The Midnight Effect - Who-How?

@whart 

PPS: I took a quick look at the PS Audio forum and there seems to be some suggestion that its regenerators are still susceptible to certain forms of noise. One user, John H, was a frequent contributor to those discussions.
 

I wasn’t aware of that line of discussion. So it would be interesting to find out exactly what that “noise” is, as it could be something that’s assumed to be fairly benign, whereas in practice it could be responsible for a very large affect on the reproduction of sound. I will try to find that forum discussion… thanks.

Just a couple things based on some comments above… equipment warm up is not what I’m referring to when I talk about the midnight effect. That’s real, but it’s a different thing altogether. I might start a listening session in the early afternoon, I’ll hear an improvement in sound for the first hour or so but it isn’t like I hear late at night or early in the morning.

The power charts and the whole concept of power line loading is the most obvious explanation, but it falls down when you consider that everything is running from regeneration and power line loading and variances shouldn’t be getting through to the system. 

 The FM radio comment is interesting. I wasn’t aware of that.

 I can also take alcohol out of the equation. While it was a small factor on Friday just gone, I’ve had plenty of long stretches where I’ve been alcohol free, including for two years around a decade ago.

So I’m still unsure. I heard it on Friday/Saturday morning and it was almost like someone had flicked a switch. Or more like someone had suddenly placed extensive acoustic treatments in the room.. the soundstage just opened up in all directions and the sense of presence and of natural tone…. I would pay a lot of money to have whatever it was become a permanent fixture, way more than I paid for the two PS Audio units, whose contribution to the sound is barely noticeable in comparison.

Any more ideas?

@bbarten 

you asked: So, is this a consistent phenomenon?  Does it happen every time the circumstances are the same?

That’s a great question. Obviously it needs to be measurable and repeatable for it to be “real”. On the measurable side, it comes down to using and trusting one’s ability to discern differences in sound, much like reviewing a component or speaker positional change. I’ve no problem doing that, but I suspect that some other folks find it easier and some more difficult. So there’s no real standard for this type of measurement. As far as repeatability, yes it’s repeatable, but the degree of difference seems to be a variable and I haven’t been able to put my finger on why that is.

Verily, perchance an assay wherein copious amounts of potent spirits be administered at precise intervals might avail.

@tomic601 

You missed my comment about measuring you ambient noise floor at various times….. that’s ok….most audiophiles lack an SPL meter for level matching and other essential tasks…..

I caught your comment. It’s a valid enough point but I don’t think it’s responsible for the phenomenon that I’m talking about. I use REW for making room measurements and do notice changes in ambient noise levels at different times of day, but they’re very small changes. (Again, we’re in the boondocks and don’t have to deal with neighbors or road traffic noise). 
I can imagine some situations where it’s a significant factor in sound quality.

@knittersspouse okay that’s very interesting information. I hadn’t thought about electricity coming from different sources and each source carrying with it a certain type of “distortion”. That right there could be the answer I’m looking for. Skeptical me thinks that transformers and other components in the distribution network would remove these small line interferences but you seem to be saying not. Assuming you’re right, switches of this type should be noticeable and measurable using a ‘scope on the AC, right?

@tomic601 Honestly I'm embarrassed to say it but no, I don't have a dedicated line to the listening room. It's something I've thought about doing frequently but just haven't gotten around to it. Though....I'm skeptical about the potential benefits. I've done it one other time and heard no difference. But that's not to say it wouldn't improve my current situation. 

@toddalin source primarily is files played back from a local hard drive which is plugged into a SGC i5 (like a NUC), wired into a switch then the switch wired (Ethernet) to a network player/DAC.
I don’t stream much from the internet, just for sampling new stuff.

Also some vinyl playback, but usually not late at night when I’m half in the bag.

I’m racking my brains but I can’t think of anything that happens automatically in the house at or around midnight. We’re pretty low tech. But this isn’t something I’m observing that’s peculiar to this location, I’ve heard it at other places I’ve lived in the past, and there have been a few. Though perhaps not to the same extent as I’ve heard here, particularly last Friday.

I should add that I’m an older specimen and my being up and around after midnight is pretty rare these days. 

I’m a bit surprised by the distribution of comments - there’s more pushback against the actual concept of the “midnight effect” than I expected. I thought it was a given that most, if not all people would have experienced this and I expected the conversation to be more about the cause, rather than whether or not it actually exists. That’s interesting. 
I think maybe you babies are mostly tucked up in your crib by 9:30 every night..

@asvjerry 

Alcohol?

...how.....Quaint....

;)
 

You haven’t seen my still. 

@toddalin Maybe that's part of it (volume). I do know that during longer listening sessions my tolerance and desire for higher volume increases.

I do think this 'midnight effect' exists and I'm resigned to believing it's an external power phenomenon, probably some form of electrical noise. I still don't understand how it can pass through something like a PS Audio P10, which, as I understand it, converts the incoming AC into DC, then regenerates the DC back into a precise AC waveform. I would've thought that acts as a big filter and that line noise would be eliminated. Maybe someone should tag Paul McGowan at PS Audio. 

@benanders 

You said: One thing that hasn’t come up is temporal variation in atmospheric pressure, with resistance purportedly reduced in the wee hours.

Why do birds call most actively in calm dawn air?…

Okay, well that’s new and interesting. Hadn’t given any thought to atmospheric pressure variation. Is that something which occurs fairly rapidly? And I suppose that the timing of it is fairly consistent. Hmmm…

@barts — good points. I wouldn’t disagree but I would counter slightly with the observation that a constant seems to be the hour of the day at which the effect “switches on”. I haven’t done anything remotely scientific to verify this, but it seems to happen a little after midnight, give or take a half hour or so. So regardless of whether you start a listening session at let’s say 7pm, versus starting a listening session at say 10pm, the switch-on time is the same. So things like relaxation, state of mind, biorhythms etc, would seem to be secondary causes to whatever it is that is happening.

Anyway, it’s an interesting enough phenomenon and one that adds another element of spice to the hobby.

@rvpiano  I’m glad you’ve removed alcohol as the cause, I was beginning to feel a bit self conscious!