#Audioquest nightowl specs portable#

Honestly, I’m inclined to recommend the Nightowl above the Nighthawk…or just about anything else at this price range, really. But no one is delivering headphones quite like this. Sure, I could chuck some ideas out there, name-drop a few brands. And the Nightowl is no exception to this indisputable fact. RecommendationsĪs stated in my previous review of the Nighthawk, AudioQuest is on some next-level headphone wizardry. Plan on spending a few hours with these headphones – a quick audition ain’t gonna cut it, son. So spark up your something, turn down the lights, and cue up some Mobb Deep…or whatever you listen to.

The lows and highs seem more accentuated when compared to the performance of the Nighthawk, and even without the soundstage, I’m still won over.Ĭomfort! Like the Nighthawk, these babies were made for longer listening sessions. The hallmark of the Nightowl has to be it’s dynamic sound. The music is still realistic, bordering on immersive, but not as intoxicating as the delivery from the Nighthawk. Despite ample depth and some plucky placement, the closed-back design of this headphone inevitably limits the sense of soundstage. It should come as no surprise that the Nightowl fails to match its semi-open counterpart in this department. Ultra-fine details may still be missing in action, but by-and-large, this is still a very competent and pleasing high end. Nowhere near bright, the high end on the Nightowl remains relaxed, but with just the slightest bit more detail than what I heard on the Nighthawk. Though the mids here have a tendency to be overshadowed by the luscious low end, the detail is still there in spades – perfect for those tracks that eschew lows and highs for emphasis on the mids. MidsĬlean and articulate, this is the same midrange that I fell in love with on the Nighthawk. Thanks to the closed-back design, the Nightowl does offer more bass than the Nighthawk – the low end is punctuated by real “oomph” that compliments bassy tracks. There’s ample control at play here, nipping bleed in the bud, and generally delivering the goods. Low Endĭetailed and resonant, the low end on the Nightowl is marked by an overall aura of clarity. These cans seem clean enough to deliver <0.2% or even <0.1% THD. Finally, Total Harmonic Distortion isn’t listed by the manufacturer, but I’m guessing it’s really, really low. Volume is decent – the relatively low 99 dB SPL may not impress on paper, but it’s more than enough where the Nightowl is concerned.

#Audioquest nightowl specs portable#

Impedance is a low 25 ohms – perfect for portable devices like a smartphone or my FiiO X5 II.

SpecsĪudioQuest doesn’t offer specs for frequency range, but I’d place it somewhere around 12-30,000 Hz.

A built-in mic and remote offer compatibility for just about everything but iPhone. The thick no-nonsense cable utilizes dual input, and measures a modest 4.25 ft (1.3 m). The whole kit arrives inside a large, heavy-duty pleather case.īuild-wise, this headphone remains nearly identical to its semi-open variant there’s still a suspension-style headband, deep and comfortable padding on the earcups, and a sense of resilience you just can’t shake. There’s also a user guide, soft carrying pouches for the headphone and the detachable cable, and a 1/4” stereo adapter. The Nightowl comes with two sets of earpads – one suede, one pleather. Same price, same good looks, but where does the sound differ? And is it worth your hard earned cheddar? Let me drop some knowledge. Today I’m following up with a complimentary review of the $699 AudioQuest Nightowl – the closed back alternative to the Nighthawk. A few days ago I got a chance to sit down with the semi-open AudioQuest Nighthawk Carbon.