The effect of music on the mood of a person is apparent. But the opposite, the effect of a persons mood on the perception of music (and sound quality), is not so apparent.
Yesterday, I switched on my streamer and I just did not enjoy the music. The music did not sound right. The highs were annoying me and the bass seemed to have left the building. For a minute I thought something was wrong and I was about to start pulling plugs etc. But I decided to just switch it off and read a book. It had happened to me before.
Today, I switched on the streamer and everything was back the way it was. Very enjoyable and engaging. I realized that yesterday I was pretty stressed and not feeling very zen at all. It must have been psychology at work.
It showed me again how mood and physical condition can influence the perception of music and sound quality. It is a strange hobby this…
It’s not something you realize immediately. I sometimes have to stop myself from thinking about my system, possible updates etc. A bit of patience is sometimes all that is needed to return to the enjoyment and feeling that you love. The effect can be pretty big. Not only the emotional state, but also the physical state.
This is a familiar scenario. There are times when I’m listening to music and it just sounds wonderful - which is most of the time. Sometimes it sounds abysmal to me and I can find nothing but fault with it and feel like junking the lot. I’ve had this with every system I’ve ever owned over the course of over 50 years and in several different properties in different geographical locations. Mood, mains variation, system variation, wind direction, what colour underpants I’m wearing? Who knows? It’s just a fact of life.
Indeed it is! It is just an interesting phenomenon and something that every music, HiFi enthusiast and/or audiophile should be aware of.
Mood not only changes what music you like to play, but also the perception of sound quality. Sometimes with a dramatic effect. I have always been into music and HiFi, but I became aware of this when I started buying a bit better equipment (Naim). Before that, I never thought about it.
Yep, the better the kit you have, the more critical you are.
While sometimes great kit can delight, it can also disappoint, particularly if you are in critical listening mode, which most of us are immediately after an upgrade. I am in such a state now, having purchased some new speakers.
The issue is when an upgrade increases how revealing your system is, and starts to show up poor recordings for what they are. This, in turn, affects mood (sometimes adversely when a loved album mildly disappoints). Moving then to a great recording can restore a positive mood!
Some listening sessions are a bit of a rollercoaster, but recognising why does help. I then try to snap out of active listing mode and just enjoy the music for what it is.
I have also found that a highly tuned system, with everything ‘just so’, can often exist on a knife edge. If even a tiny thing is wrong the whole performance can come crashing down. Highly tuned systems, which mine is, can be tremendous but they can also be a pain. I’m often afraid to do anything at all to our system when it’s sounding really good in case it upsets something. It can sometimes be very difficult to trace the cause of such variations as they can be something so seemingly unlikely that it’s easy to overlook them.
I can recall someone here, many years ago now, saying that if he moved a particular interconnect a couple of centimeters then it spoilt the music. This may seem so unlilkely that it’s easy to dismiss as audiophile paranoia. I’ve now experienced very similar things myself, that are so seemingly unlikely to affect performance that I’m reluctant to even mention them because I know what the reaction is likely to be.
I find my mood influences what i listen to rather than how it sounds and, while not ment as a glib comment, sometimes volume scratches the ‘this is not right’ itch.
Mood definitely affects everything not just music. If you are not feeling it then you won’t.
As for a high end system being on a knife edge, well i certainly haven’t got that, if anything its the opposite, its so good you struggle to upset it.
You can do anything to it really and it just does what its designed to do, produce fantastic music.
That’s true.
And what if you are on bad mood again next time, just hit the gym and come back, and you will find the system sounds awesome again – although tight shoulder got relieved also in play, lot of nerves relate to hearing under the shoulders.
I always find the music sounds more alive after say a 45 min break from a lengthy listening session. The urge to turn the volume up also disappears after a break, well for me anyway.
Indeed. More revealing kit can sound wonderful, but it can also throw you in a loop if something seems to be wrong, while in reality it is just your mind playing tricks. As long as you are aware this can happen, it is OK.
Oh dear….I have to confess I have been fiddling with a DIN interconnect lately. I could swear that after I moved it a little bit it sounded better Maybe it was just a matter of more distance to a power lead or a trick of the mind.
Maybe it was just a matter of more distance to a power lead or a trick of the mind.