Does Everything Make a Difference?

[dcathro]

I’m not exactly sure what comment you were referring to. Electric Static Charge?

Actually, yes I realize this might be slightly off the subject, but it can be shown with careful experimentation that having both CDs and LPs in the room hurts the sound. So, for a quick upgrade move all CDs and LPs to another room. A good experiment for a rainy Wednesday, perhaps. Not only that, but storing CDs and LPs *horizontally* as opposed to vertically degrades the sound. Another one for rainy day.

This is interesting!

I have in the past found that having certain objects in the room has been detrimental to the sound. I have never tried taking all the CDs out of the room. It is difficult because I have few options to store them elsewhere.

On the topic of static, the carpet in my listening room is synthetic and I have noticed that getting cables and components well away from it gives a noticeable improvement.

Can you provide some more info on your experiments?

 

[Kingrex]

This is interesting!

I have in the past found that having certain objects in the room has been detrimental to the sound. I have never tried taking all the CDs out of the room. It is difficult because I have few options to store them elsewhere.

On the topic of static, the carpet in my listening room is synthetic and I have noticed that getting cables and components well away from it gives a noticeable improvement.

Can you provide some more info on your experiments?

I have heard CD and Records in the room improve the sound as the spaces between them act as scattering devices and the mass, especially of vinyl damps wall reflections.

Maybe try running an ionizer over your media on the walls if your concerned about static buildup.

The comment about synthetic carpet vs say wool is interesting. That could have merit. I wonder if when carpet were laid if running strips of copper foil on the floor that have copper leads that could go to a ground block and dissipate to earth would do anything. Or maybe paint the entire floor with RF paint that is conductive, then lay some additional copper strips over it, then ground it all. Then lay the carpet. Hmmmm

 

[Kingrex]

FWIW, that paint and floor application is part of the process of making a Faraday cage to block RF in your room. To make the cage complete you need to do the walls and ceiling and have RF curtains over windows and doors.

 

[Geoffkait]

My experiments over the last 25 years have shown me that there are a great many things in the room that degrade the sound, if you really want to know about it. CDs, LPs, anything made of glass, CELL PHONES, TVs, Computers, empty bottles, anything made of wood, anything made of steel, anything made of aluminum. Any pictures in the room, especially birds of prey and fighter aircraft. Any musical instruments, any unused speakers, electronics or cables. wait, there’s more!

Any books, magazines, newspapers, phone books!, DVDs and Blu Ray. See where I’m going with this? Going by my logic here the best sound for any system would be when there is very little in the room. Conclusion: Sound quality is inversely proportion to entropy. At the same time some things are more detrimental than others.

 

[hopkins]

Following that logic, there should be no listener in the room?

 

[Geoffkait]

You’re close, but most of the things I mentioned affect humans, their perception of sound, not the system sound per se, if you see what I mean. The problems are not acoustic or RF or vibration or electric static charge related. The excellent sound is in the room all along, the listener just can’t hear it completely or accurately, due to the “distortion” produced by the items I mentioned. You can’t differentiate between that distortion and the usual system produced distortions, RF, acoustic, electrical They have the same effect..

 

[PYP]

You’re close, but most of the things I mentioned affect humans, their perception of sound, not the system sound per se, if you see what I mean. The problems are not acoustic or RF or vibration or electric static charge related. The excellent sound is in the room all along, the listener just can’t hear it completely or accurately, due to the “distortion” produced by the items I mentioned. You can’t differentiate between that distortion and the usual system produced distortions, RF, acoustic, electrical They have the same effect..

do you mean distraction, not distortion? Perhaps I like the large windows in the listening room (obviously not good for sound) because I can look at nature while listening during the day. Research shows the positive effect of nature even if seen through a window vs. the full experience of hiking/walking. During the night, it is always a positive to have windows open for the breeze, which also affects my mood positively. The best tweaks are what we do for our minds/emotions/bodies.

 

[Geoffkait]

do you mean distraction, not distortion? Perhaps I like the large windows in the listening room (obviously not good for sound) because I can look at nature while listening during the day. Research shows the positive effect of nature even if seen through a window vs. the full experience of hiking/walking. During the night, it is always a positive to have windows open for the breeze, which also affects my mood positively. The best tweaks are what we do for our minds/emotions/bodies.

No, I mean distortion. Look, think of the brain as a *sensitive transceiver.* The interference I’m referring to is separate from noise and distortion that‘s produced by the audio electronics, cables, etc. You do not have to be aware of these sources of distortion and noise. These distortion and mostly subconscious.

A visitor to your listening room will also “sense“ these distortions but won‘t be able to differentiate those “spooky influences” from the usual suspects I.e., acoustic noise and distortion, THD, other system generated distortion and noise . An experiment to try is start removing some of the items I mentioned earlier a little at a time and you should notice the sound quality improve considerably, more dynamics, better tonality, clearer, more information.

Geoff Kait
Machina Dynamica
Not Too Chicken to Change

 

[Another Johnson]

Bill Evans and David Hazeltine are faintly playing “Alice in Wonderland for four hands” in the background… until you can hear them, you’re not close.

 

[brad225]

Bill Evans and David Hazeltine are faintly playing “Alice in Wonderland for four hands” in the background… until you can hear them, you’re not close.

Background of which piece of music? I don't believe I have ever heard Alice in Wonderland for four hands.

 

[Another Johnson]

Background of which piece of music? I don't believe I have ever heard Alice in Wonderland for four hands.

Like much of this thread, “for four hands” is an extension of reality. You’ll know it when you hear it.

 

[Another Johnson]

Background of which piece of music? I don't believe I have ever heard Alice in Wonderland for four hands.

Background of this thread. Part of the soundtrack of this thread. It’s a joke, son … I say a joke, cough cough cough … get it? Of the thread.

 

[brad225]

Background of this thread. Part of the soundtrack of this thread. It’s a joke, son … I say a joke, cough cough cough … get it? Of the thread.

Got it, thanks.
Kinda like my system will sound better if I am not in the room with it?

 

[Geoffkait]

You’re close, very close. Theoretically the sound in your room, according to the proposition sound quality is inversely proportional to Entropy, will be the very best if you are not in the room AND there is no audio system in the room. find a completely empty room then bring a portable player or iPad into the room with headphones. Voila! QED

where I live the roads don’t stop at the edge of town. They keep going. They go to other towns and to cities.

 

[Another Johnson]

You’re close, very close. Theoretically the sound in your room, according to the proposition sound quality is inversely proportional to Entropy, will be the very best if you are not in the room AND there is no audio system in the room. find a completely empty room then bring a portable player or iPad into the room with headphones. Voila! QED

where I live the roads don’t stop at the edge of town. They keep going. They go to other towns and to cities.

So … is the most musical playback both adiabatic and reversible, hence isentropic?

Maybe Sadie Carnot on saxophone might be close?

 

[Tiltedfault]

So … is the most musical playback both adiabatic and reversible, hence isentropic?

Maybe Sadie Carnot on saxophone might be close?

Sadi Carnot the mechanical engineer or the Sadi Carnot who was the former president of France? Could make a big difference in terms of sound quality.

 

[Another Johnson]

Sadi Carnot the mechanical engineer or the Sadi Carnot who was the former president of France? Could make a big difference in terms of sound quality.

Nephew if I recall. Must be the engineer since I added the e.

 

[Tuckers]

I heard DSOTM for 6 hands coming out of my oatmeal this morning. The message was that I really needed to go back to bed.

 

[Geoffkait]

That why no good keep cd and vinyl in the same room

The reason why CDs, vinyl, videos books, magazines hurt the sound is because of our innate extra sensory perception ESP, you can also call it mind-matter interaction. The “transceiver” which is our brain *subconsciously* picks up on certain things, unnatural or alien things, it’s an evolutionary function. Words have meaning, even when you’re not consciously aware of them, when they’re hidden! Does that surprise you? Friends visiting to hear your system will also hear the new improved sound. I suspect most audiophiles believe that hearing is simply the brain interpreting acoustic waves that arrive at the ear, a strictly physical/biological view.

Ever wonder why the sound at audio shows is generally so abysmal? some reasons are because there are so many cell phones and watches.

”It’s what I choose to believe.” Dr. Shaw in Prometheus

 

[dcathro]

I have always found that my system always sounds best when there is no one else in the room.

Other people always say my system sounds shit, but when they are not there it sound great.