Am I Crazy???

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nellis8166
nellis8166 Posts: 292
edited February 2003 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Ok, not sure if I am losing my marbles on this one, but I have noticed something over the last couple of weeks and I am wondering if anybody else has gone through the same thing.
There seems to be a difference in sound with my rig at night in comparison to the middle of the day. The only thing I can figure is that the power supply is taxed more at night when everybody is home and using a lot of electricity. I live in a highly populated berb of Buffalo, NY. Real cold in right now and I am sure that there is a lot more electricity being used at night.
Is this all in my head or could electricity use really be a factor??? As far as gear goes I have a HK as a pre/pro, Adcom amps, A Velo and a Polk 202 sub. When you add it all together it draws a lot of juice. Intrested to hear y'alls take on this.
Thanks!

Regards,
Nat
RTi10
CSi5
RTi28
SVS PB12-ISD2

Denon 2106(pre/pro)
Adcom 5503(200x3)

Audioquest Diamondback ICS
Kimber Kable 8tc biwire(mains and center)

"Don't let your silly dreams fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall."
-J. James
Post edited by nellis8166 on
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited February 2003
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    Nope, you are not crazy, I feel the same way, my stereo sounds terrible during the day, and great at night after 10:00.

    Here is a great read

    http://www.decware.com/paper03.htm

    roam around the entire site, it is full of interesting stuff.
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • phuz
    phuz Posts: 2,372
    edited February 2003
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    Most likely it's ambient/background noise that is causing the difference in perception. I don't think it's your rig that sounds different, but the noise from outside, birds, or just your general mindset that makes the difference.

    No I'm not saying you are crazy. This is actually a common and well known phenomenon in car audio because that is where it is most noticeable.
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  • scottvamp
    scottvamp Posts: 3,277
    edited February 2003
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    You maybe right - but in my casa my monster power unit has a Volts gauge and I always know how much Power my rig is getting.
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  • nellis8166
    nellis8166 Posts: 292
    edited February 2003
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    Very intersting article Hoosier, enjoyed reading it. Makes me feel better, maybe I am not going crazy...

    Regards,
    Nat
    RTi10
    CSi5
    RTi28
    SVS PB12-ISD2

    Denon 2106(pre/pro)
    Adcom 5503(200x3)

    Audioquest Diamondback ICS
    Kimber Kable 8tc biwire(mains and center)

    "Don't let your silly dreams fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall."
    -J. James
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  • MxStYlEpOlKmAn
    MxStYlEpOlKmAn Posts: 2,116
    edited February 2003
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    i think ur a crazy ****....i dunno y but I just do......
    Damn you all, damn you all to hell.......
    I promised myself
    No more speakers. None. Nada. And then you posted this!!!!
    Damn you all! - ATC
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,802
    edited February 2003
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    Music always sounds better at night with the lights off to me, you're not crazy....hoho, hehe, they're coming to take me away, hoho, hehe, to the funny farm........:D
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2003
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    No, not crazy, but the improvement is not owed to the equipment or the little man with his hand on the AC supply dial either (“speed back up the clocks”, pahleeeezzz). :rolleyes:

    Fact:
    The senses, in order of importance for Homo sapiens’ self-preservation, are sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. This batting order was set, and handed down to us, by our pre-history ancestors, who were as often prey, as they were predators (my apologies to any creationists in the Club). Even though we don’t depend upon our senses for survival on a daily basis any longer, the order is still in our heads. We simply get most of the information about our environs from sight.
    Fact:
    As one or more of our senses are deprived of stimulation, others sharpen up to compensate. (Only taste seems to be exempt from this.) Our brains just demand information. So when you listen in the dark, your brain shifts its focus to hearing. You “hear” more detail, not because it wasn’t there earlier, but because your brain was too busy with other stimuli to process all the information your ears were sending to it. Sound depth improves because you can’t impose the limits of walls, floor, speakers, etc., that you can’t see. The “sensory shift” phenomenon is vividly demonstrated by the Blind. The detail the Blind can hear, smell and feel makes our everyday use of those senses pale in comparison.

    Additionally I believe there’s one more factor in play. Most of the time the late evening is just a relaxing time of day. The big wind down is underway. Thoughts of the job, the bills, all the worries, start fading. Lights down, eyes closed, head clearing and then the music grabs you pulls you in and flows over you. I can’t remember a great music experience when I was consumed by a pressing deadline, or otherwise pre-occupied. But given half a chance, just a brief moment of mental relaxation and the magic can happen. Personally one of the great annual listening nights for me is 15 April. Around 02:00, just after I finish my Tax return, or application for extension… ;)

    Edit:...spel chek...spell chek... spell check...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • MxStYlEpOlKmAn
    MxStYlEpOlKmAn Posts: 2,116
    edited February 2003
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    I like the music when da lights b off....its like the speakers aint there - the music is. Sounds the same tho....i still think hes a crazy ****
    Damn you all, damn you all to hell.......
    I promised myself
    No more speakers. None. Nada. And then you posted this!!!!
    Damn you all! - ATC
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  • nellis8166
    nellis8166 Posts: 292
    edited February 2003
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    Go do your homework MX...isn't time for your mom to give you a bath???

    Regards,
    Nat
    RTi10
    CSi5
    RTi28
    SVS PB12-ISD2

    Denon 2106(pre/pro)
    Adcom 5503(200x3)

    Audioquest Diamondback ICS
    Kimber Kable 8tc biwire(mains and center)

    "Don't let your silly dreams fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall."
    -J. James
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  • MxStYlEpOlKmAn
    MxStYlEpOlKmAn Posts: 2,116
    edited February 2003
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    done my hw, i bathe myself - and i was just kidding im probally the craziest **** in here...:rolleyes:
    Damn you all, damn you all to hell.......
    I promised myself
    No more speakers. None. Nada. And then you posted this!!!!
    Damn you all! - ATC
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  • nellis8166
    nellis8166 Posts: 292
    edited February 2003
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    It was a bad day MX...was kind of on a short fuse, it was either you or the wife, and I have to live with the wife...you get the drift...apologies...

    Nat
    RTi10
    CSi5
    RTi28
    SVS PB12-ISD2

    Denon 2106(pre/pro)
    Adcom 5503(200x3)

    Audioquest Diamondback ICS
    Kimber Kable 8tc biwire(mains and center)

    "Don't let your silly dreams fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall."
    -J. James
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2003
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    nellis, FWIW I think you made the right choice...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited February 2003
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    A great many people report the exact opposite of your findings. This is due to most industrial and commercial users of power being "off line" at night.

    This was beat to death in Stereophile a number of years ago.

    George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited February 2003
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    hmmmm could it also be. that at night your components have been turned on for a while.. and are warmed up and not cold.. like they would be at the beginning or middle of the day?

    I think that warmed up electronics bring out the true sound of audio equipment. hence the break in period for most speakers and electronics and wires/cables. just my two pennies worth.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • wlrandall
    wlrandall Posts: 440
    edited February 2003
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    1) Power quality/line voltage are their worst during the day. Factories tend to put a lot of garbage back into the system (harmonics, spikes, surges).
    2) Our power station is not too far from our facility. Doesn't matter what time of day or what day it is, there is a rock steady 24.9 kV @ 60 hZ coming out of the plant. What happens in 1) is what messes it up.
    3) Most devices are rated to operate at 120 +/-10%. If your line voltage is dropping below that limit call your electric company. They'll usually come check things out for free.
    4) Compare the power consumption of your audio equipment to your appliances:

    My "toys": ~1.5 kW
    Water heater: 9 kW
    Range: 10 kW
    A/C: 11.5 kW

    Only a fraction of the big hitters, isn't it?

    If the voltage within your house is dropping, that could be a problem. Turn everything off, do a sound check. Repeat with several large appliance running. Check line voltage during both tests and compare. I lived in such an underpowered house years ago that my CD player would drop out every time the A/C cycled on.

    Wally
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