer. I believe you can still buy it new on ttvg audio

 

[oghoter]

So - best sound for me, so far, is with Owl, using the short (and fragile) Hawk cable, from the Audiotailor Jade OTL headphone amp.
The Owl came with micro-suede pads. I have not changed to protein leather pads (I have an extra pair). Is there some agreement on which pads are best, for the Owl? (is the p-leather mainly for bass freaks?). I am hesitant before I change pads, since the headphones are partly quite fragile, and I've not done it before.

 

[HipHopScribe]

So - best sound for me, so far, is with Owl, using the short (and fragile) Hawk cable, from the Audiotailor Jade OTL headphone amp.
The Owl came with micro-suede pads. I have not changed to protein leather pads (I have an extra pair). Is there some agreement on which pads are best, for the Owl? (is the p-leather mainly for bass freaks?). I am hesitant before I change pads, since the headphones are partly quite fragile, and I've not done it before.

The pads detached easily, there's really not much risk of breaking anything, so I'd say just try both and see what you like best. I don't think there's any consensus on which are better because both have their benefits

 

[oghoter]

Aha, thanks! Quite easy, yes (but still, "careful" is a key word). A first little test: Rainy day in June, from Kinks; Face to face, streaming from Qobuz 44/24 resolution. Hmm yes, the pleather pads (which I assume = boost pads) sound a bit different. The upper register of Ray Davies' voice gets a little hard. May be volume-dependent (more, with more volume). There is less hardness with the ultra suede pads, although not as dramatic a difference as could be assumed. The suede are also more comfortable. So for now, 1-0 to the suede pads. But this is obviously a case for longer-term testing. And (even though I love Face to face), for a better recording.