Quick poll: Listening at night, lights ON or OFF ?


Suppposing you are alone in your living room / listening room, and that you can enyoy your system to your liking. Lights on or off ?
sonicbeauty
Td,
I've never experienced headphone listening while operating a crap machine LOL!
Listening to music in a completely dark room seems/feels weird to me. I have never gone to a concert played in total darkness, so hearing music that way seems a bit odd. The few times I've tried it, I just got sleepy :)

I like low light and I take my glasses off. I don't close my eyes when I listen, and when I take my glasses off, visually things get blurry but the sound snaps into focus and dimensionality.
On. Live music is mostly played with lights on.
I will try it tonight with lights off to hear what the fuss is all about.
Lights off completely or at least very low...want to see that glow of those 8 EL34's...
Low light. Every once in a while I turn the lights off but for some reason I can hear the soundstage better with my eyes open in low light.
in the dark.
And, I shut off all the lights my equipment will let me turn off.
A couple pilot lights aren't that annoying, but sometimes the displays can be a little over the top.
Interesting responses, and apparently I am in the minority, because I normally have several lights on, including:

1. A small spot light for my turntable.
2. A few small spot lights for my LP (2) and CD (1) racks.
3. My track lighting for my art work on the walls.
4. And typically, a table light on my side table, so I can read the liner notes of the album I am listening to.

(FYI, I do have dedicated circuits, so the lights are not on the same circuit as any of the above lights, so no noise gets into the music.)

I rarely, if ever listen in the dark.
(Partially because I almost always listen to vinyl, (and I have to get up every 15-20 minutes to change a record), and tripping over a hassock or the TT dustcover, (which I use as a small table to hold the record sleeves), would not be good.)

PS And No, I don't normally close my eyes either.

PPS And Yes, I typically have a nice beverage, (lately a nice glass of Redberry Irish Whiskey, on the rocks), in order to get in the mood! Of course if I have too much of the aforementioned beverage, my eyes do tend to close after awhile! ;-)
Lights on but nothing bright for the main system. For the secondary system, the tubes and chrome chassis of the Cary look so good in the dark that's how I like it in that room. Sometimes I'll have a candle lit for a bit more light.
Funny how many folks listen in near-darkness, yet manufacturers build their equipment with many lights to capture all the attention,,,,I mean people listen in the dark to connect with the music, not their equipment (although many do want to bask in their gear of course).
As dark as I can get it. The only lights I like to see are the ready light on my amp and the track info on the cd player. It's probably psychological, but music sounds better in the dark because your sense of sight is out of play. I'll even go around the house turning off as many of the lights as I can, although sometimes it's tough getting back to my chair when it's pitch black. I'd even prefer it if there was no moonlight. Try listening to the soundtrack from "Thin Red Line"..it's spooky!!
Lights off! The best! Then the performers come alive. How about a vote for Midnight! The electric sounds the best!

Off when alone, or extremely low if with company.

On only when necessary... like finding a remote, drink, phone, etc., and then using the lighting remote, very dimly so as to avoid being blinded temporarily.
I would imagine the majority of listeners are in the dark regarding this question. I too prefer subdued room lighting, with a dedicated spot lamp on the rack for the turntable of course. Ever notice how the music sounds better when your eyes are closed?
Soft lighting by the equipment that I am facing. Try to create similar lighting as in a symphony hall.