Bright or Dim?
barnettk OP Interesting comments. I agree that dim lighting when listening to music allows one to focus more on the music. There is a lot going on in the brain while enjoying music. According to several articles I have read suggests that we use more areas of the brain when listening to music then doing most tasks. For example here is a excerpt of a finding by Stamford University on the subject: “A Stanford study shows that music engages areas of the brain which are involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating events in our memory (Baker, Mitzi. "Music moves brain to pay attention, Stanford study finds.” >>>>Unfortunately, the Stanford study you referred to has precious little to do with listening in the light vs dark. Now, if the study had concluded, “Darkness moves the brain to pay attention,” it would be a different story. barnettk OP anothrr article I read suggests that people who have had head injuries that have left a person unable to tie their own shoes can compose and be able to play musical masterpieces on certain instruments. >>>Again, that second article sheds no light - to use an expression - on the issue under debate, I.e., listening in a lighted room vs listening in a dark or darkened room. |
Intersting comments. I agree that dim lighting when listening to music allows one to focus more on the music. There is a lot going on in the brain while enjoying music. According to several articles I have read suggests that we use more areas of the brain when listening to music then doing most tasks. For example here is a excerpt of a finding by Stamford University on the subject: “A Stanford study shows that music engages areas of the brain which are involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating events in our memory (Baker, Mitzi. "Music moves brain to pay attention, Stanford study finds.” anothrr article I read suggests that people who have had head injuries that have left a person unable to tie their own shoes can compose and be able to play musical masterpieces on certain instruments. If if you think about how we can anticipate with great certainty of a note to follow in a song we have never heard etc. these are amazing abilities we as humans have in regards to music and how important it is in our lives. So I think as many here have said here, lower lighting causes less distractions and we can tap into the music we are listening to easier. It’s an icrediblly intersting topic and I’m very interested in what goes on in our heads when we listen. |
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Micro arcing is another made up non issue that simply nobody needs to worry about. Clean the contacts on your gear once in a while and they'll be fine. I have hum rejecting power supplies replacing the wall warts in some critical areas (DAC and phono preamp), an old but effective power conditioner everything is initially plugged into, a PS Audio Humbuster III for the power amps (main tube amp and SS outdoor speaker amp), high quality cables (replaced the "din" phono cable on my "vintage" Linn with a Jelco Mogami and killed any hum), and dimmers everywhere...I love dimmers, always have, and listen at night with dimmed lights on artwork and everything else, with a gas fireplace to gaze at if my eyes are open. |
stevecham"Regardless as to whether it’s daytime or nighttime, simply closing one’s eyes and listening attenuates most light/visual distraction." Wow! Really! This works whether it is day or night??? actually closing one’s eye’s attentuates light!!!! That is most remarkable and thank you for explaining this complex mechanism to us it is truly eye openeng!!!! |
barnettk OP Geoffkait "Unplugging the fridge oft results in better sound, too. A much bigger mystery is why taking all cell phones outside improves the sound. " My rack is on a dedicated circuit. However We have 2 refrigerators and a huge Freezer in the garage. One of the refrigerators is in the adjacent room to my listening room. I have not had an issue with interference from it that I know of but I had wondered about that. Unplugging it... well if I did that I would be sleeping outside if the wife ever found out lol. >>>>>We all have to make certain sacrifices. 😬 You wouldn’t necessarily be aware of appliance generated noise in light of the fact much of it is due to micro arcing. You become aware of noise by its absence. |
Dweller "The colors..." "The colors..." I have a friend that uses the smart lights and I think its pretty cool that you can make them any color you want. Just don't want to go disco lol. Actually not even sure what color I would make them, or if I would like the whole room to be filled with colored lights, but maybe in a lamp or two might be pretty nice. I know one thing. Delta airlines uses these awful mood lighting on some of their aircraft and whatever shade of blue they use its rather hard on the eyes. But if I could find that right color it might be nice when listening to music. |
@douglas_schroeder "My audio systems sound uniformly superb whether the light is on or dimmed. :)" I hear you on that Doug. Maybe I should not use the term "sounds better" Maybe I should have said " more pleasurable listening experience" Just seems that like another poster said you have less distractions. Not sure what lends itself to the phenomenon. |
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Geoff "Unplugging the fridge oft results in better sound, too. A much bigger mystery is why taking all cell phones outside improves the sound. " My rack is on a dedicated circuit. However We have 2 refrigerators and a huge Freezer in the garage. One of the refrigerators is in the adjacent room to my listening room. I have not had an issue with interference from it that I know of but I had wondered about that. Unplugging it... well if I did that I would be sleeping outside if the wife ever found out lol. |
Less noise is always a good idea. That’s why it’s a good idea to not only clean all electrical contacts for appliances and lamps, etc. but also to employ contact enhancer on all contacts, you know, to reduce micro arcing. Unplugging the fridge oft results in better sound, too. A much bigger mystery is why taking all cell phones outside improves the sound. |
Does anyone use these in your room: https://www.amazon.com/Assistant-Amazon-Multicolor-Dimmable-Required/dp/B07B4SMYBH/ref=asc_df_B07B4S... |
@gdnrbob “I found out that listening in the dark allowed me not only to 'see' the soundstage better, but to also concentrate on the music.” Bob Sometimes I listen with only the lights of the gear on and that is a very pleasant listening experience. However I don’t listen to records that way. I will play my reel to reel in almost darkness tho. I have various lighting in my room. I have 3 of the tall paper shade lights I got from Ikea that have dimmers on the cords. These seem to be much quieter than the dimmers I have on the wall switches. With these lights I can get the room just perfect and I can also still see how to Change records etc. for streaming, CDs and tapes I do like to listen in almost darkness. My Mckintosh meters also add nice atmosphere as they are quite brite in a dark room. |
It’s psychosomatic. I have a tall lamp right by my listening chair. It has two bulbs, one ordinary white bulb and one blue bulb (available at Home Depot). For listening sessions, I have the blue bulb lit only. It sets a good mood for music listening and the music really seems to sound better that way. Bright lights distract. The blue light slightly saturates the room and draws you into the music. Frank |
