Streaming music sounds better late at night. Is this just me?


I listen to both analogue and digital. For digital, I stream from Qobuz or Tidal into my Lumin X1 streamer/DAC. I noticed that the sound quality from streaming seems to be better later at night (11 pm e.g.) whereas my analog sounds the same. I am thinking that streaming sounds better late night because public use of the internet is lower at that time. I have Comcast service and use their modem with direct ethernet connection into my Lumin X1. Am I imagining this or do other audiophiles also notice this?

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This has been going on for ages with Radio. Radio always sounds better at night even in the car.

Since the major factor removed is the Sun and another factor added, the Moon, both of these are probably involved by influencing electrical noise.

In hot areas electricity usage rises at night due to aircon so less people using electricity maybe is not a factor.

Late night listening has been a go to listening period for myself on regular occasions.

To sit down without distraction when the body really rewards for being allowed to  relax, is a great time to take part in a self indulgence, these simple pleasures will generate the feel good factor.

How much the system improves as a result of using the system at a time when the ambient is at its most quietest and the impact of the Lower Grid Usage on the system at this time of the evening during the  playback time is an unknown, but the experience being encountered is worthwhile to keep pursuing. 

You can simply improve power. Direct lines, made of audiophile wire, you can go further on that… I think it was Stereophile last month about complete home power equipment replacement. On the digital end there is an Ethernet regenerated… and / or audiophile router. But like all things you have to balance cost with benefit and where else you could have spent the money.

 

After I reach a new level with my equipment… I occasionally do a small upgrade to see it’s effect… until there isn’t much (really never happened). I added a second direct line for my amp recently… it made a significant improvement.