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

I used to come home wasted from the bar or club many times a week and put headphones on, close my eyes, and experience the same thing. Then I’d wake up in the same position at 6am and have to get ready for work. 

I have dimmers everywhere in my house, especially in my main listening room (the living room I suppose). No issues from dimmer related hum as I use great cables and have always had good hum busting power supplies and good AC conditioning (currently a Bryston BIT 15). It's absolutely a fact that dimming or eliminating light (I like the theatrical effect of interesting lighting....paintings are lit, good spots here and there) makes other senses more sensitive. I can't stand overly "hot" lights in other people's houses, restaurants, or anywhere...except my motorcycle headlight.

My stereo is my living room. I work nights and come home to a quiet, pitch black house and listen to music in the dark or with a little mood lighting. Every session is magical in it's own way and listening any other way for me is anticlimactic. Sometimes I will fire the system up during the day for others, but my listening is always in the dark eyes closed with the goosebumps firing on all cylinders.