I have a very small floor fan @20 feet away (on low, circulating that cool air), and a hepa filter on low @ 10 feet away. You’d swear you can’t hear them while running. BUT,, put some music on,, then turn air movers off. Huge improvement in clarity. It’s like adding a new component. In my house thru my ears,, but universal I bet. I don’t think it’s an electrical issue. It’s the quiet rush of air.
Those magical days when the HVAC is off
I'm reminded these last few days when after 90 days straight with the AC running, the weather broke and the temps dropped, and with no AC running (or likewise in winter when no heat is cranking) my rig sounds easily 20% better - like I had added a new component- more clarity, overtones/timbre, sparkle - the standard sonic improvement adjectives - so how does one accomplish this year 'round? Which power related component is the one that allows your audio rig to operate unimpeded by air conditioning, the furnace, an overloaded electrical grid? I have separate dedicated lines to my components, but my rig really flows in a magical way when these climate conditioning appliances are not running. Is it power conditioning, or power regeneration that could possibly allow me to enjoy this increased audio performance more frequently or permanently? Any personal experiences of successfully solving this dilemma would be welcomed. Cheers, and thank you in advance.
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People assume its only quality of power impacting the audio systems when in fact its just as likely or more likely ambient noise levels are being affected. Furnaces/AC add both mechanical and air movement noise in your listening room. To what extent depends on type and placement of these systems. In any case higher ambient noise levels mask or cancel out low level information on recordings to some extent, and some FREQUENCIES more than others. Some have argued I make a mountain out of a molehill with this issue, and sure if you only listen to highly compressed pop/rock at high volume levels no problem. But if you listen to less compressed, quality recordings at moderate and lower volume levels perceived resolution and transparency of your system is being negatively impacted. I'd suggest the biggest reason people state their systems sound better with late night listening sessions is due to lowering of ambient noise levels as the world settles down.
Here's some examples of noise levels in db,https://noiseawareness.org/info-center/common-noise-levels/ |
My heat pump / air handler is about 25 feet from my audio system in an enclosed room that is well sonically insulated. I also have a variable speed air handler and pump so, is if the house is only slightly warm… it is on very low and barely running.it is not at all obvious it is running.
That said, when running at all it increases the ambient background noise from the high 20db range to the mid-thirties… and negatively effects listening. What is amazing is that it does not just effect really quiet passages… it effects all but really loud ones. I am not hearing any electrical effects, just the increase in the background noise level. My air conditioning system can be remotely controlled on my iPhone. So, I will temporarily turn it off while listening. Or even pre-cool a bit before a listening session. |
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