AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon

Features

Overview: Like the Nighthawk, the AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon state-of-the-art over-ear headphones are designed with technology found in many of today's loudspeakers. These technologies have been applied to headphone listening, resulting in an immersive and emotional listening experience. NightOwl Carbon headphones come with two pairs of ear pads, a 51" straight cable, a 3.5mm-to-1/4" adapter, two cleaning cloths, and a luxuriously-padded zippered storage case.

Ear Cups: The ear cups are shaped to follow the general contour of the human ear--rounder at the rear, wide at the top, narrowing toward the bottom. This design provides greater comfort and less stress on the listener's head and ears. It also helps isolate external sounds. The headband self-adjusts when you put them on, providing ultimate comfort for long listening sessions.

Ear Pads: Two sets of ear pads are included in the box. One pair of ear pads is made of Protein Leather, a bio-derived synthetic fabric that is durable, pliable, and soft. Protein Leather ear pads seal tighter for better isolation and improved treble clarity. The other set features an Ultra Suede covering which breathes freer for greater comfort and enhanced bass impact.

Liquid Wood Enclosures: The NightOwl Carbon's ear cup enclosures are made from all-natural Liquid Wood. Liquid Wood is made of 100% renewable raw materials, including lignin, natural fibers, resins, and waxes, combined and treated so that it can be injection-molded. The enclosures have support beams that give them structural integrity, much like the internal bracing in a loudspeaker cabinet. Liquid Wood has far superior acoustic properties than plastic or other materials used in headphones, which gives the NightOwl Carbon a distinctive clear and warm sound.

Drive Units: The NightOwl Carbon utilizes 50mm dynamic drivers that resemble the high quality drive units found in the most sophisticated loudspeakers. The diaphragms are constructed of rigid bio-cellulose with a urethane rubber surround, which results in well-controlled bass, rich midrange, and natural highs, with low distortion.

Closed Design: The NightOwl Carbon is a true closed-back headphone to give you maximum isolation from the outside world. The earcups feature a vent that runs along the perimeter of each dome and exits through a hidden airflow-resistive port to relieve the buildup of air pressure and let the drivers breathe freely.

Audio Cable: The NightOwl Carbon comes with a 51" high-quality audio cable. Using technologies found in AudioQuest's loudspeaker cables, the larger 51" high-end NightOwl cable uses high-purity copper conductors with very little oxygen content. The cable's plugs feature Direct-Silver plating over a base metal of Tellurium Copper (TeCu). TeCu is known for it's purity and machinability, which results in better plating quality and contact mating for improved signal transmission. The cable has a 1-button remote on the yoke with controls for music playback and phone calls. The supplied, screw-on 3.5mm-to-1/4" adapter features thick Direct-Silver plating over high-purity copper.

Break-in Period: Like other mechanical devices such as loudspeakers and phono cartridges, the NightOwl Carbon headphones require a "break-in" period in order to reach optimum performance. A suggested break-in period is approximately 150 hours listening to music at safe volumes. A similar "burn-in" period for the NightOwl cable is also recommended. This can be accomplished by leaving your components powered on, and the headphones plugged in, even when there is no music playing. This allows the molecules in the dielectric to gradually be arranged from a random order into a more uniform order. This process can take approximately 2 weeks.

Warranty: The AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon carries a 1-year warranty. An additional year warranty will be added when you register the headphones with the manufacturer.

Specifications:

• Maximum Power Handling: 1.5 W
• Impedance: 25Ω
• Sensitivity: 99dB SPL/mW
• Dimensions: Ear Cups: Width 3.592", Height 4.251", Depth 2.375"
• Weight: 12.9 ounces