Critical listening and altered states


Ok, this is not a question about relaxing, but about listening to evaluate how the system (or a piece of gear is sounding).

What, in your experience, are the pluses and minuses of altering your state of mind for listening? This can include anything you've used to affect your everyday state of mind, from coffee, beer, scotch, tobacco, to much stronger — and psychoactive, dissociative — additives.

What do you gain by altering your consciousness in terms of what you notice, attend to, linger on, etc?
What causes more details to emerge?
What allows you to stick with a thread or, alternately, make new connections?

Or perhaps you like to keep all those things *out* of your listening; if that's you, please say a bit about why.

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I tried salvia once while listening to Music for the Native Americans with Robbie Robinson. Once the salvia kicked in I lost all track of reality including the music that was playing. I don't like salvia. I don't like pot or alcohol either. It's not for everyone. 
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@asctim - Salvia and 'reality as we know' it don't really overlap, so not a great tool for music appreciation :)
I might have a glass of wine once a month or less. No longer do recreational drugs. But when I listen to my music I start to hallucinate in a good way. This happens to me very often when I’m listening to music not my equipment. It’s a very pleasant experience when this happens.
 I don’t allow drinking or smoking in my audio room. 
"Thinking is the best way to travel!"

In search of the lost chord  --- The Moody Blues