I like the Ebony armour as it gives me for my purposes enough protection and it looks EPIC.
I got my Ebony armour as a quest reward from Boethia and it also allows you to move silently and adds 5 points of poison damage to foes who come to close to me.
When you crouch you get totally covered by a black mist, but scared the crap out of because it makes this loud sound effect when it does and I thought a Dragon just flew over my head.But it looks great.
I also got a new skin for the Nightingale armour that is purely sublime. Really the best skin I've seen.
Nightingale Prime
http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1896
Male Version
http://static.skyrimnexus.com/downlo...1322504950.jpg
Female Version
http://static.skyrimnexus.com/downlo...1322585568.jpg
Right click and open in mew tab to view full size and quality.