Cross posting from the Watercooler thread:
Hey guys! Wanted to share some Nightjar Duality impressions:
First, the metal shells are very robust, beautifully crafted and only weigh 9g each. Very comfortable for all-day use. I heard they were modified Storm shells. The Storm shells are on the larger size so I expected these to be chonky, but these are way smaller and so much more comfortable.
Metal shells are something I've come to prioritize in this price range. My old Annihilator 2023 had resin shells and developed a rattling problem. I sent the Anni back to be fixed but I can't help but wonder if metal shells would have been more durable. Duality's shells feel very durable compared to shells on the Anni and my own CP622B.
There is a bass switch on the shells. Down is "balanced" mode, the mode with less bass. Up is bassy mode which adds a ton of sub-bass:
Balanced mode is where I kept the switch at most of the time. I thought I'd keep it in balanced close to 100% of the time but surprisingly, bassy mode works for a lot of my tracks, maybe like 75-80% of my library. It's not as overwhelming as I imagined. I think the tuning is incredibly well done despite the huge bass shelf.
The sub-bass on either mode is very muscular and full. It's incredibly satisfying in its texture, decay, and pretty much any bass metric you can think of. The bass is more sub-bassy than mid-bassy which makes sense because too much mid-bass may have drowned out the midrange and treble.
Duality has the same timbral excellence that Singularity and many other single-DD sets have. It's on the slightly thicker side like Singularity's and is honestly really pleasant. The midrange is a touch forward, I think to balance out the bass. Vocals, pianos, all come across really lovely. I perceived the midrange on the bassy mode to sound a little less forward than on the balanced mode due to the increased bass shelf.
Treble extension and presence are notably improved from Singularity. Singularity is somewhat darker than neutral imo but Duality doesn't sound dark to me. I think Duality's treble is what I'd consider neutral and without any pesky peaks as far as I can tell.
Another improvement from Singularity are the technicalities and soundstaging. Duality makes significant gains in these departments and considering that it's only composed of DDs, the level of techs achieved by Duality is really impressive.
Overall, Duality is a set with tuning versatility between balanced and bass-head modes, a robust metal build, pleasant DD timbre, and great technicalities. Some might find the bassy mode a bit overwhelming, unless of course you're a bass-head, in which case it's exactly what you're looking for.
Now, $3k for an iem is expensive but let me make the case for Duality.
Exhibit 1:
Stock cables. Nightjar cables have some of the best hardware and sonics (Sovereign Symphony anyone?) and are leagues ahead in quality compared to most stock cables. The MSRP for the stock 4W Synthesis alone is around $900. The 8W Synthesis shown above retails for $1400. And that's not considering the additional Blue Hour and bass adapters that comes included with the launch specials.
The stock cables for other $3k+ sets that I've owned like the Annihilator 23 and 622B aren't built like the Synthesis. I straight up don't use the stock cable for the 622B because I think it hampers the sound. And while the Annihilator 23's stock cable (Liquid Links Martini) looks and sounds much nicer than the 622B's stock cable, it still pales in quality to the Nightjar stock cables imo.
Exhibit 2:
Accessories. How many iems do you know come with a sleek and bulletproof metal carry case? Like the Duality shells, the case is built like a tank and primed for travel. The smaller leather carry case is beautifully built as well with a cool design etched into the leather. Duality is a set I'd bring to the office or abroad worry-free because its shells and the metal carry case are built to handle the rigors of travel.
While I love my current 622B and my old Annihilator sonically, I feel like they're one drop away from an RMA situation so they're strictly stay-at-home iems for me.
I think Duality is one the top bass-head sets of all-time and one of the better $3k+ sets as an overall package, especially considering the launch specials that are still going on. During a time when iem prices are spiraling out of control, it's refreshing to see new releases that not only sound killer but also provide thoughtful construction and a great value to the customer, a rarity in today's market rife with what sometimes feels like blatant cash grabs. Duality is a complete package and you can tell no corners were cut sonically, or otherwise.
Hey guys! Wanted to share some Nightjar Duality impressions:
First, the metal shells are very robust, beautifully crafted and only weigh 9g each. Very comfortable for all-day use. I heard they were modified Storm shells. The Storm shells are on the larger size so I expected these to be chonky, but these are way smaller and so much more comfortable.
Metal shells are something I've come to prioritize in this price range. My old Annihilator 2023 had resin shells and developed a rattling problem. I sent the Anni back to be fixed but I can't help but wonder if metal shells would have been more durable. Duality's shells feel very durable compared to shells on the Anni and my own CP622B.
There is a bass switch on the shells. Down is "balanced" mode, the mode with less bass. Up is bassy mode which adds a ton of sub-bass:
Balanced mode is where I kept the switch at most of the time. I thought I'd keep it in balanced close to 100% of the time but surprisingly, bassy mode works for a lot of my tracks, maybe like 75-80% of my library. It's not as overwhelming as I imagined. I think the tuning is incredibly well done despite the huge bass shelf.
The sub-bass on either mode is very muscular and full. It's incredibly satisfying in its texture, decay, and pretty much any bass metric you can think of. The bass is more sub-bassy than mid-bassy which makes sense because too much mid-bass may have drowned out the midrange and treble.
Duality has the same timbral excellence that Singularity and many other single-DD sets have. It's on the slightly thicker side like Singularity's and is honestly really pleasant. The midrange is a touch forward, I think to balance out the bass. Vocals, pianos, all come across really lovely. I perceived the midrange on the bassy mode to sound a little less forward than on the balanced mode due to the increased bass shelf.
Treble extension and presence are notably improved from Singularity. Singularity is somewhat darker than neutral imo but Duality doesn't sound dark to me. I think Duality's treble is what I'd consider neutral and without any pesky peaks as far as I can tell.
Another improvement from Singularity are the technicalities and soundstaging. Duality makes significant gains in these departments and considering that it's only composed of DDs, the level of techs achieved by Duality is really impressive.
Overall, Duality is a set with tuning versatility between balanced and bass-head modes, a robust metal build, pleasant DD timbre, and great technicalities. Some might find the bassy mode a bit overwhelming, unless of course you're a bass-head, in which case it's exactly what you're looking for.
Now, $3k for an iem is expensive but let me make the case for Duality.
Exhibit 1:
Stock cables. Nightjar cables have some of the best hardware and sonics (Sovereign Symphony anyone?) and are leagues ahead in quality compared to most stock cables. The MSRP for the stock 4W Synthesis alone is around $900. The 8W Synthesis shown above retails for $1400. And that's not considering the additional Blue Hour and bass adapters that comes included with the launch specials.
The stock cables for other $3k+ sets that I've owned like the Annihilator 23 and 622B aren't built like the Synthesis. I straight up don't use the stock cable for the 622B because I think it hampers the sound. And while the Annihilator 23's stock cable (Liquid Links Martini) looks and sounds much nicer than the 622B's stock cable, it still pales in quality to the Nightjar stock cables imo.
Exhibit 2:
Accessories. How many iems do you know come with a sleek and bulletproof metal carry case? Like the Duality shells, the case is built like a tank and primed for travel. The smaller leather carry case is beautifully built as well with a cool design etched into the leather. Duality is a set I'd bring to the office or abroad worry-free because its shells and the metal carry case are built to handle the rigors of travel.
While I love my current 622B and my old Annihilator sonically, I feel like they're one drop away from an RMA situation so they're strictly stay-at-home iems for me.
I think Duality is one the top bass-head sets of all-time and one of the better $3k+ sets as an overall package, especially considering the launch specials that are still going on. During a time when iem prices are spiraling out of control, it's refreshing to see new releases that not only sound killer but also provide thoughtful construction and a great value to the customer, a rarity in today's market rife with what sometimes feels like blatant cash grabs. Duality is a complete package and you can tell no corners were cut sonically, or otherwise.
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