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The Midnight Effect - Who-How?

You have high end equipment designed in a way to make it seemingly impervious to power line fluctuations. You add expensive conditioners and/or power line regenerators just to be safe.

You sit and listen to your system for a few hours and everything sounds great. Then, from nowhere, like someone flicked a switch…. the sound opens up… becomes more natural, more focused… the soundstage suddenly blooms and becomes more dimensional, more depth and more space around instruments. WTF just happened? The only clue is the clock on the wall and the empty wine flagon next to your chair.

I’m long past questioning whether the phenomenon is real. To what extent it exists depends on certain variables, but it exists. But how? I live in the boondocks, there’s no industry or commerce that suddenly shuts down at 23:00 every night. 
Do others experience this? Do you have an explanation? Perhaps even some empirical data?

Is it just the booze?

 

 

128x128rooze
panerai557's avatar
panerai557
73 posts
 

Both movies and music all better at night. 

whart's avatar
whart
3,047 posts
 

I can hear when each of the two systems I have "open up" and it has nothing to do with substance intake. The vintage system warms up faster- the Quad Loudspeakers are plugged in constantly so under full charge. The Quad II amps with real GEC KT66s open up after about 25 minutes. It is noticeable to the average listener.

The main system takes a minimum of 45 minutes to warm up the tube components and at least 3 sides until the cartridge sings. So, if I have someone visiting, I warm up accordingly, so we don't waste time. 

Drinking heavily and messing with a turntable is a recipe for disaster, but I am not condemning the liquor. 

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,914 posts
 

caps and cables form… especially the exotics… warm is good.. and measure your ambient noise floor…you might be surprised….

my system takes a few LP sides….

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 

Radio stations have to reduce transmitting power at the evening per FCC regulation.  It is Section 73.187 of the Federal Communications Commission's rules to reduce power from 2 hours before local sunset to 2 hours after local sunrise.

lanx0003
858 posts
 

Whether you reside in an industrial zone or not, power load exhibits a similar time-of-day pattern universally. Particularly, the peaking is most pronounced during the summer months, as we all comprehend.  However, I find myself questioning: Is this truly what happens?

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