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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2015 18:24:20 GMT
If the TH-X00 is just a re-tuned TH-600 with nice wooden cups it's still not a bad deal really.
I do take issue with them sticking an msrp of $1000 on it though because from the get go the brief Massdrop gave to Fostex was to make a headphone costing $500 or less. It may sound like a $1000 headphone but to suggest it's anything other than a $500 (or $400) headphone is misleading.
I personally think the K7XX is a good headphone for the money. Whilst it may not be exactly the same as the K712 it does sound very close to me. But yes the head-fi hype train definitely helped AKG & MD shift a lot of headphones. Funny to think you couldn't even mention the word Massdrop on HF a year ago without the mods coming down on you like a ton of bricks!
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Nov 29, 2015 20:01:47 GMT
I wasn't that fussed about the Massdrop AKG K551 drop. I found it not much different than the original K550. Put me off their 'specials' a bit and really highlighted the Headfiers who are prone to exaggeration or suggestion!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2015 0:50:01 GMT
Hmmmm...what an interesting few days it has been with the Nighthawk. I went from being befuddled, to underwhelmed to downright scathing (as Gordon will attest from the PM he received from me). In sheer frustration / annoyance I stuck them up for sale on Sunday but on Monday evening I thought 'why not give them one more go'. Watched a few tv shows...pretty good. Stuck on Sonic Highways by Foo Fighters and again found a lot to like as well as a few things I didn't. Still better than what they'd revealed up to that point. Listened some more last night and I dug them a bit more so decided to remove them from sale as I didn't want to let them go still with any lingering doubts (did anyone expect that, myself included??). Using them again tonight and again favourable. They now seem faster than I first thought, less subdued (still dark) or muddy and the mids feel a tad less recessed. I'm actually beginning to really enjoy the bass on them, despite that initially being one of my biggest complaints about them. Now these were a used pair with some hours on them (last owner put in around 70hrs + however much the original owner had used them for) so I'm not going to suggest burn in is at play as I've maybe only put in another 20 hrs since I received them but it almost feels like they've woken up. My feeling is that it's likely either me mentally becoming more attuned or playing them a bit louder than before or a combination of both. I normally listen at relatively low volumes so I'm not talking about cranking them to 11 and the fairly dialled down treble means that they're in no way fatiguing. Are they the greatest thing since sliced bread? No and I don't think I'll ever get to that point with them. Are they for everyone? Absolutely not. But they are certainly different and they might possibly be my new favourite movie / tv watching headphone. Watching The Man In The High Castle last night and in one scene a supersonic airliner flew low over an airport and the rumble from the engines was superb....the hairs on my arms stood up. Not quite as much fun as the time a Vulcan flew over town at low altitude but impressive all the same. Think I'm going to give them some more time and see where this ride goes next. If they're staying and there's interest I might send them off on a wee DIYAH tour in the new year - just be prepared to put in some time before drawing any conclusion. Would love to hear what you chaps make of them whether it is good, bad or indifferent
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Dec 3, 2015 19:56:01 GMT
Stay with them for a while Mark. You may have been listening to a particular sound previously for a long time, so your head is expecting to hear the same.
Great pity though that they're not up to what you wanted so far.
The weird thing is, I'm a headphone tart with no allegiance to anything and I can go from an expensive thing and then prefer something much cheaper by comparison. I've often found that's because the cheaper thing is less glaring and perhaps doesn't highlight problems as easily. Especially in recording quality. Trouble is, the expensive one might be more true to source. Or in your case, the bassy one!! I doubt that though.
I reckon it's your head burning in. To be fully converted, you have to just use them and nothing else. Then you might see the strengths rather than what it doesn't do in comparison to your most used headphone.
It's very tempting to run back and forth between headphones to try and compare and that often means that you might well not end up picking the right one.
I listen for positives and negatives and list them. Then I do the same for a known headphone and look for what the differences are according to my jugs. Try different volumes. I suspect that the Nighthawk needs to thunder. Focus for mids and see what volume feels natural.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2015 21:36:12 GMT
You know you need an HD 650 in your life?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2015 0:16:12 GMT
Cheers Ian. Good advice. I was coming in with my mind 'tuned' for the Pandora and whilst they're not bright per se they are markedly brighter than the Nighthawk. I'm also well aware of the things the Pandora does so well and in some respects I think that's why some of the NH's 'deficiencies' seemed so glaring. In hindsight flitting back and forth between the two on day 1 wasn't such a great idea as the two are like chalk & cheese. Although it is nice to benchmark sometimes. Over the last few days I've been exclusively listening to the NH at home (Fiio when I'm out & they're glorious) and I think as you say it's been a case of mental adjustment. Normally I can adapt quickly but this has been quite a prolonged period. Now that I'm more accustomed to the Nighthawk though I'm able to see the good points coming more to the fore whereas initially all I could hear where the things that didn't sit quite right. Any regrets are fast dissipating and I'm much happier with my decision to buy them - I wanted something a bit different and I think I can safely say I got that! I still can't get over just how much I'm warming to them becauaw whilst I've somewhat revised my thoughts on other headphones over time I've never done a complete u-turn! In this case I am happy to say I was too hasty in passing judgement. ---- You offering Gordon? That's awfy good of you...I was just expecting a bottle of splash or some socks for Xmas One day mate. And of course an amp to do them justice.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Dec 4, 2015 6:53:00 GMT
Funny thing with Senn and AKG generally. Flit between the two and you'd probably decide this:
AKG is nasal in the treble and has no bass. Send is fat, bloaty and coloured.
Stay with one of them for a week and change and those differences become massive. That's why I think there have been so many arguments on HF about those two in particular. However, the one you stay with is excellent!!
Going between dt770 and k702 is quite funny with the dt770 bass. Both have strong treble, although the dt770 treble is a bit steelier I think, but the bass that it gives feels bomb like by comparison. Stick with the dt770 and the bomb becomes visceral depth and the guts of the music and most other headphones are thin.
It is quite funny how we learn to accept the quirks of our headphones but some quirks we're quite happy to live with!! Others become a real focal point and we obsess.
And that's not even taking into account the massive variations found in recordings.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2015 15:48:40 GMT
Not a bad review by Lieven @ Headfonia: www.headfonia.com/review-audioquest-nighthawk-the-unique-one/Mirrors a lot of my thoughts on the Nighthawk. Not sure about burn in but certainly when it comes to adjustment time it needs quite a bit. Wouldn't mind trying the NH on a balanced set up as I've read a few folk saying that it improves things further. It's a funny headphone. In a direct comparison there are times when it almost seems like the Pandora is pulling down the NH's pants and poking fun at it and yet it's not without its charms - think Ali at his prime vs Frank Bruno if you know what I mean 'arry It's certainly unlike any other headphone I've owned in terms of how it presents sound (not just in terms of tonality but in terms of soundstaging) and it's also such an easy listen for longer sessions. Comfort is wonderful too. Every now and then I play something and it feels like the NH gets all its ducks in a row and think Audioquest really are onto something. Perhaps with a couple of more headphones under their belt and some fine tuning they'll release something that's really special and a bit less polarising. Not that the NH isn't good, it is but I just think it's perhaps a little over priced at £499 new.
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Post by c61746961 on Dec 17, 2015 17:27:59 GMT
The driver is very capable, ergonomics seem very good... It's just the tuning that goes against all sensibilities, heh...
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Dec 17, 2015 17:38:58 GMT
Sounds like it has quite an odd sound sig, Mark. Makes me think of the D600 which has a big bass and for some , it takes getting used to. That used to retail at a silly price.
I still feel quite iffy about pricing on some headphones. The amount of improvement that you get just doesn't give you as much as some might think. The only one that I've felt happy with is the th900, but I hate the way that the cups are attached on a premium headphone. I think that's really poor for the price that we pay for them.
Sound wise though, I have no problem with it at all. It's extremely good.
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Post by jello on Feb 22, 2016 10:53:19 GMT
I'm sure I posted late last year about the possibility of sending the NH off on a wee DIYAH tour in the new year. Can't for the life of me find it now though! Just wondering if there's any interest in me doing so? Can firm up the details later but rough thinking is: - keep things within the UK / EU to avoid any issues with customs charges etc. - each person has (up to) a 3 week loan period as I feel this is a headphone that needs some adjustment time - each participant's only outlay will be to cover the cost of onward shipping to the next person on the list or back to me if they're last Will leave this open for a week or so to see if it's a goer. Even if it's just a single person interested that's fine...loan period can then be a bit more 'fluid'. Interested *tour now over*UK1. Rabbit EU 2. Solderdude 3. z3d (tbc)Edit #1: 26/2. Decided to kick things off early so the NH's have been sent to Ian and will then go on to Frans. Not too late to add folk if though if any one else is interested in hearing the NH Edit #2: 7/3. z3d's interest added. Tour now closed to new entrants. Edit #3: 13/3 z3d has pulled out. Frans will return to me in due course.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Feb 22, 2016 11:09:47 GMT
I'd be interested in hearing it Mark. Not sure how many regulars are in the UK though ...
If it's only me, I'd be happy to pay postage both ways.
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jello
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Post by jello on Feb 22, 2016 11:20:46 GMT
I was thinking the same Ian, which is why I decided perhaps better to extend to the EU even if it does bump up shipping costs a bit. Further afield just starts to get messy customs wise though. I'll add you to the list Ian and probably do it on a first come first served basis. Although might be an idea to do the UK leg in a oner to minimise shipping times and keep postage costs down. Then over the channel / north sea. I'm happy to cover postage to you Ian. I'm actually quite keen to hear what some of you guys think of them so there's something in this for me too I suspect shipping will be around £12 for something like Special Delivery and using a service like that means quick delivery and peace of mind if the parcel goes astray (up to £500 standard compensation iirc).
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Feb 22, 2016 11:52:01 GMT
Here's number 2. Would like to measure it as well.
Need to send something(s) to Ian any way and he should send his defective SeNNator over as well.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Feb 22, 2016 12:07:13 GMT
They have been a cuiosity to me Mark, basically because they seem to have split hi fi guys quite a lot. Some think they're top notch, others really don't like them. Even now, there isn't really a great deal about them.
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