Does your system hate you when you ignore her?


I've not been able to listen to my system seriously for about 3 weeks. I just sat down to Emmylou Harris' " Red Dirt Girl" on HDCD. My first impression was that the soundstage was not as wide as I expected. I suppose that it's possible that components need to re-burn in after prolonged periods without being energized. I also suppose it's possible that one's trained listening skills may need refreshing after a period of atrophy.

Have you experienced similar things? What were the variables that you were able to eliminate, such as experiencing the same effect on two different systems, one rested and one not, in the same time period after not listening.
2channel8
I'm not sure I believe that components need to be re-burned in but they do need to warm up.  Assuming my gear is warmed up first I actually perceive the opposite - my senses have been deprived wonderful sound for so long that they crave it and absorb it even more readily with heightened awareness.  It's like after depriving myself a favorite food or wine for weeks - those first few bites or sips are even better than I remembered!
Depends on the gear. I had Class D amps which needed a solid 3 days of being on before they sounded listenable.
My current amp, a Luxman, warms up in no time flat.

I've heard reports from a Pass owner that some of their amps can take 5 days to warm up.

I really wish I knew what the component was specifically which caused this, especially since Class D is so radically different.
My system never hates me and welcomes me back with open arms when returning after a brief absence, it's as if it says, where you been and welcome home.
@2channel8 - How familiar are you with that exact recording? I have it on CD and I recently bought it on Vinyl. I expected the vinyl to be awesome because I had also bought the vinyl 3-LP remaster of "Wrecking Ball" and "Wrecking Ball" was fantastic. Anyway, listened to the LP of "Red Dirt Girl" a couple of times and promptly sold it. No life to it at all. I like a lot of the songs, but the recording was blah.

Also, was your system powered off for three weeks? My system takes a couple of days of being powered on to sound its best.
You might also consider the potential differences in the rooms temp and humidity levels which does affect a system's performance in measurable ways.


Aside from having to literally dust the cobwebs off my system and warm it up (10 tubes total) for about a hour at least, everything sounds awesome as it should :-)
I live in Texas and I dont want to turn it on much during the really hot months.

Matt
Audio systems do not change because they have not been turned on in three weeks. They do not need, or alter their performance due to "rest". 
I suggest that you are the inconsistent variable. 

I also suggest that if upon listening to your system at various times it does not satisfy, then you have not build that good of a system, and you need to consider significant changes to it.  :) 


Things that affect the sound change even though the system itself may not change. Does that surprise you? 
@erik_squires 

I've heard reports from a Pass owner that some of their amps can take 5 days to warm up.

The 5 days is a reference to what Mark at Reno HiFi recommends to run in a brand new Pass amp.  If you keep it in standby after the break-in period it only take 1 hr to warm up to optimal sonics.
Nah.  Maybe when first turned on the sound is a bit constricted, but within five minutes my system is its happy, mellifluous self.
First off, my system is a HIM, I cannot afford a HER! But at time I sit to listen and he, just doesn’t draw me in, but other times is is like an old friend with nothing but good news. But I think it is me and the mood I am in, not realizing that listening isn’t the solution.
After 3 weeks, I'd have daddy-long-legs weaving webs on my tubes. So I have to never let that happen.
I agree with Geoff if he is implying mood, mental state, weather, time of day i.e. power grid etc...

One big thing I’d add to that list is information fields, also referred to as energy patterns by PWB Electronics. In other words, things that go bump in the night. 👻 You can’t see them but they’re there. It’s like germs or RF.
@erik_squires  and @reubent , My amp is a Class D and I did have it totally powered off.

@theo, There are cheap women. ;^)

@noromance , Daddy long-legs don't weave webs; but I get the point.

To all: Truly I am the variable in many ways, but I didn't think the breadth of the soundstage would be one of these. After the incident I described above, which was only a brief time before the Commander in Chief summoned me back to duty, I left the Primare I32 fully powered up, thinking I'd be back soon. No such luck, so she stayed that way waiting for me for about 12 hours until I noticed on my way out the door the next morning and put her in standby. A day or two later I had the time to sit and listen for a while. This time it was an MP3, 320 download of Jackson Browne's The Naked Ride Home - my first listen to this album. The soundstage was gloriously realistic, the music clear, detailed and wonderful. I put Red Dirt Girl, which is the HDCD version, back in the Ayre C-5xeMP and all was well again.

I probably should not have used the word 'hate'. I think she was just mad at me for a while. Thankfully, all seems to be forgiven.

OP: Others have independently confirmed the Class D warm up issue.

It's a real thing, though I have no explanation for it.

Best,
E
There must be something wrong with me or my system I've never had my system sound good with 5 minute warm up. Most of my a/b amps that double in power take 2 days, I leave them on 24/7.  A day or 2 for tube CD player,  solid state CD player is left on 24/7, I think Dac's needs a couple days. My tube amps and tube Preamp take a couple hours. Class D takes 4 or five days, I leave it on 24/7. Turntable takes one or two albums to shine, maybe oil in well or cartridge need a little time. Other people don't have this problem?
My system sounds better after 20 minutes and it's best after about an hour.