[estreeter]

http://www.avguide.com/article/audio-electronics-cary-audio-announces-nighthawk-solid-state-headphone-amplifier
 
Tried search - didnt get any hits - anyway, the amp is being released under the somewhat convoluted brand 'Audio Electronics by Cary Audio' - all new to me - and it looks about as basic as a 1200 dollar headphone amp can be, at least IMO.
 

 
Not sure how Ray feels about an amp with the same name as one of his phono stages - I guess that's the big guys moving in and doing whatever the hell they damned will like. Press Release is dated May 15th - apologies if Drew or someone else has already posted on this.

 

[M3NTAL]

Hopefully there is something under the hood worth that price - aesthetically that is not pleasing.

 

[obobskivich]

Get the "this is expensive because it has XYZ logo on the front" vibe from this one.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

Hopefully there is something under the hood worth that price - aesthetically that is not pleasing.

+1
 
looks really generic and plain

 

[Audio-Omega]

Is it high end ?  It's cheaper than Sennheiser HDVD800.  

 

[estreeter]

Dont get me started - I had an entire thread on this recently and was told that 1K was 'entry-level high end' for a headhone amp. If you want to turn this into a debate on the merits of ranking gear by price, bring it on. Save the war stories about your dCS rig for another thread. 
 
Guys, I agree on the aesthetics and the fact that some will pay simply for the name, but given that NONE OF US HAS HEARD THE %##$%! THING, can we please delay any further criticism until we get some actual listening impressions ?  
 
Thank you.

 

[Audio-Omega]

dCS rig ?

 

[estreeter]

http://www.dcsltd.co.uk/
 
It was an attempt at humor - dCS gear is in that category where if you have to ask the price, you cant afford it - there are shops like that in Singapore and I just stand outside wondering how great it must be to be allowed in the front door. 

 

[estreeter]

Am I the only one who thinks this amp looks a lot like the Apex Butte ?
 

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

Am I the only one who thinks this amp looks a lot like the Apex Butte ?
 

 
Well geez, how much do you think you can do with a faceplate, power switch, LED, headphone jack and a volume knob?
 

 

 


 
Etc.
 
se

 

[estreeter]

You have a point, Steve, but wouldnt you expect them to put a bit more time and effort into the casework ? The Nighthawk's sticker price is almost 2.5 times that of the Butte. Even the Muse in your photos is a more attractive looking amp for mine - I know its about whats inside the case, but for 1200 bucks I can understand the lukewarm reception this amp has received at the beginning of this thread. If its a cynical attempt by Cary to cash in on emerging market in difficult economic times, then I shall apologise to my fellow Head-Fiers accordingly. If not, I expect complimentary rooms and meals in a Vegas bordello.  

 
Quid pro quo or muchos nachos - I'm easy. 

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

You have a point, Steve, but wouldnt you expect them to put a bit more time and effort into the casework ? The Nighthawk's sticker price is almost 2.5 times that of the Butte.

 
I think comparing the sticker price of the Butte versus the Nighthawk is apples and oranges.
 
Here are the two side by side and drawn to scale:
 

 
 
The Butte is a tiny little thing, built around what appears to be a single piece aluminum extrusion. The Nighthawk is much larger and uses a fully fabricated sheet metal chassis. As far as I can tell, the Butte uses an AC wall wart for its power supply while the Nighthawk has its own torroid based power supply built in and includes discrete regulation. The Butte uses a pair of power opamps. The Nighthawk uses opamps for voltage gain, but they drive discrete class A diamond buffer output stages.
 
So I'm at something of a loss to understand why the Nighthawk's being priced at nearly 2.5 times the Butte should come as any sort of surprise to anyone or serve as any kind of criticism of the Nighthawk.
 
se

 

[estreeter]

Thanks for that Steve - it just drives home how ill-informed Audio-Omega was in questioning whether this amp is 'high-end'.  Man, will some people never learn ?  

 
I guess you could say you've handed a real Butte-kicking to anyone who doubts the credentials of this new amp. For all that, we still haven't heard the blessed thing, have we ?   

 

[Steve Eddy]

Quote:

 For all that, we still haven't heard the blessed thing, have we ?   

 
Oh, you're supposed to listen to these things? Where do you put your ear?

 
se

 

[Lurkumaural]

Quote:

 

 

 
Holy cow.  This thing better be "great in bed," so to speak.
 
 
 
 
Basically what M3NTAL said in Post #2.  Just more vulgar.