Disclaimer: AudioQuest sent us a free sample of the AudioQuest NightOwl in exchange for our humble opinion. As far as I know the sample doesn’t need to be returned.
AudioQuest
AudioQuest is a US based company but the EU headquarters is located in the Netherlands and AudioQuest mostly is known for their excellent value audio cables . I myself have limited experience with their cables but I without hesitation can say I’m a fan of their headphone related products.
AudioQuest not only is the maker of the very good and popular mini USB DAC/AMPs from the DragonFly-series but they’re also the guys that made the unique NightHawk headphone which we reviewed last year. The American company now is back with a new headphone, the NightOwl Carbon, and that’s what we’ll be looking at today.
NightHawk
Before going into the new NightOwl let’s first quickly look back at the NightHawk. When looking at the number of NightHawk fans out there it’s safe to say the NightHawk headphone was and still is a success. Of course the warmer, smoother and more relaxed sound signature wasn’t for everyone but with the right source the NightHawk really shined. The NightHawk has a unique sound signature and I can see why some find it a little too much on the dark and veiled side. If you didn’t like the original NightHawk I’m pretty sure you’ll love the new NightOwl, as it has a different tuning. (Even though the word is it uses the same drivers). Keep reading.
NightOwl
The new NightOwl doesn’t replace the NightHawk. The NightHawk was an open design, over-ear headphone while the NightOwl this time is a closed design. Skylar Gray, the creator of both of these headphones, however designed the NightOwl in such a way that the closed design improves the isolation but that it keeps the same open and expansive sound. The unit comes in a carbon grey metallic high-gloss automotive finish (still liquid wood) and as the NightOwl is a closed headphone now, the sexy grills have disappeared.
I’ll go into (a lot of) detail about the technology later but the NightOwl basically follows the same philosophy as the NightHawk with the use of liquid wood, design inspired by loudspeakers, structural integrity, angled drivers and vibration management. What I do like with the new NightOwl is how it has the L/R marking on the inside of the ear cup now, on the fabric covering the drivers, where, on the NightHawk, it was on the earcups themselves.
The AudioQuest NightOwl’s price is set at $699USD and it is available on Amazon.com and from hundreds of worldwide dealers. The original NightHawk’s price at the release was $599. Before reading this NightOwl article, I do recommend reading up on the AudioQuest NightHawk first should you be unfamiliar with it.
The Box & Accessories
The new NightOwl comes in a gorgeous leather carrying case and includes a soft microfiber pouch to store your headphones in. The other accessories are the AudioQuest high performance 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter, the new shorter cable (see below) and an extra set of pads (with their own microfiber pouch). You can choose to use the protein leather boost pads which seal tighter for better isolation and slightly enhanced treble clarity or the microsuede pads which breathe freer for greater comfort and slightly reduced bass impact. I personally prefer the protein leather pads over the microsuede ones, but I’ll talk about the differences in the part on “Sound”.
The 3.5mm-to-1/4” headphone plug adaptor that comes with every AudioQuest headphone features thick Direct-Silver plating over its high-purity copper base metal. AudioQuest decided to use a base metal of Tellurium Copper (TeCu) for their headphone cable plugs which is supposed to result in improved signal transmission. I actually always end up using the AudioQuest adapters whenever I need one.
Design, Build Quality & Comfort
We’ll cover the basics in chapter but if you want to know even more about Skylar’s and AudioQuest’s design philosophy, go here: http://personal.audioquest.com/acoustics
The new NightOwl comes in a carbon grey metallic high-gloss automotive finish and the biggest difference with the NightHawk is that the Owl is a closed back design. While is does block out more sound than before the isolation isn’t perfect and headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT770PRO AE/32 makes the environment disappear even more.
“Hidden beneath the central circular portion of NightOwl’s earcups, a vent runs along the perimeter of each dome and exits through a hidden airflow-resistive port”
The NightOwl is designed to effectively relieve the buildup of pressure, allowing the drivers to breathe freely, ensuring that any impulses quickly return to an innocuous resting state—with no ringing, oscillation, or resonance.
“Earcups Shaped for Performance, Comfort, Beauty“
Unlike the ear cups of other headphones the Night Owl ear cups are designed to follow the general contour of the human ear—rounder at the rear, wide at the top, narrowing toward the bottom. This way, the ear cups provide a more complete and comfortable fit, reducing stress on the listener’s head and ears, offering a bit of isolation from external sounds while maintaining the headphones’ excellent tonal balance. I really like the pads of the Night-series: they look great and feel very comfortable although they do touch your ears. I know a few people that can’t stand their ears touching the pads, so do be aware of this. I personally like the grey finish of the NightOwl a whole lot more than the glossy wood finish the NightHawk has.
“Angled Drivers: Happy Ears, Fatigue-Free Listening“
The NightOwl ear pads and drivers are carefully positioned to complement the natural angle of the listener’s ear. Minimizing contact between the headphone’s parts and the listener’s pinnae reduces stress and, consequently, avoids frustration (the antitheses to music appreciation), while enabling long, fatigue-free listening.
Self-Adjusting Headpad: One Size Fits All
The patent-pending suspension system used is the same as in the NightHawk and it makes listening to the Owl very comfortable. This design allows the ear cups to move freely, accommodating heads of nearly any shape or size, while effectively decoupling the ear cups to counteract intrusive mechanical crosstalk. The head pad attaches to an outer headband via small, swiveling pins located on either side of the headband’s base, just above the suspension’s yoke. An inner elastic band is concealed by a soft, modestly cushioned pad, which yields and rises when met by resistance or pressure. In this simple way, the head pad automatically adjusts to the listener’s head. The suspension system gives the NightOwl/Hawk their specific modern look which you either like or hate. The look is unique though, that’s for sure.
“Low Clamping Force = Long, Luxurious Listening“
The suspension system and headband work together to evenly distribute the headphone’s weight (346gr) on your head. While the head band system on the Owl and Hawk is the same I found the pressure of the Hawk’s a little better. With the Owl on my small head, it has the intention to fall off more easily when picking up stuff I dropped from my desk. The NightHawk always stays firmly in place however.
The part on “Sound” starts on Page Two, after the click HERE or the jump below