The AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon ranks #441 out of 454 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: AudioQuest
Prices on this page were last checked October 14, 2026 at 2:38 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
#441 AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon: $699 Discontinued eBay
Pros: A comfortable closed-back with a 50mm biocellulose driver and an easy 25 ohm load.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. It measures among the worst over-ears (Harman score 19), with treble about 5.3 dB below target, so it sounds very dark and muffled without EQ.
| Released | 2016 (10 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.77 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 50mm biocellulose dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 19 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 25 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 99 dB SPL/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.26 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (346 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +0.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 171 Hz | -6.7 dB | 0.79 |
| Peak | 1,869 Hz | +7.6 dB | 0.82 |
| Peak | 995 Hz | -6.3 dB | 0.77 |
| Peak | 8,205 Hz | +3.5 dB | 0.28 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 57 Hz | +1.6 dB | 3.20 |
| Peak | 4,604 Hz | +2.2 dB | 3.92 |
| Peak | 5,481 Hz | -2.2 dB | 5.90 |
| Peak | 107 Hz | -0.8 dB | 2.57 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples