Funny story about that. About 20 years ago, when my best friend and I first discovered/fell victim to the arms race of high end audio (you've got Yamaha Natural Sound and Advents? I've got NAD and Infinity's), we used to listen in the dark, together. His Dad would come into the room, and I swear he thought we were gay (not that there is anything wrong with that). I can still remember listening to Kate Bush "The Dreaming" with those little red lights glowing on my friend's NAD and walking home SCARED TO DEATH from that song "Get Out of My House." A little to much perspective, as stated by the immortal Spinal Tap. |
Funny story about that. About 20 years ago, when my best friend and I first discovered/fell victim to the arms race of high end audio (you've got Yamaha Natural Sound and Advents? I've got NAD and Infinity's), we used to listen in the dark, together. His Dad would come into the room, and I swear he thought we were gay (not that there is anything wrong with that). I can still remember listening to Kate Bush "The Dreaming" with those little red lights glowing on my friend's NAD and walking home SCARED TO DEATH from that song "Get Out of My House." A little to much perspective, as stated by the immortal Spinal Tap. |
I almost always listen to music in the dark. The soundstage is much more vivid that way. Whenever someone wants a demo of my system, I play a few cuts with the lights on, then turn the lights off and play Cantate Domino track #5 ("Hosianna"). After the music ends and I have turned the lights back on, the universal response has been a few seconds of stunned silence, then "Wow!". That's when they understand why I'm into this hobby. |
Once you go black, you'll never go back!!!!!!! |
My cats really love it too. It's so involving that the interuptions of flipping an LP always come way too soon. It's so self-indulgent it's decandent. he he |
I really enjoy listening in the dark. Nothing gives me greater audio pleasure than firing up the Tenors late at night. That 20 tube glow is something to behold. I recently added Synergistic Research Designer Reference X-Series ICs to the mix so not only do the Tenors cast off a faint orangish light, but the interconnects wash the side walls with a pale blue light. God I love it! I wouldn't swear to it, but I know deep in my heart that the music just sounds better. It's like an audio-video extravaganza. Try it some time...you might just come to like it too!!! |
I haven't read the other posts so if I repeat, sorry.
Psychoacoustics is just that, the way the brain is interpreting sounds. The more diverse the input as to stimuli, I imagine the less efficient the brain is at interpreting the aural input. So, remove as much extraneous input as possible and our wonderful gray matter seems to perk right up to aural cues. A bourbon in hand (legal stimulant [depressant] of course) only heightens one's sensitivity to nuance, shape, tone, position, etc.
;-) |
I might speculate that the listeners of the dark have systems that image incredibly well. I normally leave the lights on dim but if I have my Green Mountain Diamantes set up, I really get lost in the music when the room is dark. When you can't easily see the room boundaries the imaging is more believable, very enjoyable. |
This is funny. I have, for years, listened in the dark and my 14 yo son has become a more frequent companion in doing so. Awhile back he started to say something and then stopped. I asked what he was going to say and he said, "Oh never mind it was stupid". I pressed him and he said, "I know this is dumb, but the music seems to sound better in the dark!" |
Is there another way to listen to one's rig? |
That's easy. Lights off at night, eyes closed during the day. The hard part is to not get too relaxed and fall asleep!
Albertporter, for a real treat give the Springbank 25 a try. Sensational by most anyone's standards.
"Scotch is like women; it's better when they're of legal drinking age."
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Wow!
I thought I might have been alone on this one! I guess not...Listening in the Dark is simply wonderful. Late at night all is quiet and the power is cleaner. The mind gets to Focus on and enjoy one thing...The music! There is nothing quite like it. |
Listening in the dark sometimes is a great meditation of sorts!! Especially when I pull the cover off the SFS 80 and watch those kt90's glow and the glow from the ARC and
Clearaudio phono... It is a light show...
Lovely!!
Enjoy,
Joe |
I use only a lava lamp. And I find that it's not just the dark but also the night. Music is better late. |
From a neurological point of view, there is a very good reason for this: the brain's visual centers have many orders of magnitude more cortex dedicated to them than do the aural centers. Closing your eyes (or listening in the dark) shuts down an enormous amount of neural processing, allowing your brain to spend a lot higher percentage of its energy on listening. Two other effects I've noticed from this phenomenon:
1) Music videos aren't about the music at all; they're about the video.
2) A lot of symphony-goers have never tried shutting their eyes during a performance, and when you do, they automatically assume you are sleeping. I close my eyes quite often, but never to sleep. You would be amazed how many people will ask you how your nap was. |
Oh yes, I believe that our minds anticipate the effect of the room on sound. With the lights out we don't have as much conflict between the recordings acoustic venue and our own listening room. Bofus is right on, the less distraction the greater the ability to get lost in the music. |
Take it one step further and cover (or better, disconnect) all those LED power lamps - I swear it will add 10' of depth to your soundstage! |
I always keep my small 7 watt turntable light on so I don't bust my ass when I get up to change the record. I keep all the other lights off. Also, it helps me to read the record label when I want to cue up a particular track. Then I can keep just the one small light on. I can still see the tubes real good. I almost don't need a TT lamp because when they modded my preamp, they put in a blue power indicator LED that is so bright it seems like it could light a small city.
Albert, if you can stand some of The Glenmorangie, you're invited. |
I also enjoy turning the lights off while listening. The whole concept is that your brain has less information to process with the eyes and can therefore focus in more on the information coming to the ears. Of course, to a much larger degree, we know this is true with blind people who develop an excellent sense of hearing. |
So glad to see I'm not the only one with this little eccentricity. I've always thought that turning out the lights turns your focus away from the visual towards the audio, and heightens the listening experience. That's why my listening room is set up in the basement where it's dark as a cave. |
As much as possible. I hide the tube gear (in a closet) and just listen/concentrate to/on the music, along with the various cat ID tags (5 cats) jingling on the food/water bowls and my wife walking through the living room (enroute to the kitchen) every song and a half, or so, albeit "only" when I am listening to music (this pastime gets no respect in our household:-). |
Definitely dark, especially in the Summer months.
It is difficult to keep the room cool as is. Solar energy from four skylights, 100% halogen fixtures and 102 tubes (if everything is on at once). I can definitely do without the extra heat.
It is nice to have an excuse to douse the lights.
By the way Flacre, that wouldn't be Springbank 15, Balvenie Doublewood or McCallan 18 would it? I'll be right over. |
go to the hardware store & get one of those battery operated tap lights,& put it by the listening chair,i do agree that tubes glowing in the dark,somehow makes the illusion seem more real |
All the time! There's no better way to forget the equipment - whether tibes or SS - and simply enjoy the music. Besides, my system always seems to sound better in the dark. A glass of Single Malt doesn't hurt either. |
Most of the best things in life happen in the dark. Of course I do! |
I just keep a small wall unit light on (used for the bar glasses ). They shut the lights out for most of the concerts and shows I've seen, just puts you in the mood. |
