Audioquest Nighthawk is a headphone designed by a company that has made quite a few award-winning USB DACs. It comes with a hefty price tag and uses unique building materials such as “Liquid Wood” which is supposed to provide superior acoustic properties. Based on some of the positive ratings, we have no doubt the Audioquest Nighthawk is capable of producing high sound quality.
An amazing pair of headphones will require an equally remarkable amp to drive them. If you are currently in search of one then please continue to read on. We will be showing you a list of the best amps to match with the Audioquest Nighthawk after we have learned more about it.
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Sound Characteristics of Audioquest Nighthawk
At first look, you may think that the Audioquest Nighthawk earcups are made of cheap shiny plastics but as mentioned earlier, it is made of “Liquid Wood”. This is real wood combined with plant fiber and has undergone a liquefying process which makes it suitable for injection molding. Other than making the Audioquest Nighthawk look unique and stylish, the “Liquid Wood” material also helps to improve sound quality due to its acoustic properties. The earpads are made of premium leather materials and the overall build of the headphones does help to justify the cost.
For such a good-looking pair of headphones, you might want to wear them outdoors and show them off. This is not a good idea though as the Audioquest Nighthawk is a semi-open design headphone. This means the sound will leak out and disturb the others around you. Its noise isolation capabilities are also sub-par and in the end, the Audioquest Nighthawk is best to be used indoors privately. The Nighthawk is incredibly comfortable and we can wear them for hours without feeling discomfort which is really cool.
More Details at Amazon – AudioQuest Nighthawk Carbon Headphones
Since it is a semi-open headphone, we are expecting a wider soundstage when compared to closed-back design headphones of a similar price range. This aspect didn’t reach our expectations though, the soundstage of the Audioquest Nighthawk has a decent size but some closed-back headphones could project a slightly more spacious soundstage than NH. Fortunately, the stereo separation and spacing are exceptional, musicians are still highly defined where we can pinpoint them. The stereo imaging of the Audioquest NH is simply amazing.
The bass performance on the other hand caught us off guard in a good way. Audioquest Nighthawk can reach surprisingly deep into the bass extension which puts some closed-back design headphones to shame. Its overall bass performance is clean and well-textured. Midbass response doesn’t overshadow the upper mids and this gives us a clear midrange reproduction. This allows the vocals to sound natural and clean too. The Audioquest Nighthawk provided us with a nice musical presence and plenty of details to boot.
There is a touch of warmth in the overall sound reproduction and the music delivery is smooth. The highs are airy and clear, don’t sound harsh even when pushed. The music presentations are calm and relaxing but we do find it needs a bit more enthusiasm and energy. If you prefer a relaxed music listening experience with powerful controlled bass responses then the Audioquest Nighthawk is the headphone for you. We have listed out the best headphone amps you can go for below, and you can pick one to match with your Audioquest Nighthawk.
Audioquest Nighthawk Specifications
- Wearing Style: Headband (Over-Ear)
- Transducer Principle: Semi-Open, Dynamic
- Sensitivity: 99dB
- Impedance: 25 Ohms
- Weight: 346g (0.76lbs)
Best Amps to match with Audioquest Nighthawk
The Schiit Audio Magnius is a balanced desktop headphone amp with more than enough power to drive the Audioquest Nighthawk without breaking a sweat. The price point of this headphone amplifier is very modest and would be ideal for listeners who do not want to spend much. There is a sense of realism and the Schiit Audio Magnius is capable of pushing out more details with higher clarity. This Schiit Audio headphone amp has similar sonic characteristics to the Audioquest Nighthawk and is worth the time to have a listen.
More Details at Amazon – Schiit Magnius Balanced Headphone Amp
Chord Mojo is an award-winning headphone amp/DAC with stellar ratings and will be an ideal amplifier partner for your Audioquest Nighthawk. It is compact and portable, allowing you to easily keep it after use. The Chord Mojo may be small but it can still efficiently drive your Nighthawk headphones. This amp has enthusiasm and this helps to provide a more energetic musical performance. Chord Mojo has a wide dynamic range and could dig out plenty of music details, giving us a high-resolution music presentation.
More Details at Amazon – Chord Mojo Headphone Amp (Black)
The Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt is certainly one of the best headphone amps to drive the Audioquest Nighthawk. As both of them are made by the same company, they will share similar sound signatures and this allows them to have a seamless overall sound reproduction. The Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt is also a DAC and is so compact in size, you can actually slot it inside your pockets. Its stereo imaging is accurate and is capable of delivering a clean music presentation with a polished background.
More Details at Amazon – AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt
Topping A30 Pro is an exceptional headphone amplifier and an amazing choice for headphone enthusiasts who want to add a bit more warmth without coloring the overall sound reproduction by too much. The Topping A30 Pro is definitely capable of driving the Audioquest Nighthawk with ease. It also brings out the midrange and could give us richer sounding vocals which simply sounds intimate. A30 Pro’s low-end prowess is able to make full use of the Audioquest Nighthawk deep bass performance as well.
More Info at Amazon – Topping A30 Pro NFCA Headphone Amplifier (Black)
Schiit Audio Magni 3+ is an excellent entry-level headphone amp and will be great for listeners who have a tight budget. The Magni 3+ may be an entry-level amplifier with an affordable price tag but it doesn’t compromise the sound quality. This amp will add more weight to the overall sound reproduction, giving us a more full-bodied music presentation. The subsonic bass performance also has more impact and this makes it an ideal headphone amp for bass fanatics. At this price point, there is nothing to really nitpick about the Schiit Audio Magni 3+.
More Info at Amazon – Schiit Magni 3+ Headphone Amp and Preamp
For listeners who have a very limited budget and require a headphone amp with a built-in DAC then the FiiO E10K will be a fantastic choice to go for. The FiiO E10K has sufficient power to drive the Audioquest Nighthawk. It has a PCM102 DAC chip and could handle up to 24-bit/96 kHz (PCM) resolution. This is an extremely highly rated headphone amp, thanks to its affordability and the level of sonic performance you can get. It also provides a bit more oomph in the midbass region and has a clean overall sound reproduction.
More Info at Amazon – FiiO E10K USB DAC and Headphone Amp
To Sum It Up
These headphone amps are a worthy match with your Audioquest Nighthawk and deserve an audition with you. Try shortlisting some of the amps based on your budget and arrange a listening session with them. During the auditioning of the headphone amps, you should use your own Audioquest Nighthawk headphones and music. Doing a side-by-side comparison can be an easier way to find out which amp sounds better.
