AudioQuest Nighthawk Review | 93 Data compared

The AudioQuest NightHawk is an innovative semi-open dynamic headphone featuring unique "Liquid Wood" earcups, an elastomer band suspension system designed to eliminate mechanical crosstalk, and protein leather earpads made with eggshell powder. In performance testing, the headphones delivered an incredibly clean listening experience highlighted by an exceptionally dark, low-distortion background and a highly natural, spacious, and holographic soundstage. The sonic character is distinctly warm and smooth, presenting organic and non-fatiguing vocals alongside a deep, impactful bass response that mimics the traits of planar magnetic designs. Despite these notable strengths, the NightHawk exhibits several performance trade-offs that keep it from being a universal crowd-pleaser. Reviewers noted that the frequency response is notably non-linear, characterised by recessed upper-midrange and lower-treble frequencies that can push female vocals further back into the soundstage. Additionally, while the low-end extends quite deep, the bass lacks tight speed and control, suffering from a slower transient decay that can make the overall presentation feel a bit sluggish on faster, more energetic tracks.

The AudioQuest Nighthawk is a semi-open back headphone priced at £499 that represents an innovative, financially unconstrained debut into the high-end market. Designed from scratch by Skylar Gray, it features unique engineering elements like "liquid wood" earcups, a 3D-printed diamond cubic lattice grille inspired by butterfly wings, and a highly flexible microphone-cradle-style suspension system. Sonically, it rejects the industry-standard Mylar drivers in favour of a 50mm biocellulose diaphragm designed to mimic conventional loudspeakers and minimise high-frequency distortion. While highly sensitive at 25 ohms and easy to power, the reviewer notes that its warm, dark, and uniquely V-shaped sonic profile scales significantly with high-quality source components.

The Headfonia review characterizes the AudioQuest NightHawkGo as a unique, semi-open headphone featuring a comfortable, eco-friendly design with "liquid wood" earcups and a relaxed, warm sound signature. Key strengths include exceptional, fatigue-free comfort, a coherent soundstage, deep bass, and the ability to scale in clarity when paired with high-end amplification. However, the review notes that the sound is quite dark and warm, requiring a substantial adjustment period for the listener. It lacks the bright, analytical treble found in many high-end headphones, which may disappoint those seeking immediate, sharp detail, and the performance is heavily reliant on using a high-quality audio chain.

The What Hi-Fi? review evaluates the AudioQuest NighthawkGo as an innovative but sonically flawed pair of headphones, giving them a mixed verdict. On the positive side (pros), the headphones feature an exceptionally stylish and ergonomic design, utilizing unique "Liquid Wood" injected-molded earcups and a flexible elastic web suspension system that eliminates excessive clamping force for long-term comfort. Their internal engineering is similarly advanced, boasting a rigid biocellulose diaphragm, a split-gap motor to reduce distortion, and a semi-open architecture that successfully balances spaciousness with minimal sound leakage. Tonally, the performance is praised for its buttery-smooth presentation, far-reaching dynamics, a solid, natural midrange for vocals, and a weighty, subtle bass response that ensures hours of fatigue-free listening. However, the major drawbacks (cons) lie in the headphones' overly polite and restrained sound signature. The review explicitly notes that they lack necessary bite and agility, failing to deliver the required "rough and tumble" energy when playing more agitated music genres. Furthermore, they suffer from loose timing and a distinct lack of ultimate clarity and detail retrieval. When compared to rivals like the Shure SRH1540,...

The AudioQuest NightHawk headphones stand out as an incredibly comfortable pair of open-back headphones, designed with unique bio-cellulose drivers and liquid wood ear-cups. The reviewer notes that they possess a very civilised and neutral sound character with seemingly zero personality of their own. A major benefit is how easy they are to drive, meaning they can play music directly from an iPhone or iPod without any audible strain. They also do a wonderful job of articulating vocals and delivering full, well-defined bass notes. On the downside, these headphones lack the immediate, exciting spark found in competitors like the Sennheiser HD650. Because their sound is so calm and polite, it takes a long time for a listener to fully appreciate what they can do. They also lack the bright, airy sense of space and cold honesty offered by the Beyerdynamic T1. This makes them a slow-burn product rather than something that thrills you right away.

The AudioQuest NightHawk is a radically innovative, semi-open-back headphone ($599 USD) designed from the ground up with unique materials, featuring earcups molded from vibration-damping "liquid wood" and bio-cellulose dynamic drivers with a rubber surround. Architecturally, it stands out for offering "best-in-the-business" physical comfort that allows for hours of fatigue-free wearing, alongside surprisingly effective acoustic isolation during transit despite its semi-open nature. Additional pros include the inclusion of two high-quality 8-foot AudioQuest cables, a padded leatherette carrying case, and a flatter measured frequency response in the 2-4kHz range that avoids the artificial, boosted treble common in many audiophile headphones. However, this unconventional tuning results in notable sonic and practical cons. In listening tests, the flatter treble response initially made music sound muffled, less lively, and lacking in detail, while killing the natural ambience of instruments and producing a slightly bloated bass and a constricted midrange. Though a "live vs. recorded" test with an acoustic guitar proved that the NightHawk's treble actually sounded closer to a real live performance than its competitors, the reviewer still preferred the more spacious sound of rival...

In his Stereophile review, Herb Reichert describes the $599 AudioQuest NightHawk headphones as a highly emotive, detailed, and captivating listening experience that offers exceptional value. A major strength is their ability to uncover low-level details and provide immense clarity to vocals, resulting in a rich, non-fatiguing soundscape, particularly for long-term listening. Conversely, the NightHawk's unique, warmer, and laid-back acoustic profile acts as a potential drawback for users seeking aggressive, analytical treble, as it consciously avoids high-frequency emphasis. This specialized tuning ensures intimate, authentic musical reproduction, which may feel too dark or unconventional for listeners accustomed to a flat, traditional studio-neutral sound.

In this review from The Sound Apprentice, the author highlights the AudioQuest NightHawk headphonesGo as a uniquely tuned, highly polarizing product that excels specifically for relaxed, late-night listening session. Initially, the reviewer disliked the headphones, finding the sound signature surprisingly hollow, unbalanced, and overly dark when compared to mid-centric alternatives like the Sennheiser HD650. However, with prolonged brain and ear acclimatization, the review notes that the NightHawk reveals a highly delicate, non-fatiguing, and natural high-fidelity presentation. Its unique sound profile favors a safe, warm signature with a visceral, thick lower-end bass response, a passive midrange with good vocal clarity, and completely rolled-off, sibilance-free treble. On the structural side, the review praises the substantial engineering and premium build quality, which makes the headphones feel like an absolute "steal" for the money. Notable pros include its outstanding long-term comfort, sustainable liquefied wood cups, 3D-printed diffuser grilles, a highly adjustable leather-wrapped elastic suspension strap, and a premium package of accessories including direct silver-plated copper cables and a padded carrying case. Conversely, the primary cons revolve around its highly unconventional, heavily colored sound tuning,...

The AudioQuest NightHawk is an open-back dynamic headphone featuring a 50mm driver, a low 25-Ohm impedance for easy portable driving, and high wearing comfort due to its lightweight headband clamping force and spacious leather ear pads. On the positive side, it delivers excellent sub-bass extension when a perfect seal is achieved, highly audible mids, and an expansive treble extension reaching up to 30kHz. It also features highly effective detachable dual 2.5mm cup connectors that safely unplug when yanked. Furthermore, AudioQuest provides two distinct stock cables, where the thicker "silver" version intentionally provides a 10dB improvement in stereo crosstalk over the thinner "gold" variant due to lower internal wire resistance, resulting in a noticeably fuller audio presentation. Conversely, the headphones suffer from a highly controversial, dark, and muddy sound profile caused by an elevated 100Hz–500Hz frequency response deviation that overpowers crucial audio cues. This sonic coloration creates a very narrow, claustrophobic stereo image that lacks air, instrument separation, and overall clarity. The upper midrange experiences a notable drop-off, and the treble, while extended, lacks accuracy and details due to severe ringing...

The Headfonics review highlights the AudioQuest NightHawk as a uniquely designed, comfortable headphone featuring liquid wood ear cups, biocellulose drivers, and a suspension system that delivers a speaker-like sound, low distortion, and a non-fatiguing treble. While praised for its high-quality construction and immense comfort, the headphone is noted for a dark, warm, and somewhat "muffled" sonic signature. The primary cons identified include a significantly recessed mid-range and an overbearing low-end bloom that can obscure details during fast-paced tracks, leading to a 7.5 rating. While EQ can mitigate this, the stock tuning is described as a "love it or hate it" experience that favors a thick, cohesive, and relaxed sound over crisp, analytical performance.

The AudioQuest NightHawk is a unique, semi-open-backed headphone designed by Skylar Gray that retails for $599. Structurally, it breaks away from conventional design trends by using highly sustainable, injection-moulded "liquid wood" for its earcups and a complex, multi-layered stainless steel headband decoupled from the earcups via silicone bands. It stands out technically by featuring 42mm biocellulose driver diaphragms derived from bacteria cultures, keeping low-frequency distortion to a minimum. On the positive side, the NightHawk is exceptionally lightweight, offers minimal lateral clamping force, and provides a highly refined, quirk-free, and balanced sound presentation. Furthermore, with a low 25-Ohm impedance and high 100dB efficiency, it is remarkably easy to drive directly from smartphones, dongle DACs, or standard integrated amplifier headphone jacks without requiring expensive tube amplification. However, the headphones come with notable drawbacks regarding build and immediate sound impressions. Physically, the structure feels somewhat fragile; without its dedicated leather carry case, the NightHawk is poorly suited for being tossed into bags compared to sturdier rivals. Sonically, the headphones lack immediate "excitement" or a distinct sonic personality—eschewing overt bass heaviness or super-incisive treble—meaning...

AudioQuest NightHawk headphonesGo are praised in Head-Fi reviews for their exceptional comfort, featuring a self-adjusting headband, and an innovative, sustainable "liquid wood" design that reduces resonance. Sonically, they offer a velvety, musical sound signature with detailed, low-reaching sub-bass and smooth, non-fatiguing highs. Conversely, the headphones are noted for an unconventional, highly colored frequency response that may require user acclimation, often sounding veiled or "hollow" to some listeners. Criticisms focus on a recessed midrange, subdued treble energy, and a more polite, less dynamic sound that may not suit all genres.