interesting, i guess i could see that actually. it does have that feel to it now that i think about it. and the focus on the midrange isnt it but like the sound (i think iām going crazy but) sound very in the middle instead of 360 or seperated channels on the other headphones iāve tried. the sundara basically sounds similiar to it in my expirience. but yeah now that i think about it i guess the hawks do sound different in that aspect about the room
Also, i have found that the longer the listening session with the hawks or ANY other HP I use, MY mind seems to play a sort of trick on me, i believe this is what others refer to as āgetting used to the soundā where whatever peculiar difference in SQ/style was immediately noticeable to me from what my OWN mind has set as a standard, now slowly fades and i fall into a lulled sense of familiarity with the sound. The initial excitement of the new sound signature gently fades and my mind and ears find whatever iām hearing as ānormal.ā
One of the reasons I only do criticall listening in fairly short bursts under an hour is because I personally sort of āforgetā what the hell was making things different. To top it off my girlfriend thinks I may actually have some kind of mild narcolepsy, because she has watched me during some of my listening sessions and whenever i start to listen for an extended period of time I doze off almost anywhere I am sitting. Bam my head will drop, my eyes close and I start snoring or drooling like an idiot just smiling alone blissfully unaware 
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Hi all, I am a new subscriber to Hifiguides and have been reading your comments about the Nighthawk.
These headphones peaked my interest a few years ago but they were out of my price range then. However, I have now got the opportunity to get them for about $300/Ā£260, which based on the comments i have read here will be a real steal. There are only a few left in stock so I need to act quickly if i am going to make a purchase.
I still have a few reservations based on the reviews i have read where they divide a lot of opinion because of their uniqueness.
I listen to mainly classic rock, rock, jazz and soul music using a Fiio M11 DAP. I tend to lean towards a warm and clear presentation where i can hear all the instruments.
For example, for bass where I can hear John Entwhistleās hands move down the fretboard of his bass on certain Who recordings (such as āBehind Blue Eyesā) and a realistic clean, clear and crisp treble where I can hear the shimmer of a cymbal without any sibilence or rolled-off treble (a good track to demo this is on the intro to āHells Bellsā on Back In Black by AC/DC). Vocals should not drown out the music nor should they be hidden. A wide soundstage is not necessarily a must, as long as i can hear all the music/instruments without any distortion and sibilence.
Based on what i have mentioned above, will the AQ Nighthawks satisfy my needs? I currently own a pair of Meze 99 Classics (with balanced cable) and Philips Fidelio X2HR so how do these compare and are the Nighthawks a worthy upgrade to these (or just something ādifferentā)?
I would be grateful for any honest opinions and feedback!
I think you should strongly consider the Nighthawks. I mostly listen to the same music as you and I enjoy them very much for rock, classic rock, blues, and jazz. The sound is very ānaturalā to me. I know describing audio is tricky especially when using terms like that but to me they make music feel lifelike. I think this is due to a combination of their tuning, detail retrieval, and imaging capabilities. I think you will find all the delicious details still there in your music, just presented in a little different way. I have not heard the Meze 99 or the X2HR but I would guess others who have heard them are going to say the Nighthawk is on a different level while also being different. One thing I would also comment on is the build. The care put into the design and build of these headphones is very obvious and it makes them feel special and unique. These feel like a premium product in every way. (Except for that jank cable, toss it out and get another one the first chance you get!)
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Yeahā¦ what he said!!
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I have one other thought about the āuniquenessā of the sound that is so divisive to some people. Itās not like you are sitting there listening to these headphones and thinking to yourself āThese sound weirdā the whole time you are listening. I just find myself enjoying them. The uniqueness is only really apparent when you quickly switch to another headphone. That is when you realize that the Nighthawk handles things differently than most headphones.
Thank you for your comments, i feel myself hitting the purchase button!
I think the one thing or comment that has caused the conjecture is around the use of the word āweirdnessā relating to the sound signature. This in itself has negative conatations so i am glad you have called this out!
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This was my initial reaction and it has only grown stronger with each day, Hawks are different surely but Wow! They rock music in a special way.
Ok not to be too crude here but: Who the fuck invented these phones? The sound , the direction , The imaging, The comfortā¦ All are incredible!! I am at least a 55 year fan of music and I have never heard a set like this. I am in my 60s and appreciate good quality but have never really tried to describe what I personally hear but one thing I have found with these is I am hearing sound on albums that I have listened to for years and years that I have never heard beforeā¦ I would like to say I am speechless but obviously not. To @Mon I say Thanks again. To all the other passionate fans of these I say : You Lucky bastards have been withholding this secret from me !! LOL!!!. I truly do not know as of this point whether it is my amp/ dac (Asgard 3) or what but Damn these rock!!
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I hope you join us! We are a happy band of Nighthawk evangelists. Haha!
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I would happily agree! Between theeese and the 95x I have repeatedly struggled to find a desire to buy other headphones. IEMs are different, but Iām basically done chasing the dragon with those two. 
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Oh darn, i am being let into temptation and face the wrath of my missus of yet another headphone purchase 
I will be honoured to become a member of the Nighthawk evangelists, brethren 
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Rejoice, i have purchased the Nighthawks!!! Should take delivery in the next couple of days.
Question: are there any aftermarket balanced cables anyone can recommended? I have a balanced cable for my Meze 99 but not sure whether these will fit, they have 2 x 3.5mm TS connection into the headphones so will be interested to know whether these will be compatible or require something more propreitary.
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Nighthawks use dual 2.5mm, and in addition to that, you have to make sure the 2.5mm jacks are narrow because the slot in the Nighthawks are narrow as well. not sure whereās the go to place for custom balanced cables though. Maybe periapt? the other user of dual 2.5mms i know of are Senn HD700s
If Iām not mistaken, I thought the Meze used a 2.5mm connection, in which case you should be able to use it with the Nighthawks. You might need to fact check me on that though.
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those are 3.5mm entry plugs so its a no go based on their own website 
The dual 2.5mm TS cable from Hart works greatā¦Iām using it now while i listen to Behind Blue Eyes to see about that fretboard detail for you. While i donāt hear the slide, I do hear a bit of the āgrungeā of the stringās initial vibration. Instruments and vocals are clearly separated and equally present.
I also have the X2HR, which I do enjoy quite a bit. Iād say the Hawks are a bit more balanced, while retaining that really satisfying low end (currently listening with the pleather pads). I think some of the āweirdnessā perceived with these cans is that they seem to recreate a bit more of that natural reverb of a space than most, which can take a little getting used to, but also makes them sound more āliveā. Iāve come to appreciate it the more Iāve listened to them.
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Ah I see that now. I was looking at the 2.5mm balanced cable, but that was the wrong end of the cable. 
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Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated. I am certainly feeling the love for these headphones already and I canāt wait to receive them. Like I said in my initial post, I have had my eye on these for some time and I would regret it if I passed on the opportunity to own a pair of these!
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The limited availability of these is definitely a factor now. Out of curiosity, did you get the carbon or the og wood ones?
I got the Carbon because that is the only model they sell brand new. If I am totally honest I much prefer the original wood ones, I have found some on ebay but they are twice as much as the Carbons and I donāt think it justifies paying the extra if itās just a matter of aesthetics.