[mink70]

Just got a balanced cable for the NightOwls and am kind of stunned. The sound of this headphone changes more dramatically with a switch to balanced topology than any I've heard. Using a Pono Player, I couldn't believe the improvement. Everything is better: drive, tone color, detail, presence, detail and dynamics. With ultrasuede pads and a balanced cable, the combination of NO and PP now sounds better than anything I've owned. It makes both the Senn HD800 and AT W3000ANV, driven by a tricked-out DNA Sonett 2, sound downright dull. 

 

[MattTCG]

^^ Pono player has always been fairly dramatically better balanced out. All headphones will give you a similar result from PP balanced over SE. IMO

 

[MattRG]

I'm looking in to purchasing an original NightHawk but would definitely want the ultrasuede pads.  Are they available directly from dealers and if so, which ones?  My Google searching skills seem to be failing me at the moment in terms of ordering just the pads.

 

[Venture Guy]

  I'm looking in to purchasing an original NightHawk but would definitely want the ultrasuede pads.  Are they available directly from dealers and if so, which ones?  My Google searching skills seem to be failing me at the moment in terms of ordering just the pads.

If you email info@audioquest.com and ask for the US pads they will sell them to you directly. $49+S/H... I just got mine

 

[Venture Guy]

Fellow Pono fanboy here. I am running a balanced Silver Litz Type 2 cable from headphonelounge.com and the setup sounds fantastic. Balanced on the Pono is a completely different animal than SE. 

 

[MattRG]

  If you email info@audioquest.com and ask for the US pads they will sell them to you directly. $49+S/H... I just got mine

I did see that but I was wondering if there were any dealers who were carrying them yet.  Thanks for the response though, I appreciate it!

 

[mink70]

  ^^ Pono player has always been fairly dramatically better balanced out. All headphones will give you a similar result from PP balanced over SE. IMO

Not in my experience. I have balanced Pono cables for all my phones. Some sound quite different in balanced mode, while others (like the W3000ANV) do not. What I'm saying is that the NightOwl sounds hugely different, and entirely better, in balanced mode.

 

[MattTCG]

  Not in my experience. I have balanced Pono cables for all my phones. Some sound quite different in balanced mode, while others (like the W3000ANV) do not. What I'm saying is that the NightOwl sounds hugely different, and entirely better, in balanced mode.

 
I should have qualified that statement somewhat. ALL headphones/iems that I've tried with the pono have improved over the balanced out. I have not tried the w3000ANV because I don't own them. 

 

[knowhatimean]

After tracking down my salesguy at Magnolia yesterday, I found out that my the PO for my NightOwl will be released in about a week & a half. Bummer !!! (showing my age with that saying,huh ?) Because they aren't currently on the shelves yet I ended up being at the mercy of when Magnolia's East Coast buyer would be putting in his orders for the chain
 
Bummer !!!! (That's not what I really wanted to say, but the 'Kids' (Anybody under 30) working at Magnolia are pretty OK (for 'whippersnappers')
 
I'll just have to 'force' myself to spend more time enjoying my newly re- speakerwired (AntiCables) Magneplanar 2.7QR loundspeakers (It's actually just solid core wire but it's really letting the 'Maggies' just sing : They should give me a nice 'Reference Point' to use with my NO after I've put enough hrs on them)

 

[MattRG]

I admit to being quite curious about the Nighthawk and new Nightowl but I don't have a good place around here to demo them.  I do have a pair of Meze 99 Classics (which I like alot) and the Nighthawk sounds like it might be similar in terms of the frequency response and the overall presentation.
 
I am intrigued by the super low distortion and supposedly superb comfort.  Depending on how the next couple of months shake out it might be worth taking a chance on a pair.

 

[shurealltheway]

I admit to being quite curious about the Nighthawk and new Nightowl but I don't have a good place around here to demo them.  I do have a pair of Meze 99 Classics (which I like alot) and the Nighthawk sounds like it might be similar in terms of the frequency response and the overall presentation.

I am intrigued by the super low distortion and supposedly superb comfort.  Depending on how the next couple of months shake out it might be worth taking a chance on a pair.

I would really hope the new Nighthawks and Nightowls don't have the same sloppy, uncontrolled bass as the Meze 99's...

 

[MattRG]

Is the bass from the 99 Classics sloppy and uncontrolled?  I'm fairly new to all of this and don't have much to compare them to.  They certainly provide much better base than my other headphone, the MA900 which has a very steep roll off in the low frequencies.

 

[shurealltheway]

Is the bass from the 99 Classics sloppy and uncontrolled?  I'm fairly new to all of this and don't have much to compare them to.  They certainly provide much better base than my other headphone, the MA900 which has a very steep roll off in the low frequencies.

It's all a matter of opinion but I hated it. It was just too much and bled into the mids and highs. The mids and highs are actually pretty good but you have to EQ the bass down in order to hear them. I don't listen to EDM, though. For rap and EDM, I'm sure it's fine. But for Led Zeppelin or the Beatles, and without EQ, I think they suck.

 

[Venture Guy]

It's all a matter of opinion but I hated it. It was just too much and bled into the mids and highs. The mids and highs are actually pretty good but you have to EQ the bass down in order to hear them. I don't listen to EDM, though. For rap and EDM, I'm sure it's fine. But for Led Zeppelin or the Beatles, and without EQ, I think they suck.

I wasn't going to say anything, but I had the same experience. I read all the hype and then sought them out at CanJam last year. After listening, I couldn't believe that the reviewers liked them so much.

 

[shurealltheway]

I wasn't going to say anything, but I had the same experience. I read all the hype and then sought them out at CanJam last year. After listening, I couldn't believe that the reviewers liked them so much.

That's exactly right. I felt duped. There are a few people on here that I follow because they give very good, unbiased reviews. But a lot on here are fanboys and can rationalize anything as sounding good. Good for them for enjoying their product, but it doesn't help those who haven't heard them and would like a window into what they might be getting. I say, choose who you decide to listen to wisely.