How long are your listening sessions?

[ssfas]

I must say pretty interesting to "hear" of others listening habits. The frequency I find fascinating. I recently added Gryphon Mephisto Solo Monoblocks. For the interim someone let me borrow some other Mono's. I will be polite and call them mediocre at best. I did appreciate the gesture. For 3 weeks I used the borrowed amps. But having the system compromised, it was the least amount of listening I have done in years. Once you wrap your brain around what you like, its rather difficult (at least it was for me) to enjoy while taking a few steps back in sound quality...

So are you listening first to the audio system or to the music?

I listen mostly through speakers in the ceiling of my office, although they are throughout much of the house, including my music room.

I wouldn't let the quality of the sound system become an issue when I have the desire to listen to music.

 

[PHAA_]

1 album a day, at least, generally speaking, late at night, in a quiet house with planar cans.

Archivist, musicologist, aficionado……junkie…….whichever title applies. I am on a mission to transcribe my entire vinyl (and cassette) library to 24/192. I may never finish. Regardless, the enjoyment I am experiencing from these deep dive listening sessions sans distraction is immeasurably therapeutic.

I do listen to music at other times but not as intently, whether at the office or home, due to the other expected distractions/interruptions.

What I generally do not do anymore for multiple reasons, is listen to music while driving…unless it’s a planned road trip.

 

[ssfas]

Personally I usually decide on a particular musician, genre or theme and pick out relevant material, and listen until I've had my fill. The type of music will likely determine how much I can absorb. I try not to do random listening, because it becomes a non-listening session.

 

[John T]

So are you listening first to the audio system or to the music?

I listen mostly through speakers in the ceiling of my office, although they are throughout much of the house, including my music room.

I wouldn't let the quality of the sound system become an issue when I have the desire to listen to music.

Neither. For me the system has to present the music in a specific way. Its all about the SQ. Guys on this forum are Obsessive about SQ. The system has to complement the music. Lackluster or unexciting is not going to make the cut. Once you hear a familiar track and you get a thrill you don't go back. I've been doing this a long time. I can only WISH I could be satisfied with any sound! I'd go buy a tuner and save a boat load of money!

 

[Mike Lavigne]

95% of the time i have multiple listening sessions a day. each session fits into it's slot.

my wife is a late sleeper, and i'm an early riser.....typically 5:30-6am. so always listen for 2-3 hours before breakfast 7 days a week. then most days an hour or two after breakfast.....rested and fed......which is my most focused listening......and is when i listen to vinyl 2-3 days a week. late mornings it seems like my mind is in the right space for the vinyl to be fully appreciated. that could be 2-4-6 hours long. i like to extend the vinyl sessions as everything is turned on and warmed up and i'm in a groove. i might ignore your text or phone call then. at night depending on the season and what sports are going on, most evenings an hour or two listening. i avoid vinyl listening when i'm tired. too right brain.

i do read a lot, and so some (non vinyl) sessions are while reading or web surfing.

retired, no grandkids. do what my wife tells me.

 

[PHAA_]

“retired”

Ahhhh, yes. If my stay-cations are any indication, other than piddling with the house and grounds, my listening sessions will increase greatly in retirement (regardless of the wife and whatever grandkids come along).

 

[orfeo_monteverdi]

My listening sessions have ranged from just a couple of hours to well over 16 to 17.
Tom

[Please forgive my poor English]
I read official health recommendation strongly suggesting that we absolutely should have a pause every hour or 90 min (in function of the SPL). Otherwise the ear's cells can get damaged. And hearing loss or tinnitus can occur even *years* afterwards.

 

[Porsche]

always once a day for 2-3hrs, sometime sneak in another session for an hour, hour and half at lunch

 

[alexatpos]

I have come to conclusion that I do not need a hi fi at all, concerning my listening 'session', because I play music since I wake up, with breakfast, until I go out. Than, I play it after lunch, even when I am reading. At night, often I listen from the other room, while in bed. In fact, now when I think about it, very rare I sit in my listening chair in a sweet spot and listen. Its funny, since I have made my entire living room system oriented...

 

[Another Johnson]

Several people have posted about listening as background music.

These posts have literally jogged my memory regarding why I don’t use my main system in this way (even though the rear half of the room is a place I use for other projects). Background music is present much of the time, but it is played through lesser devices.

The reason I don’t use my main system for background music is that after my ARC, Wilson, and Burmester upgrades, every time I turned it on for background, within 10 or 15 minutes I found myself sitting down in the sweet spot, literally like a tractor beam had drawn me there due to the impossibility of escaping engagement.

 

[treitz3]

Right on!

The reason I don’t use my main system for background music is that after my ARC and Burmester upgrades, every time I turned it on for background, within 10 or 15 minutes I found myself sitting down in the sweet spot, literally like a tractor beam had drawn me there due to the impossibility of escaping engagement.

You say that like it's a bad thing....

Tom

 

[Another Johnson]

Right on!



You say that like it's a bad thing....

Tom

No … it is a good thing. That’s why I have Denon and Bluesound streamers for background. I love my other hobbies too, but not in the same way.

The main system is definitely special, and if it’s on, I can’t pull myself away. I can’t live in front of it without abandoning other hobbies or projects, so it just can’t be on “for background.”

FWIW, as a young audiophile I had the main system in the living room. It was on all the time to provide background, especially in the evening or when we hosted dinner parties.

Later, as I bought larger houses and created multiple listening rooms for my different systems, I would still play the living room or bedroom systems for background.

The current main system just won’t cooperate in that role. If it’s on, it has to be the center of my attention.

 

[JohnP]

You talk and talk to audiophiles without realising that you are talking to someone with a completely different lifestyle, hence their choices of audio system. It prompted me to ask the question, how long are your listening sessions and how many times a week do you indulge?

I typically listen from the sweet spot in my listening room for about two hours every day I’m home or don’t have other plans. I usually listen for about an hour at night. I probably listened for about 500 hours a year.
John

 

[Kbh57]

Through the week, I typically listen 2-3 hours every night, unless I'm out, or there is a sporting event I want to watch. Less on weekends as I'm usually out. In times past I would get home from work every evening and spend way too much time with cable news, which neither informed nor relaxed me. I gave that up a few years ago. Now, I read a couple of newspapers in the morning to stay informed and replaced all of the talking (screaming) head time with music. Highly recommended.

 

[mxk116]

Music therapy for me.

Not all my listening is on schedule. When I’m home music is nearly always playing in the house (Control4 distributed audio or I’m banging away on a guitar in the downstairs). Throughout the day I will make mental notes, written notes or Shazam a song I hear while I’m driving or when something catches my ear regardless of where I am or what I’m doing.

But I have fallen into a nice groove listening to the system (it’s turned on 24 x 7 unless I’m traveling or bad weather is in the forecast) before I hit the sack. Helps me avoid computer and TV screens (although streaming music requires a screen), but no surfing the interweb (especially YouTube!), lights down, playing new music, familiar music, analog, digital, whatever comes to mind or seems appropriate in the moment.

The only problem is, I’m trying to become more disciplined about getting to sleep before 11 pm MST. So far I’m only batting around .300 . Duration of these therapy sessions is 2-3 hours or so.

On the other hand my sleep scores are consistently better when I taking the time to relax and be in the moment with the music as the focus. This sort of gives me a heads start on preparing for what the next day has to offer.

 

[exupgh12]

For me, it depends on the mood, energy, and available time. Sometimes it can sit for hours every night of the week, and at other times, I don't have the mood, energy, or time to sit in front of the system. It can take even a week or two until I crave hearing music on my system.

 

[amey01]

I **ONLY** listen to music when I am sitting in the listening room, eyes closed, 100.00% of my attention on the music. If I am doing anything else, music actually distracts, then annoys me. If music is playing, it is the only thing that occupies my mind, at the exclusion of everything else.

To that end, I listen for about 1-2 hours, once or twice a week. So system gets between 1-5 hours use a week.

 

[treitz3]

Music therapy for me.

<snip> Throughout the day I will make mental notes, written notes or Shazam a song I hear while I’m driving or when something catches my ear regardless of where I am or what I’m doing. <snip>

Duration of these therapy sessions is 2-3 hours or so.

On the other hand my sleep scores are consistently better when I taking the time to relax and be in the moment with the music as the focus. This sort of gives me a heads start on preparing for what the next day has to offer.

It truly is for me as well (music ). It does not matter how bad, stressful or grueling of a day I have had, or what gets thrown my way. Music tames this "beast" in ways that are simply therapeutic. After about 5 minutes of listening? I don't care how my day went. It is all simply forgotten and I am in my happy place. It all literally disappears and I am into the music. Enjoying it, Being enveloped in it. Being drawn to it, like a drug.

Agreed on your last statement as well. I do this often, even if I go a couple of hours beyond my "normal" bedtime....or at least when I should go to bed. For some reason, I just function better, think better and am calm for the next day's calamities.

Tom

 

[FT251]

I am retired, so I have the days free. I have a basement dedicated listening room. I usually listen 3-4 days a week for 3-5 hours and stop at dinner time, I spend the evenings upstairs with my wife, we watch Tv, movies, or sports together. Some days I have other things that need to be done or errands, etc. Or just enjoying the outdoors. I never listen at night. Many years ago I would work until 7 Pm and go down and listen for an hour to decompress. Then family time.

 

[ravenacustic]

I am 74, retired, no kids or grandkids, only a 7 lb schnauzer, and my wife is very active with volunteer things and out of the apartment several hours M-F. When I was still riding my bike thousands of miles each year outside that would conflict with my listening schedule. Now I ride short distances inside and there isn’t much conflict. We live in a high rise condo without a dedicated listening space so I grab the time my wife is out and use it for listening. My favorite time of day is from 9 am to noon. I find AC is cleanest and sound is at its best. Also my concentration level is high. Night time my concentration beyond 8 pm is less. I listen about 2-3 hours every day. I listen to analog/digital about 65%/35%.