AudioQuest Nighthawk

You can always do half open baffle vents by cutting smaller pieces of tape. Getting a match between channels might be slightly tricky but it's possible. If you have some thin, softer adhesive felt I would try that next over the magnet vent and see what you think.

 

Mod5 from my last post.:


Looking back at your trials on page 5, the felt over driver looks like itll be perfect.

To adhere the felt Ill have to use micropore to tape it down along the edges. This may reduce airflow a bit more vs how you did yours. I could also delete the existing micropore, place felt over hole, then put a layer of micropore completely over all that which would hold everything in place a bit more neatly and simply.

 

^ Mod6 ; 1 baffle vent delete (the one towards back in this picture underneath the wires), felt and micropore over driver port



This measures very close to stock, mostly slight differences in upper mids and lower treble.. Background noise a little louder because A/C is running.

Listening from macbook's headphone out instead of desktop rig. Bass is softer than I think it might be from main chain. Pretty linear except highs a little high at that 8kHz peak. These headphones isolate pretty well for a semi-open. And I don't know if this has been discussed but the front baffle has like a bit of a horn shape with driver further back and angled.

 

Soundstage still weirdly small and closed in sounding, and highs still too strong. I mentioned the baffle shape because Its maybe related to the stage. Padrolling could contour the highs and bass but Nighthawk has a unique shape. Forcing oval pads to fit would be alright. Ill look for something cheap with a shallow profile and/or narrow ear holes to mitigate highs.

 

Padrolling is expensive trial and error. Some pads on Amazon have potential. And some pads are already ear shaped. Enthusiasm draining. More ideas?

 

I was wondering, what kind of damping material for the cups of a closed back dynamic, gives the smoothest treble?

 

Fly free Nighthawk!



Bass is softest and highs are relatively tamer. Duller. Highs peak still noticeable but not aggravating. Sounds less closed Im guessing due to removing the baffle vent damping filters. Somehow still a bit fatiguing. Not good.

I think the internal pics of cups where there is white showing might actually be mold. I'm going to clean it safely.

 

For mold. Use 1 bleach to 10 water solution. N95 mask, glasses, gloves. Remove driver and driver baffle. Remove leather headband. Scrub down in sink. Update later on how it goes.

 

Oratory took measurements of Nighthawk with stock, Brainwavz, and Shure pads.
https://headphonedatabase.com/oratory/headphones?ids=84,69

The Shure 1540 pads work very well in helping the frequency response. The 5kHz peak is possibly ringing, see diyah review.

An alternative pad with similar dimensions but cheaper appear to be Brainwavz Prostock. They come in pleather, leather, sheepskin, microsuede, hybrid, and perforated pleather. They range from $20-36 a piece. They also have an interesting feature where foam is angled from thinnest at interior and increasing outwards. This would allow for closer ear to driver distance (multiple benefits) while the thicker outer edges would help with comfort and seal. Im going to try microsuede, perforated pleather, and undecided. You need $50 minimum to receive free shipping…

edit: ordered with hybrids as third choice

 

BTW cleaning mold helped a lot with the mold smell. I missed a couple hard to reach spots so will redo. And the grill is layered and thick so may have to separate and let it soak.

The Nighthawk smell I've seen reported in much earlier comments in the Nighthawk thread on Head-Fi. I think now might be the first time it's been opened and observed as mold.

 

Possible the liquid wood never fully cured or reacted adversely to different climates.

 

@M3NTAL said I could share this message from him in regards to split-gap motors like in Nighthawk. Interesting read but dont know how much Nighthawk sound benefits.:

Here is a website explaining different coil technologies.

https://www.glasswolf.net/papers/bltech.html

It is meant to help keep the coil aligned over high excursion by having better control at the electromagnetic side of the motor.

 

^ "Brainwavz micro-suede Pro-stock" pads, micropore tape driver and driver baffle (so like stock).

Pro-stock pads are too small to fit the Nighthawk pad mounting ring, so had to use double sided sticky tape. Never was a fan of Brainwavz Ovals because they were too deep and claustrophobic. The Prostock are a new model and addresses these issues. Prostock pads are thinner with foam tapered down towards center (that means thickest on outer edges and thinnest at inner ear chamber). This new angling allows much closer driver to ear distance, and better contouring of skull for comfort. Unfortunately they only offer them in ATH M50x size atm.

Brainwavz messed up my order because only two sets of pads were in package instead of 3. Perforated pleather was missing, so only currently have hybrids to try next.

The pads are comfy, smaller ear holes than stock but I have small ears. Ears do touch edges of pads inner diameter but do not touch the driver / baffle. Sounds alright, 10kHz is noticeable. Next!

 

^ "Brainwavz hybrid Pro-stock" pads, micropored up like normal. As you can see getting a seal is harder with these narrower pads and Nighthawk's very comfy light clamp.

Like this much better than the microsuede. Bass more defined with more impact. Clearer (less recessed trebles). 10khz peak seems to have shifted up a little to a less severe area. These are nice. Like better than the BL30 I''ve been tinkering with the past week and way comfier.

edit: Much better than BL30. Great speed and impact which is where BL30 really lags. Then very good comfort. More resolution in treble (BL30 is depressed and blurred here.) If the Nighthawk modded had more bass it would resemble ETA GenG. Worth ordering more pads to try.

 

Oratory’s Brainwavz Oval hybrids show the same loss in bass. The Prostock are smaller all around so better help with reducing highs vs Ovals. Shure 1540 pads arrive tomorrow.

The closed-in soundstage is gone with these Prostock pads, sounds normal. Treble is a tad rough and deep bass a tad light. They are fast, articulate, and dynamic. Im going to search HF classifieds for a Carbon now.

 

Dang. I figured the carbons were not liquid wood but turns out they are - just black. Was hoping for something less prone to mold.

 

Forgot to add the Brainwavz prostock pics.





^ From left to right: Brainwavz prostock micro-suede, hybrid, then stock Nighthawk hybrid. This pic is before I sealed up baffle with micropore.

 

Just to be clear. I said the Nighthawk resembles GenG, I just mean like they are from the same family. I meant no offense, it's a big compliment because I liked GenG a lot but ordered the cheaper SupraG instead mostly because Im poor. It'd be like comparing a THX00 (Nighthawk) to a TH900 (GenG) in terms of technical ability. And then in tone its like comparing a THX00 (Nighthawk) to an ES900 (modded TH900). THX00 and Nighthawk is for poors.

I just bought a Nighthawk Carbon from classifieds. I'll have to sell my TRX00 to pay for the second Nighthawk. The Nighthawk isolate about as well as a TRX00 anyway. The ETA is much more open physically and sounding (therefore better).

edit: I'll compare Nighthawk vs Supra later.
edit2: I do believe GenG > Nighthawk > TRX00. @E_Schaaf already said that a couple pages ago. Im not as cultured.

 

Audioquest Nighthawk site is gone so finding info from third hand and copy pasted from original source. Here is some matketing info for Carbon version:

- Modified internal parts: Tighter tolerances reduce air leakage for improved airflow and lower distortion

- Improved headpad: Genuine leather headpad with stitched detailing for enhanced comfort, more luxurious look and feel

- Luxurious finish: Carbon Grey Metallic high-gloss automotive paint meticulously applied via multistage process

- NightHawk Carbon and NightOwl Carbon share their predecessor’s pistonic drivers with biocellulose diaphragms, compliant rubber surrounds, and true voice-coil formers. The patented split-gap motor remains unsurpassed in its ability to reduce intermodulation distortion. The earcups are fabricated from the same revolutionary Liquid Wood material, affording acoustically optimized support beams and carefully applied damping.

- 3D-printed biomimetic sound-diffusing grille

NightHawk Carbon & NightOwl Carbon Specifications
· Impedance: 25ohms
· Sensitivity: 99dbSPL/mW
· Power Handling: 1.5W
· Weight: 346g (12.2oz)
· Driver: 50mm Dynamic | Biocellulose Pistonic Diaphragm | 1.2T Split-Gap Motor


=============================


Most important is the multi-layered paint applied fo Carbon to give it its color and finish. Aesthetic choice or secret cover up for mold issues? Users in HF thread complain about stink since new. Ive not come across comments about same issue with Carbon. Thats right folks, get a Carbon if interested in Nighthawk.

Next most important is optimization to reduce air leaks that existed in OG version. We’ll see when I take apart Carbon.

Next is the leather headband support. The OG version flakes away a lot of material. Its a mess.

Next is the specs. How does the Telsa and impedance ratings compare to Fostex drivers? The THX00 is rated at 1T and the TH900 at 1.5T. Ive read from @Eudis Fernandes that the Emu Teak is a little stronger (like 1.2T) than THX00. @E_Schaaf shot that down and said EMU is the same as THX00. Now where do both of yous get your information. I asked you @E_Schaaf earlier in thread but you ignored. Kind of annoying if Emu is better than THX00 because I kept my THX00 and sold Emu thinking they were the same (even though I preferred Emu but assumed the cups were the difference maker). So how do you guys know what’s what? A little annoyed if EMU is better because I relied on Eudis info to buy EMU originally, then relied on E_Schaaf info when I sold my EMU to E_Schaaf.

 

Not accusing you guys of misleading. Dont know if you guys were correct or mistaken. Just would like to know where the ratings come from. Thats why I smiley faced emoji. The obvious answer is not to trust randos on the internet for large purchases.