Late Night Listening

[onemug]

I remember reading a psych article that said humans were conscious, on average, of around 200 things at any given moment. I would think that # goes down quite a bit in a quiet dark room in the quiet evening/night hours giving you the ability to extract more from your music.

The electricity in the "Matrix" has also calmed down during that time and that contributes, so it's all good.

 

[Robinhawaii]

This may play a role:

BETA: The most rapid is called a beta brain wave pattern, the pattern of normal waking consciousness. Beta is associated with concentration, arousal, alertness, and cognition. At its highest, most rapid levels, though, beta is associated with anxiety, disharmony, and unease.

ALPHA: Relaxed, brain wave activity slows into what is called an alpha brain wave pattern. Alpha patterns vary from deep alpha, a state of deep relaxation often referred to as the "twilight state" between sleep and waking, to the higher end of alpha which is a more focused yet still very relaxed state. Thus it is also referred to as the 'super-learning' state.

THETA: Slower still are theta waves. Theta is best known as the brain wave state of dreaming sleep, but it is also associated with a number of other beneficial states, including increased creativity, some kinds of "super learning," increased memory abilities, and what are called integrative experiences. "Ah-ha!" experiences, where you suddenly "get it," have an insight, are accompanied by bursts of theta waves in your brain.

DELTA: The slowest brain wave pattern is delta, the brain wave pattern of dreamless sleep.

 

[tomlinmgt]

My best listening is done after 11pm and before 10am. Rarely will I attempt a critical listen between those hours. I just feel too much energy in the air with the activity of the world beyond my listening room going on. It's a psychological, and to a lesser degree physiological, distraction I simply can't deny.

And low lighting is crucial for me to get an accurate analysis of a system's sound staging capability. Bright lights in the room with music is like bright lights in the room while trying to watch 8mm films...you can't see the images very well. As soon as the lights go down, or out, everything in the film is visible.

- Michael

 

[tomlinmgt]

This may play a role:

BETA: The most rapid is called a beta brain wave pattern, the pattern of normal waking consciousness. Beta is associated with concentration, arousal, alertness, and cognition. At its highest, most rapid levels, though, beta is associated with anxiety, disharmony, and unease.

ALPHA: Relaxed, brain wave activity slows into what is called an alpha brain wave pattern. Alpha patterns vary from deep alpha, a state of deep relaxation often referred to as the "twilight state" between sleep and waking, to the higher end of alpha which is a more focused yet still very relaxed state. Thus it is also referred to as the 'super-learning' state.

THETA: Slower still are theta waves. Theta is best known as the brain wave state of dreaming sleep, but it is also associated with a number of other beneficial states, including increased creativity, some kinds of "super learning," increased memory abilities, and what are called integrative experiences. "Ah-ha!" experiences, where you suddenly "get it," have an insight, are accompanied by bursts of theta waves in your brain.

DELTA: The slowest brain wave pattern is delta, the brain wave pattern of dreamless sleep.

That's cool. And certainly relevant for a critical listener of music.

 

[harman/kardon]

Late night listening - one of the pleasures of my life.

The experience is so intense, but it does only work with special music, for example with Michael Vetter's "Overtones", Debussy's piano works or music by Bach with solo works like Sonatas for Violin Solo.

Sometimes when I am very relaxed the music and the listener become ONE.

Difficult to express it in words, especially if you are not an English native speaker.

 

[RedFuneral]

Yeah, I had one of those nights last night. I had the lights off, and I pretty much just zoned into the album I was listening to.

Last night I enjoyed an eerie ambient album from an artist called Objekt4. Not the most relaxing music there is but it was a very intense experience for such minimalist music.

I've actually started taking evening naps so that I'm awake enough to enjoy music late in the night. Whatever it is, it's addicting almost. I'm not going to say the power grid isn't a factor at all, but I think it's more than that. We get good gear so that there is less between us and the music and I think being in the right mood is the other side of the same coin. Meditation brings along a similar feeling, it's just something about having a clear mind that just let's the music flow so well.

I think Robinhawaii is onto something with his comment on all the different brain waves. I'm not going to pretend I understand it but I do know we have a long way to go to fully understanding how our minds work.

 

[mackat]

I stayed up until about 3:45 last night. Sadly, I only started the music at about 3. I like being able to stay up late, but I only can do it when I don't have to get up!

 

[RedFuneral]

I stayed up until about 3:45 last night. Sadly, I only started the music at about 3. I like being able to stay up late, but I only can do it when I don't have to get up!

Yeah, that's pretty much what I did too. I was distracted by youtube and AK from 1-3 pretty much. That's one of the reasons I've been taking evening naps, you can still get your 6-7 hours and wake up refreshed for work in the morning. Though of course that won't always work... and I don't want to know what my doctor would say about breaking my sleep up like that(though when is the last time I listened to that guy anyway :lmao

 

[tomlinmgt]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I did too. I was distracted by youtube and AK from 1-3 pretty much. That's one of the reasons I've been taking evening naps, you can still get your 6-7 hours and wake up refreshed for work in the morning. Though of course that won't always work... and I don't want to know what my doctor would say about breaking my sleep up like that(though when is the last time I listened to that guy anyway :lmao

I respect your method....it demonstrates a level of dedication that moves you in the direction of hard-core. :thmbsp:

BUT, I think you're omitting one critical adjective with regard to adequate nightly quantity of sleep....uninterrupted. But hey, if you're feelin' your oats during the day it's a moot point.

- Michael

 

[pitabread]

I listen at night too, it does indeed sound much better.
I live in the middle of nowhere and lead a very quiet life with few distractions so it's nothing to do with my ears or senses getting more relaxed.
Its nothing to do with lighting either as my listening room is basically a dark cave and I need to have the lights on during the day as well.

It could be a cleaner grid but where I live it is fairly clean anyway so a long shot may suggest the effects of sunlight on the grid, perhaps the earths magnetic field acts differently at night and thus effects the grid?

During the day I get 259 volts so it isnt that we get more volts at night as mine are already high during the day anyway.

I thought it may perhaps it is down to tiredness but I also sleep strange hours anyway so I may not be tired in the slightest at night.

 

[VinylRob]

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯ `· .¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>‏

This thread has drawn my attention once more to the digital display on my power "conditioner" that handles the entire front end of my kit. The urban voltage this morning alone has gone from 110v to 117v (you can have this) input to the PS Audio Premier with 3% THD and the output is holding steady at 120v and 0.6 THD (or you can have that)... which would you prefer??? I'm no genius, but it seems to me that it could not hurt to stabilize this input just for starters. The sound quality with this regenerative kit in place is a much nicer portrayal of the musical event IMHO, again, most notable when it is taken out of the rest of the system and we return to the "naked mains" wall current. The audible difference is not subtle.

The mains is the other source!

 

[Mr. Lin]

The mains is the main source!

I modified your sentence.

I wish I could afford a really nice power conditioner to see if it would be an improvement, but my current collection of gear sounds better into the bare wall socket than through the power conditioners I do own (system is connected to a PS Audio power outlet center, so it should be fairly close to being plugged directly into the wall I think). Granted, those are bottom-of-the-line Monster power conditioners, so that could be why...

 

[VinylRob]

><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯ `· .¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>‏

Touché.

It will come in time. In many ways, reducing the noise floor and not reducing the flow of current gets you much of the way there, and I feel your on the right path. To bad we don't live a little closer (it may cost you money), I would be happy to temp/lend your already expensive Hifi habit with the in home trial of a balanced, regenerative mains (full disclosure: I have no business association with PS Audio, except, if you will, they have gratefully excepted a couple thousand of my hard earned dollars). It is quite nice, really...

 

[Mr. Lin]

Touché.

It will come in time. In many ways, reducing the noise floor and not reducing the flow of current gets you much of the way there, and I feel your on the right path. To bad we don't live a little closer (it may cost you money), I would be happy to temp/lend your already expensive Hifi habit with the in home trial of a balanced, regenerative mains (full disclosure: I have no business association with PS Audio, except, if you will, they have gratefully excepted a couple thousand of my hard earned dollars). It is quite nice, really...

I appreciate the sentiment Rob. Of course even at the moment if I had the budget to consider trying out a decent power conditioner, it would be prudent for me to invest it in other areas of my audio system.

I'd be tempted to check out what Shunyata offers in that scenario (healthy budget), but their stuff comes with a hefty price tag.

 

[uplander]

I'm going to go out on a limb and spout off with a theory. Is it just possible that people's left-brain or right-brain is more active during certain hours than others? If so, I would submit that for many, late evening/early morning is the more active period for the right-brain (creative), and daytime is more the more active period for the left-brain (logic.)

Most of the people I know in scientific fields, who excel in logic (left-brain) thinking, are morning people. They are up early, do their best thinking early in the day, but fade away fairly early in the evening. The opposite is true for most of my artistic friends.

I nearly failed every college course I took before 9:00 AM, because I would lock myself in the music building from 10PM to 2AM every night. That was when I was able to get productive practice time in. I couldn't function well in the morning classes; I was half asleep. I've always been most creatively productive at night, and I think many musicians and artists would testify to the same.

Perhaps music sounds better at night for some people because the creative (right brain) functions are functioning at a higher level than during the daylight hours.

 

[RedFuneral]

I'm going to go out on a limb and spout off with a theory. Is it just possible that people's left-brain or right-brain is more active during certain hours than others? If so, I would submit that for many, late evening/early morning is the more active period for the right-brain (creative), and daytime is more the more active period for the left-brain (logic.)

Most of the people I know in scientific fields, who excel in logic (left-brain) thinking, are morning people. They are up early, do their best thinking early in the day, but fade away fairly early in the evening. The opposite is true for most of my artistic friends.

I nearly failed every college course I took before 9:00 AM, because I would lock myself in the music building from 10PM to 2AM every night. That was when I was able to get productive practice time in. I couldn't function well in the morning classes; I was half asleep. I've always been most creatively productive at night, and I think many musicians and artists would testify to the same.

Perhaps music sounds better at night for some people because the creative (right brain) functions are functioning at a higher level than during the daylight hours.

If that's true than I'm a bit of a black sheep. I'm pretty much all left-brain and I'm at my best at night. Though I think I listen differently late at night. Usually I'm an analytical listener, I find that PRaT, Groove, whatever you call it gets in the way of me listening to music the way I like. At night I start out listening analytically but usually I just get swept away by the emotion in whatever music I'm listening to instead. But instead of just sitting and listening my brain kind of goes into overdrive. I do my best thinking in such situations.

For example, I'm trying to get myself onto a diet. During the day I can't get myself to do any research on the topic let alone commit to anything. One of the other nights I was up late listening I stumbled across a diet that I've heard of but not really looked into(the paleo/caveman diet if anyone is interested). Not only did I end up spending the whole night reading up on it but I'm still feeling motivated days later.

 

[uplander]

If that's true than I'm a bit of a black sheep. I'm pretty much all left-brain and I'm at my best at night. Though I think I listen differently late at night. Usually I'm an analytical listener, I find that PRaT, Groove, whatever you call it gets in the way of me listening to music the way I like. At night I start out listening analytically but usually I just get swept away by the emotion in whatever music I'm listening to instead. But instead of just sitting and listening my brain kind of goes into overdrive. I do my best thinking in such situations.

For example, I'm trying to get myself onto a diet. During the day I can't get myself to do any research on the topic let alone commit to anything. One of the other nights I was up late listening I stumbled across a diet that I've heard of but not really looked into(the paleo/caveman diet if anyone is interested). Not only did I end up spending the whole night reading up on it but I'm still feeling motivated days later.

I must emphasize, I was just spouting off a theory without much to back it up. I've been accused of doing that too often!

I doubt anyone is totally left or right brained, but I think we're all wired such that a certain way of approaching life comes more naturally, either from a perspective of logic or of creativity. My father is an engineer (actually, most of the men in my family are), and one would have to look really hard to find creativity in his thought processes. I, on the other hand, get lost in his logic every time he tries to explain something complex to me. Yet, I've learned to approach many problems in life in the same manner he does. My instinctual approach to problems is not one of logic, yet many people tell me I think like an engineer. I think that's a learned approach, not my instinct. So I end up with neither the right-brain or left-brain dominating my thought process. Does that mean I have co-dominance issues?:worried:

Perhaps your night time listening and productive research is an indicator that you're not as totally left-brained as you think. I remember when studying music theory, the part of music that's considered mathematical and logical, I couldn't make much progress at night. Just couldn't focus on chord structures and progressions, so that was my daytime study. But my greatest progress playing the horn happened in the wee hours, when I was able to just experience, just feel, just be.

Ah, the mysteries of the human brain. It's pretty fascinating to trying to figure out what makes us tick. Any psychologists out there want to chime in?

 

[RedFuneral]

I must emphasize, I was just spouting off a theory without much to back it up. I've been accused of doing that too often!

I doubt anyone is totally left or right brained, but I think we're all wired such that a certain way of approaching life comes more naturally, either from a perspective of logic or of creativity. My father is an engineer (actually, most of the men in my family are), and one would have to look really hard to find creativity in his thought processes. I, on the other hand, get lost in his logic every time he tries to explain something complex to me. Yet, I've learned to approach many problems in life in the same manner he does. My instinctual approach to problems is not one of logic, yet many people tell me I think like an engineer. I think that's a learned approach, not my instinct. So I end up with neither the right-brain or left-brain dominating my thought process. Does that mean I have co-dominance issues?:worried:

Perhaps your night time listening and productive research is an indicator that you're not as totally left-brained as you think. I remember when studying music theory, the part of music that's considered mathematical and logical, I couldn't make much progress at night. Just couldn't focus on chord structures and progressions, so that was my daytime study. But my greatest progress playing the horn happened in the wee hours, when I was able to just experience, just feel, just be.

Ah, the mysteries of the human brain. It's pretty fascinating to trying to figure out what makes us tick. Any psychologists out there want to chime in?

You know, you might be onto something. I usually like to listen to my music analytically but at night I'd say it turns more into just an experience with the emotion of the music.

I'm not a musician, but I am trying to take up bass guitar. When I listen analytically I'm not so much trying to find music theory or structure in the music but I try and identify the emotions that would give the 'why' each note or chord was played. Maybe I'm not as left-brained as I thought, when it comes to music at least.

 

[Robinhawaii]

Your brain switches sides every two to three seconds. Being left/right brain dominant and only using 10% of your brain are persistent myths in society.

Take care,

Rob

 

[uplander]

Your brain switches sides every two to three seconds. Being left/right brain dominant and only using 10% of your brain are persistent myths in society.

I'm no phshrink, so I wouldn't begin to refute that statement, but what would then be the source of the myth? Is it just a way of putting a visual image to a concept that we can't see? There certainly is a difference in the way people approach life, whether logically, emotionally, creatively, or whatever. Some people excel at finding creative, outside-the-box solutions and love to improvise, while others can't seem tie their shoes without a planned order of steps, yet they can plan a highly complex process down to the most minute detail. Is the left/right brain myth simply an invention to explain that difference?

I really wonder how much of my brain does get used, and why, when we all have roughly 3 pound of gray matter, some people are so brilliant and others not so much.

My sister is a clinical psychologist, and this will make for an interesting discussion when I see her over the holidays.