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What can cause variations in system performance?

Mood

Curtains

Light

- curtains I can close, lamps can be turned off, or eyes closed. Mood is something less controllable.
 
James Evans said:
Mike, have you observed the same performance variability in his system at the same time as him?
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Yes, absolutely, and on more than one occasion. I've also experienced this back when I lived in Toronto and had a full Naim olive stack. Even though I had a dedicated mains circuit, the variability of Toronto power, and the apparent susceptibility of Naim's kit seemed cause a wide variation over time.

Now that I'm in London (Ontario), the electricity seems more consistent, and/or my current gear is less susceptible to variations. Consequently, I get only the occasional off night. Additionally, it seems more variable in my family room, where it's sharing a circuit with other equipment (computers, etc.). I have a dedicated (high current) line in my office, and it seems to be much more consistent, almost never sounding off.

Again, I did have a PS Audio Power Plant P5 of my own for a while. It didn't seem to help me (and actually seemed to diminish bass snap a slight bit), so I sold it on.
 
tuga said:
Without a more objective systematic approach we’ll just be making stuff up. Measurements are a must if one wishes to track down potential issues.
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The display on the PS Audio P5 shows various measurements, including an indicator of how much distortion is being eliminated. My friend has decided to keep a log of his system, comparing that number to his perception of the sonic performance. We'll see if there's a correlation.
 
darrenyeats said:
Which brings us nicely to ambient noise level and volume level used.

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/outdoor-noise-d_62.html (outdoors)
"It is common that Day-Night sound levels - Ldn - in different areas may vary a range of 50 dB. "

Let's take a 20dB difference. You can compensate by changing the volume level of the hi-fi, let's say you change the volume level by even just 10dB, this could have a very significant effect on the distortion levels of playback (also on feeling low frequencies). Plausibly audible/perceivable IMO.

Again, most of us say mood is a factor, it must be. Not the only thing though.
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My buddy lives out in the middle of nowhere, so ambient noise is not an issue. :)
 
I wanted to clarify something. Many posts have suggested that mood plays a part in perception of sound. If I'm gauging how much I enjoy the music, then I would say sure.

However, I'm talking about sonic elements that I can easily hear and perceive, fairly objectively. For example, I have no trouble discerning:
  • Is it a violin or viola, or is it the lower range of a cello versus the upper range of a bass?
  • When I'm in my basement office and someone calls out to me (or the dogs bark), where are they in the house?
  • How does one amplifier or set of speakers compare to another?
So when a system sounds dull and listless one day, then clear and dynamic the next, it's my hearing that gauges that, and has very little to do with my mood. When I have a friend with me nodding his head in concurrence, then I have further "proof" of its veracity.

I remember watching American Bandstand, which included a segment where they asked a couple of teenagers what they thought of a song. The response was invariably something like, "It's got a good beat... you can dance to it." I guarantee you, my ability to ascertain sonic elements is far more nuanced than that.
 
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darrenyeats said:
Any heating/cooling ventilation through the house, apparently this is more common in North America?
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Good question! Yes, he definitely has a forced air furnace. It's not running in the summer, though, and he keeps it rather cool (too cool for me) in the winter. I'll mention it to him, and ask him to add to his log whether the furnace is running.
 
Mike Hanson said:
Good question! Yes, he definitely has a forced air furnace. It's not running in the summer, though, and he keeps it rather cool (too cool for me) in the winter. I'll mention it to him, and ask him to add to his log whether the furnace is running.
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This may be a contributing factor. If I go away and turn down the heating, the ambient temperature can be several degrees lower on my return. This can have a detrimental effect on SQ until the house warms up. As I understand it, the reasons are that speaker surrounds and cartridge cantilever mounts can become harder in lower temperatures and they can also become a little stiffer after period of non-use.
 
LPSpinner said:
A difference of less than 1dB over a period of one day to the next ???
Even less than one dB difference under controlled conditions is a stretch.

LPSpinner.
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I adjust the volume when listening, to get what is for me the optimum level. It’s uncontroversial that lots of music has a ‘best’ volume setting. My amp displays level in 0.5dB steps, and being 0.5dB ‘off’ can make a considerable difference to that optimal experience.
 
My HVAC system with forced air when running can raise the ambient noise of the listening room significantly, up to 23db depending on which of the three rooms I’m listening in. In the winter months I’ve had some really nice listening sessions just before retiring for the night when the thermostat drops 6 degrees and the heats kicks off from running for a few hours. That would be after 8:30pm.

I just replaced my washing machine with one that is much quieter than the previous machine I had for 21 years. I would never do any serious listening when the old machine was running. This new Speed Queen washer operates under 43 db and can no longer be heard from the listening room when running. This will add a whole chunk of time to when I can really enjoy listening to music when the ambient noise levels can be in the low 30’s at best.
 
It's the expectations. After a day of fabulous sounding stereo we expect the same to happen the following day, too. Most often it does not.

Willing suspension of disbelief is necessary to enjoy two channel stereo sound - particularly when using loudspeakers. It is a psychological burden most of us cannot bear for prolonged time.

Recommended snake oil solutions only make matters worse.
 
I don't know in all honesty. I've had the one day: sounds fantastic; the next: 5hi7e, and the reverse of course... I've also had the sound improving through the session too.
We have no real back ground noise issues here and I only listen when the wife is out so no other equipment running in the house except for cycling of the fridge, so in my case not spurious noise. I have no idea of mains quality here though and insufficient understanding to measure/quantify it either. However if I were to try to put an idea on it (I have never taken any notes) I'd say that the best sound would more often than not be after 4pm, Fri or Sat. We are generally lower supply voltage than typical though (upper 230s typically) so not impossible that we are at the far end and susceptible to other 'noisy' stuff up-stream.
Mood is definitely a factor though. More enjoyable if you are receptive than say annoyed, frustrated etc. Then again it CAN work as an escape from those moods too...:confused:
 
One day follows another and no two days are alike.
Depending on the music, our demands of the moment are sometimes more "capricious". A system that plays correctly allows us to access satisfaction according to the mood of the moment, among the styles of music.
 
Your hi-fi components surely do not alter from day to day so perhaps a poor electricity supply, high voltage can have a adverse affect or mains contaminated with washers, boilers, etc.
I have a dedicated mains supply with a regenerator and no longer suffer from day to day variations while listening.
 
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