Listener fatigue: what does it really mean?

Agree with Csontos, it's the distortion. The problem is, even when you get rid of as much distortion as you can, there's still a great deal of distortion in the sound. We tend to assume that's what it's supposed to sound like, that any remaining distortion must be the fault of the recording. Pop Quiz: Where on Earth does all that remaining distortion come from?

"An ordinary man has no means of deliverance." - Old audiophile axiom

What does it really mean?

You're tired of listening to something to a point where you have to stop. To your boss, your wife, your kids, other audiophiles, and yes, even your audio system. I'm going to use a computer analogy. Sorry about that.

Hardware: I agree with many of the other comments here. Listening too loud, a piece of gear or a cable that's too harsh will kill you. Years ago I had a pair of Hales Design Group speakers. Good speakers but power hungry. I bought a Musical Fidelity amp without listening to it because I new it had the juice and the reviews were good, and I got a great deal. (BTW: good specs + good reviews + good deal - actually listening = stupid. learned my lesson) Within 2 minutes, I knew I was in trouble because the missus says: HMM, SOUNDS REALLY BRASSY. While it had the juice to drive the speakers, dynamics, and resolve - it was a brilliant Migraine Maker and it didn't last long. Even in the background I had to turn it off. And if you're wanting to turn off background music you're in deep sh*t.

Software: Some recordings are just harsh. I love the band Big Star and I downloaded a supposedly "Redbook quality digital file" from Rhino. Their recordings are edgy to begin with, but however Rhino encoded the digital files is just so shrill that I can't listen very long, even though I love the music. Also, the type of music you listen to can have an effect. I can handle about an hour of bebop. I love Scott Walker's experimental work, but I can only take one record at a time. Try listening to Gorecki Symphony 3 twice in a row at high volume without huddling up in a corner. Which brings me to...

User error: If you're actively listening to music, you don't leave YOU behind when you sit down in your fake Eames chair. YOU are the most important component in your system. Your mood, physical well-being, stress level, etc, all come along for the ride. If you have a great system without the hardware and software issues mentioned above, the music will transport you away from yourself, but you start there. And 90% of the time I get there. But sometimes I don't want to be hyper immersed. So I'll put on simpler music, or I walk away. Other times, and I'm embarrassed to admit this, I'm so transported that my monkey mind is shut down completely and I finally relax. Then fall asleep. But that is all me fatigue.

Here's a test. Drink a beer. Turn on your system. Drink another beer. Start listening. After a hour, are you bored, analyzing your set up? Drink another beer. Put on a favorite record. Still not happy? You probably have a hardware issue because your user issues should be greased.

Ooh, this is fun – let’s continue adding to the list of possible sources of distortion.

10. Ceiling vibrations. (We’ve got walls, floors and windows dialed in, but let’s not forget the ceiling. And furniture. And glassware. And clothing. And hair – gosh how could we forget hair. Wee little hairs is how we hear anyway, and just imagine using the wrong shampoo. Totally f-ed.)

11. Ectoplasm. Gostbusters, anyone? ‘Nuff said.

12. Matter. Dark matter is particularly insidious (it can really sneak up on you, you rarely see it coming), but all of it can be problematic / fatiguing. More so with the stuff we know exists.

13. Electrons. Yes, they may be everywhere, but they can really tire you out. And if you run them through conductive materials just so across energy differentials, they can also be quite useful when mixed appropriately with electronic devices.

14. Tachyons. Invisible, immeasurable, theoretical, sound exhausting.

15. Weather. High pressure, low pressure, changing pressure, static pressure, too dry, too humid, too cold, too warm. Again, f-ed, f-ed and f-ed.

16. Residue(s). Of all manner, really. Psychic can be particularly bad. Psycho-acoustic residue can accrete and be notably fatiguing. High-viscosity petrochemical residues are best avoided – definitely do not treat your listening environment with these types of sprays, particularly the flammable kind (i.e., napalm may look like fun in the movies, but it’s really not safe for home use, or anything else). Emotional residue. Be nice.

17. Sound waves. The root of all evil. And the vibrations that cause them (see also, “vibrations, bad” compare “good vibrations”). Enervating.

18. Atmosphere(ics). See also, “weather” and “sound waves.” The ineffable majesty of fluid dynamics aside, no atmosphere, no exhausting noise. At all. Problem licked. (And the tree-falling-in-forest conundrum is pure bonus points, as no one around to hear in any event.)

19. Perceptual lense(s). Subjective-based, epistemological reality is really the pits. And soooo exhausting.

20. Parallel universes. And no, not higher order dimensions, those sound divine. Parallel four-space, alternate space-time continuums. You do not want these rubbing up against your listening environment, the possibility they may be infinite and effectively omnipresent notwithstanding. I’m sure there’s a spray for that (but see, “residues).

21. Magnets. And magnetic fields. Even the one’s that make your speakers go. And the ones created by No. 13, above. But mostly the earth’s magnetic field, totally fatiguing. And: magnets, how do they work, anyway?

22. Plants. If you have to ask, you’ll never get understand. But trust me. Plants.

23. Water. Things sound crap under water, yet we’re mostly made out of water. Think about it.

EMI/RFI fields from external devices can often be a silent killer.

Dark energy pushing everything apart is highly fatiguing. But seriously turn it down and give em a rest.