[novaspyder]

Anyone here try the Audioquest Nighthawk ever?

 

[bracko]

Anyone here try the Audioquest Nighthawk ever? I bought the 400i on Newegg but they oversold apparently and they are offering me the nighthawk for the $299 price if I want it. Should I go for it?

$299 is a good price for the NH if you like dark sounding headphones... and I mean really dark sounding.

 

[Hungry Eyes]

Anyone compared the HE-400i to the LCD-X?  I know that the LCD-X is a better HP, but for more casual listening at lower levels is the difference that drastic?  I have ordered an LCD-X, but not sure I can fully appreciate the $1000 difference from the HE-400i.  I cannot demo the HE-400i anywhere.

 

[coletrain104]

  Anyone compared the HE-400i to the LCD-X?  I know that the LCD-X is a better HP, but for more casual listening at lower levels is the difference that drastic?  I have ordered an LCD-X, but not sure I can fully appreciate the $1000 difference from the HE-400i.  I cannot demo the HE-400i anywhere.

X has a wider stage and slightly warmer tone/ is fairly toned-down in the highs. I actually prefer the 400i, FWIW. 400i is definitely lighter, but has much more clamping force. They are both very nice headphones, and I think you can't really go wrong.

 

[aami2techie]

  I have had my HD650 for almost 10 years. I have heard it from different solid-state and tube/hybrid ampr costing up to 2500€, even the BH crack. In my opinion it is not ultra amp picky. It sounds great straight out of my O2. Yes, some better amps are able to produce better results with my HD650 but for me, the difference is far from being "day and night". 
 
Is it a bold statement if I say that for me HE-400i is a nicer headphone overall no matter what amp I use with my HD650. 

i have ordered my 400i already. it would take some time before it reaches me cause im importing.but i would still have the option to return it. 
 
after so much thorough reading and really, relying on other people's comments and experiences
 
i will be honest with you. after going for Beyerdynamics DT 990 Pro and then those breaking on their own after less than a year, and that also literally for no apparent reason, is really making me nervous for Hifimans.
 
i mean my sennheiser HD 518 are three years old, there is little crackling sound at extreme bass and im sure its cause of something in the driver that needs to be removed and also the ear pads being non existent cause of extreme heat and sweat, they are just fine! i have also ordered replacement cups for them. which, im sure, would make these Brand new InshaAllah.
 
now, to my real point. as you have said you have used 650s for 10 years and also u have vast experience with apms and dacs and cans, should i go for 400i for long term? will they be reliable? 
i really want to go for Sennheiser HD 700, i have money atm.
how do 700 and 400i REALLY compare to each other?  do you think at around $500 700s are better than 400i? are 700s good deal at 500 bucks than 400i? my main interest are sound stage, clarity and detail, i love detail
 
i use primarily for well, everything. lots of music, lots of gaming and lots of music.
 
u see its not easy for me to shell out this amount like every 3months or so. i have to save alot, because first there is the cost of these and then there is shipment and then customs and other ****ty titty fees i have to pay. also i will be getting any of these two for the next like 3 to 4 years at least, but u never know.
 
 
hope to get a good reply from u.

 

[Modular]

Hey friend,
Personally, I never found the dt880 to be super detailed. I found they have a decent amount of detail, and are pretty much neutral to the point of even a bit analytical. Imo, the treble on the dt880 is pushed way more than is natural, resulting in a arrificial sense of better treble detail, harshness and often sibilance.

In contrast, to me the he400i is what you describe you are looking for from the dt880. In contrast to the dt880 the 400i has more genuine detail throughout the frequency spectrum, smoother yet very detailed highs, much better presence and quality of bass (especially subbass) . They have slam and depth with texture, a well balanced and details mid section and wonderfully detailed, smooth and extended highs.
Something to keep in mind is the law of diminishing returns. Many say the 560 is comparable to the hd800 on many levels, and the 400i is not far off the 560. So, the 400i is an amazing headphone for the msrp, let alone the steal the sale price is!

I think go for the 400i, you will not be disappointed. Of course: imo, to my ears, YMMV, etc..

 
 
Excellent, thanks much. I am no good at using audio jargon apparently; what I meant to say is that I like the analytical nature of the dt880's. I was just getting that mixed up with "detailed"...I agree with what you say about the dt880's except for the harshness, but that is most likely because of my amp. I have them paired with a Garage1217 Project Sunrise 2 that I built several years back and they are not sibilant to my ears with that pairing, but I'm sure that's mostly because it's a tube amp which is mellowing out the upper range. Even with the tubes they are more forward in the upper registers for sure.
 
That being said I went ahead and placed an order with Razordog. Got my confirm and can't wait for them to ship on the 4th! Thanks to all in this thread for the opinions.  

 

[beaver316]

  Got my 400i's today. I am enjoying the comfort a lot compared to the LCD2's (they can get heavy at times). The sound right off the bat is surprisingly good, better than I expected, I have high hopes for these headphones.
 
Now I just can't wait to see how they sound after the 150 hour mark!

 
No doubt the music will sound better with time, whether it be actual hardware burn-in or brain burn-in. I'm quite eager for some comparisons between the two headphones. I was looking at Audeze recently, I'm really curious if the LCD2 is a worthwhile upgrade over the 400i.

 

[emester]

Just got my pair of these today! 
 
From what I've explored with them, I really am impressed how great the 400i's are. Things sound neutral with a bit of treble shimmer, which was exactly the kind of headphones I was searching for. clamp can be a bit much after 2 hours or so but it isn't too big a deal.

 

[bavinck]

  Just got my pair of these today! 
 
From what I've explored with them, I really am impressed how great the 400i's are. Things sound neutral with a bit of treble shimmer, which was exactly the kind of headphones I was searching for. clamp can be a bit much after 2 hours or so but it isn't too big a deal.

Bend it baby, works like a charm!

 

[Hungry Eyes]

  X has a wider stage and slightly warmer tone/ is fairly toned-down in the highs. I actually prefer the 400i, FWIW. 400i is definitely lighter, but has much more clamping force. They are both very nice headphones, and I think you can't really go wrong.

Disregarding price/value, you prefer the 400i over the LCD-X?  Is it just the comfort level or do you prefer the sound of the 400i?

 

[bavinck]

So am I inferring from the above observation that the 400i and LCDX have a similar sound profile?

 

[emester]

  Bend it baby, works like a charm!

Really don't want to stress the cans so much right out of the box, but when you mean bend, how exactly do you describe the way i should do that?

 

[bavinck]

 
Really don't want to stress the cans so much right out of the box, but when you mean bend, how exactly do you describe the way i should do that?

I put my thumbs on the metal bend and bent gently but firmly. It is completely revers able and does not appear to stress the metal. Much more comfy.

 

[coletrain104]

  Disregarding price/value, you prefer the 400i over the LCD-X?  Is it just the comfort level or do you prefer the sound of the 400i?

Its a sound thing. The 400i has enough treble energy to be more engaging, whereas the LCD-X is more relaxed. It isn't totally rolled off or anything, just mids and bass prominent. The 400i has a smaller soundstage, so technical ability might go to the X, but I prefer the increased vocal clarity and energy of the 400i. That's probably a personal preference, and I would need more time with the X to judge, but my first impression is that the treble detail like cymbals and stuff fall to the back of the soundstage, making it too relaxed sounding. They both sound very good with vocal, bass-heavy, and soul tracks, but I don't think I'd like my rock music as much with the X.

 

[Fearless1]

Its a sound thing. The 400i has enough treble energy to be more engaging, whereas the LCD-X is more relaxed. It isn't totally rolled off or anything, just mids and bass prominent. The 400i has a smaller soundstage, so technical ability might go to the X, but I prefer the increased vocal clarity and energy of the 400i. That's probably a personal preference, and I would need more time with the X to judge, but my first impression is that the treble detail like cymbals and stuff fall to the back of the soundstage, making it too relaxed sounding. They both sound very good with vocal, bass-heavy, and soul tracks, but I don't think I'd like my rock music as much with the X.

Good post, I agree with you(and I owned the X)