The Real Reason Your System Sounds Better Some Times

mep

mep

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2013
Messages
5,095
In this crazy hobby of ours where we all say we are music lovers first and lovers of great gear second which we only purchase in order to let us hear our music, we seldom agree on a damn thing. People who love tubes argue amongst themselves on which topologies sound best (SET, push-pull, Class A, Class A/B) and then become further fragmented on which tubes are the best for a given topology. Ditto for SS audiophiles. The list of nonsense we argue about goes on and on. However, there is one thing that I think most of us audiophiles agree on and that is that sometimes our systems take on almost magical properties and just sound unbelievably good. And we all know what I'm talking about. Those nights when your system sounds so damn good you sit there in your favorite listening chair and remind yourself what a genius you are for putting together such a great system. It's those nights you have to force yourself to shut your system down and go to bed because you are afraid it may never sound so outrageously good again.

On those special occasions, it is often speculated that the incredibly good sound you are hearing is due to the power grid being less stressed at night than in the day and your system is being fed cleaner power. That assumption has grown legs over the years and has gained wide-spread acceptance with audiophiles who try and explain why some listening sessions are way more magical than others.

Well, I have a new theory to explain why some nights sound so much better than average nights. It's not your electricity, it's all about the spirits. If you pay attention, you will notice that your system only sounds really extraordinary when you are playing the music of musicians who have passed on. When you find yourself playing a bunch of a departed soul's music and your system is good enough, they actually hear your system and drop by your room for a visit if they happen to be in the neighborhood so they can enjoy hearing their music they devoted their living life to. When they do drop by, their energy elevates the sound of your system for the duration of their visit. You might even notice the temperature of your room drops a little bit during these sessions. That's why your system sounds "spooky real" at times. That's why it gives you chills and goosebumps.

You may also notice that when you stop playing music by a given musician who has passed on but stopped by your room for a listen and you put on some other crap to listen to, the spirits get mad and leave and your sound quality falls apart. Your room heats up again. You may even find that your cantilever has been broken off and you have no idea why. Oh yeah, I forgot to say that spirits only visit the homes of analog people. Digital people never have those magical moments and just think their power grid is always dirty. :P

It's all about the spirits. May the spirits be with you. ;)
 
I've noticed when I play too many recordings with Fritz Reiner conducting the CSO, It's guaranteed I can't put on any records with Ansermet and the LSO for at least two weeks - if there is a heaven they're not getting along. I have to cleanse my system with the Ramones and Tom Waits before I can even think about it...weird, huh?
 
I have definite proof of Mark's theory on Spirits. In fact, many proofs- 80 proof, 90 proof, 100 proof. All guaranteed to make your system sound better. Larry
 
astrotoy said:
I have definite proof of Mark's theory on Spirits. In fact, many proofs- 80 proof, 90 proof, 100 proof. All guaranteed to make your system sound better. Larry
Click to expand...

So true. :D
 
puroagave said:
I've noticed when I play too many recordings with Fritz Reiner conducting the CSO, It's guaranteed I can't put on any records with Ansermet and the LSO for at least two weeks - if there is a heaven they're not getting along. I have to cleanse my system with the Ramones and Tom Waits before I can even think about it...weird, huh?
Click to expand...

Makes perfect sense to me.
 
:panic: :panic: :panic: :panic:

Conversely ever notice how the system always sounds awful when you have someone over?

:panic: :panic: :panic: :panic:
 
Good post Mark. It is true. There are days where you have someone over and smile ear to ear because your system is playing to its potential. Then other times, it may not perform as well. I can't explain it. I think it has to do with out mental state. If someone is over and you have the whole day free, then you're relaxed and you make your visitors relax and the system sounds great. Other times, you have that 5pm appointment and you're watching the clock quite anxiously and the system doesn't reach its full potential.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My hypothesis why the system sounds better at night is due to less noise pollution, not necessarily cleaner power, although that can help. Sound is the vibration of air molecules. Whether it is from the stereo, inside, or outside, any sound is from air molecules vibrating. During the day, and evening, ambient sound is vibrating the air. These vibrations interfere with the vibrations from the speakers. Another word for this interference is distortion. The ambient noise is distorting the stereo sound. As the evening goes on, and the background ambient noise is reduced then this distortion is reduced. This is why the stereo sounds better at night.

That is my hypothesis, and I am sticking with it. :)
 
I love Mark's posts, and I'm glad he's still having fun after getting hosed on WBF.

Here's another take on why Your System Sounds Better Some Times:

Generally the dryer the soil the higher the impedance (resistance) ...The higher the water table and moister content of the soil ... the lower the impedance on your ground rod due to better conduction in the moist soil.

Better grounds = lower noise








 
Hum, since we have retired my system always sounds the same, of course I have no noise pollution around my area as I live inside a hammock, the temperature and humidity in the house during the summer stay at 76 degrees and 48% , winter 68 degrees and 48%. The kids have been long gone many moons ago, the cat has been dead for years, the dog is to old to care any more, the stars are in alignment to suit our lifestyle, there is harmony at home. Since I'm at 8 ft elevation and live a good chipping wedge from the ocean maybe that has something to do with it, maybe the sounds of the ocean puts all stress at ease as my mental state as well as my wifes was left at our old jobs, the people that come over are pretty much retired and pretty much could careless about audio or staying inside since their main reason for coming over is to walk, fish, or get some sun, set out on the deck, watch the ocean or star watch and relax. There is always fresh margaritas or a nice ale to sip on, so it appears audio is not the first thing on our minds anymore, maybe it's the lack of everyday stress that comes into play here, yes that's it.. No stress
 
CPP said:
Hum, since we have retired my system always sounds the same, of course I have no noise pollution around my area as I live inside a hammock, the temperature and humidity in the house during the summer stay at 76 degrees and 48% , winter 68 degrees and 48%. The kids have been long gone many moons ago, the cat has been dead for years, the dog is to old to care any more, the stars are in alignment to suit our lifestyle, there is harmony at home. Since I'm at 8 ft elevation and live a good chipping wedge from the ocean maybe that has something to do with it, maybe the sounds of the ocean puts all stress at ease as my mental state as well as my wifes was left at our old jobs, the people that come over are pretty much retired and pretty much could careless about audio or staying inside since their main reason for coming over is to walk, fish, or get some sun, set out on the deck, watch the ocean or star watch and relax. There is always fresh margaritas or a nice ale to sip on, so it appears audio is not the first thing on our minds anymore, maybe it's the lack of everyday stress that comes into play here, yes that's it.. No stress
Click to expand...

Your life sucks Chris :D
 
CPP said:
Hum, since we have retired my system always sounds the same, of course I have no noise pollution around my area as I live inside a hammock, the temperature and humidity in the house during the summer stay at 76 degrees and 48% , winter 68 degrees and 48%. The kids have been long gone many moons ago, the cat has been dead for years, the dog is to old to care any more, the stars are in alignment to suit our lifestyle, there is harmony at home. Since I'm at 8 ft elevation and live a good chipping wedge from the ocean maybe that has something to do with it, maybe the sounds of the ocean puts all stress at ease as my mental state as well as my wifes was left at our old jobs, the people that come over are pretty much retired and pretty much could careless about audio or staying inside since their main reason for coming over is to walk, fish, or get some sun, set out on the deck, watch the ocean or star watch and relax. There is always fresh margaritas or a nice ale to sip on, so it appears audio is not the first thing on our minds anymore, maybe it's the lack of everyday stress that comes into play here, yes that's it.. No stress
Click to expand...

No wonder you don't want to leave to come visit me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
What a great read this is.... I know my system always sounds worse after I read about fuses,cables, tubes vs SS Etc.
My music sounds better just reading this thread! :D

More fun subjects like this please! Just think, this could be the cheapest tweak you'll ever make to your system! :yahoo1:
 
Now if ever there were a thread our old friend Northstar would latch onto, this is it!
 
Bob, the first rule about talking about Bob, don't mention Bob by name. :)
 
CPP said:
Hum, since we have retired my system always sounds the same, of course I have no noise pollution around my area as I live inside a hammock, the temperature and humidity in the house during the summer stay at 76 degrees and 48% , winter 68 degrees and 48%. The kids have been long gone many moons ago, the cat has been dead for years, the dog is to old to care any more, the stars are in alignment to suit our lifestyle, there is harmony at home. Since I'm at 8 ft elevation and live a good chipping wedge from the ocean maybe that has something to do with it, maybe the sounds of the ocean puts all stress at ease as my mental state as well as my wifes was left at our old jobs, the people that come over are pretty much retired and pretty much could careless about audio or staying inside since their main reason for coming over is to walk, fish, or get some sun, set out on the deck, watch the ocean or star watch and relax. There is always fresh margaritas or a nice ale to sip on, so it appears audio is not the first thing on our minds anymore, maybe it's the lack of everyday stress that comes into play here, yes that's it.. No stress
Click to expand...

Chris, may I have a fresh margarita or two? :)
 
Audioseduction said:
Chris, may I have a fresh margarita or two? :)
Click to expand...

One of my favorite weekend drinks to have with the Mexican food I usually make. I know everyone has their favorite recipe, but if it includes a green mix out of a bottle, count me out. I use fresh squeezed lime juice, Triple Sec, and Silver Patron tequila. Add just a tiny pinch of sugar and shake vigorously and pour into a margarita glass. And yes, I like a salted rim glass. If you aren't careful, you will definitely be seeing spirits as Larry stated above.
 
mep said:
one of my favorite weekend drinks to have with the mexican food i usually make. I know everyone has their favorite recipe, but if it includes a green mix out of a bottle, count me out. I use fresh squeezed lime juice, triple sec, and silver patron tequila. Add just a tiny pinch of sugar and shake vigorously and pour into a margarita glass. And yes, i like a salted rim glass. If you aren't careful, you will definitely be seeing spirits as larry stated above.
Click to expand...

lol! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top