A free tweak revisited


I am absolutely positive that this subject has been discussed before, but last night as I was listening I was reflecting on how big a difference (for me) turning the lights off and (probably redundantly) closing my eyes makes.  My listening room is a quite near field environment, but with the lights off/eyes shut I hear the illusion of a sound stage wider than the boundaries of the room with height and some depth.  (However, the sound stage I get is not as deep as it is wide.)  Opening my eyes and looking at the speakers so close to me is kind of like sticking a pin in the balloon. 

immatthewj

Great topic, so true. Critical listening in LP always better in dim light. With room lights off, I run a cheap colored light refractor againest front wall ,behind speakers. This creates a moving visual depth. More lively than sitting in darkness and less chance of falling asleep with mellow jazz or soft female voices.  Tony1995 has it right too, a couple glasses of wine make it all better :)

 

 

@bikefi10   +1

Exactly the same with me. Indirect low light against the natural stone wall limited to the space behind the speakers does some good to the listening experience, at least to me. However, chances of falling asleep remain a potential threat ;-)

 

@baylinor , actually I have heard that blind people have quite an acute sense of hearing . . . generally more so than people who are not blind. Or so I have heard.

@jerryg123 , I guess that some common ground can almost always be found.

@tony1954 and @blackbag20 , I’ve moderated my drinking while listening. I never thought I was drinking all that much, but maybe I was. My VA doc (who is great) suggested 14 or less drinks a week and I was astounded, 14 a night sounded more appropriate. Then about a year & a half or so ago, my liver enzymes came back slightly elevated and stayed that way for a few retests. I went from listening & drinking (depending upon whether I had drank wine or beer with dinner) either wine or whiskey or brandy to drinking Miller Light while listening. Liver enzymes STILL came back high. I switched to Miller 64 (YUK) and did my level best to stay at or under 14 a week and the numbers came back within acceptable parameters. Just a couple of nights ago I splurged and had either three or four glasses of wine (one with dinner & the rest while listening) and the next day (yesterday I guess that would have been) I felt real crappy. But I agree with you about disconnecting the brain. Unfortunately I may have to do it with Miller 64 from now on.

@thebrokenrecord , it’s possible, but I am thinking not. I have my gear on a separate circuit (I actually used to have it on three separate circuits) that is on a leg of the panel with virtually nothing else operating on when I am listening (including the circuits with the house lighting).

@jmalen123 , that sounds luxurious to me. Seriously. Working nights and coming home to a dark house.

@bikefi10 , that is an idea for me to consider.

 

@immathewj best to you with the issue you elaborated on.

Another visual Ive tried, but can get a bit too trippy is put a monitor between speakers, play those visual affects vids on youtube with prog rock, psycedelic or ambient music and no NO stimulants. 

Your mind will get caught up in the visual and sound will go beyond speakers.

I find the light refractor that I posted about earlier less intense, but helps open boundary of the front wall.