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Author Topic: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?  (Read 11537 times)

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hucifer

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AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« on: March 31, 2015, 06:05:23 PM »

Anyone at CanJam get a good enough listen on these babies to give their feelings on them?

I've been gently following their progress for the last six months or so and have heard reports from their latest public outing that they sound something akin to a HD600 & HD800 love child, which makes me giddy indeed.

Would love to hear other opinions, if available.
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Freddy1201

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2015, 07:41:26 PM »

I've heard the final prototype at my job in a silent room on a decent but not extraordinary amp and it was really good. It's a very romantic sound, and it destroys the hd650. It's very very good for the price, but it's not hd800 on tube amp good. It's good with any style of music, i would say that it is lush, smooth, and the openness  is somewhere between the hd650 and hd800. It's good on an iPod/ipad, but i would recommend an amp to hear the full potential. It's the best sub 1000$ headphone i've heard. I think the lcd2 would be better though.
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JoelT

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2015, 03:23:49 AM »

There are impressions in the CanJam thread if you scroll through it. I was only able to hear it off of Audioquests demo rig (WA7/WA7tp sourced by a Dragonfly 1.2), and it was awful - very colored and muddy. Level 40 pyrates got access to a sample, ran it off of Marv's rig, and seemed much happier with it. I was told that despite being colored, the technicalities were decent. I can say with absolute certainty that it sounds nothing like an HD600/HD800 love child, nor like the HD650, all of which are more neutral/linear based on the sample I heard...definitely their own thing.
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hucifer

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2015, 04:10:27 AM »

Thanks guys. Having read your thoughts and some from Reddit users it's looking like the colouration might make these a love it or hate it type of deal.

My level of hype has been brought down to earth somewhat but I still look forward to trying them out as part of my quest to find a true successor to my HD600.
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Marvey

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2015, 05:23:27 AM »

The current tuning is more for the general populace than audiophile. Recommend a neutral or leaner setup. Resolution wasn't the greatest, but I thought it was sweet sounding from the EC 2A3 custom / Yggy. But then again, a lot of stuff sounds great from that setup.
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zerodeefex

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2015, 06:32:22 AM »

Over beers and delicious house made Russian vodka Anetode told me he fucking hated the lack of detail if you're looking for an alternate opinion.
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Freddy1201

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2015, 03:09:54 PM »

I had the same impression, it's coloured and very different from the hd600. Depends on your taste.
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Tyll Hertsens

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2015, 05:51:31 PM »

Wouldn't settle on any one opinion yet, Skyler will be retuning before the production run.

I found the current rev moderately muffled sounding, something somewhere in the treble is gone missing.
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wnmnkh

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2015, 06:11:03 PM »

Wouldn't settle on any one opinion yet, Skyler will be retuning before the production run.

I found the current rev moderately muffled sounding, something somewhere in the treble is gone missing.

I believe there will be no further changes from the current model, I asked Skyler about any sonic changes and he said it's pretty much done, aesthetic changes only at this point. But then, plans can change all the time.
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anetode

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Re: AudioQuest NightHawk impressions?
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2015, 10:28:00 PM »

Really light and cool looking headphone with a sound designed to lull unsuspecting audiophiles into a coma.

Yes there are treble problems/gaps, but also the warmish lower mids & bass are a mired in a sludge. Slowness? Distortion? Something's fucky
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