I like mood lighting and have the garden lit (at night) outside the bay window... it gives the illusion the outside is part of the room.
On or Off?
- Thread starter Dre_J
- Start date
Hello, Dre_J. I went with "it depends". During the day when I am doing work, housework or when the family is home the lights are always on. Even if I turned them off, the natural sunlight coming in through all of the windows makes it as if the lights were on anyways. This is where most of my listening is done.
With that said, my true enjoyment comes when the family is asleep and I have the ability to have zero outdoor ambient light combined with a lower electrical grid demand and lower noise floor from outdoor activity. That is when I truly enjoy listening to the music with every light off. At that point, only the CDP display and three LED's offer a light source. Everything combined at this point makes listening a slice of heaven and at this point, I will actually [most of the time] want to close my eyes as well to really get involved into nothing but the music itself. Total relaxation....ahhhhhhh....
Tom
With that said, my true enjoyment comes when the family is asleep and I have the ability to have zero outdoor ambient light combined with a lower electrical grid demand and lower noise floor from outdoor activity. That is when I truly enjoy listening to the music with every light off. At that point, only the CDP display and three LED's offer a light source. Everything combined at this point makes listening a slice of heaven and at this point, I will actually [most of the time] want to close my eyes as well to really get involved into nothing but the music itself. Total relaxation....ahhhhhhh....
Tom
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
When I turn the lights out in the studio, it's darker than a Black Hole! There are no windows and the communicating doors are acoustically sealed. If the current goes out, I'm screwed!
The light in my room varies depending on the time of day. Obviously during the day it is brighter than at night.
I never measured the luminance before tonight. I don't always have the same lights on in the room. Depending on what lights are on, the night time luminance varies between 0.5 and 2 candelas per square meter. I supposed that could be considered dim to moderate. As a means of comparison, the luminance over my kitchen table is about 250 candelas per square meter which is fairly bright compared to most peoples'.
I'll measure the listening room luminance tomorrow during daylight hours.
One of the benefits of having used the Zone System for B&W [that's Black and White, NOT Bowers and Wilkins] film photography is having various light meters!
Some of you guys have quite a light display!
EDIT: I just measured the luminance this morning. Outdoor light is in the room but not streaming in the windows due to all the trees around and there are about 10 candelas per square meter--still not too bright. The only time there is light directly streaming in is in the winter when the leaves are down and the time is shortly after sunrise.
Gary, what instrument exactly do you need to measure the candelas (luminance) per square meter? ...Picture, price?
Sounds like a good tool to have.
No but that doesn't stop anyone from posting them. Eye candy!
That was only my sense of humor speaking. :b
The light in my room varies depending on the time of day. Obviously during the day it is brighter than at night.
I never measured the luminance before tonight. I don't always have the same lights on in the room. Depending on what lights are on, the night time luminance varies between 0.5 and 2 candelas per square meter. I supposed that could be considered dim to moderate. As a means of comparison, the luminance over my kitchen table is about 250 candelas per square meter which is fairly bright compared to most peoples'.
I'll measure the listening room luminance tomorrow during daylight hours.
One of the benefits of having used the Zone System for B&W [that's Black and White, NOT Bowers and Wilkins] film photography is having various light meters!
Some of you guys have quite a light display!
EDIT: I just measured the luminance this morning. Outdoor light is in the room but not streaming in the windows due to all the trees around and there are about 10 candelas per square meter--still not too bright. The only time there is light directly streaming in is in the winter when the leaves are down and the time is shortly after sunrise.
I have a GretagMacbeth eye one spectroradiometer but the software went with the now diseased Windows machine that had the key file.
Not sure if I can revive it...Dre
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
I have to find them first!!
I can usually find them, but the batteries never work. GRRR!!
When in total darkness (at night, no lights on, and watching movies on Blu-ray), if the need to get up and go get myself a glass of French or Argentinian wine, during an onscreen scene that is also in darkness, on my main table near me, I always have that laser light; with both a red laser beam and also a bright white light flashlight type of high intensity included in one.
It is only two inches long and with a pen's diameter. ...It uses three cell batteries and last a very long time.
- I think it's very cool for people using tubes to shot all their lights while listening to music at nighttime. ...I would do the exact same.
* Dre, a GretagMacbeth eye one spectroradiometer; is that a tool to measure light intensity?
It is only two inches long and with a pen's diameter. ...It uses three cell batteries and last a very long time.
- I think it's very cool for people using tubes to shot all their lights while listening to music at nighttime. ...I would do the exact same.
* Dre, a GretagMacbeth eye one spectroradiometer; is that a tool to measure light intensity?
at the risk of going off-topic, one aspect of being able to have the lights dim or off is finding a way to have minimal light where you need it to manage changing of music. and to do that i have 3 of the i-Tower High Power LED floor lamps. since they sit on the floor but are very low mass, they can be adjusted for almost any situation, and are easily adjusted for intensity. they only use about 9 watts at max brightness and don't warm up the room and last 30,000 hours. they can be ordered in 'cool' or 'warm' light.
http://www.amazon.com/I-Tower-Power...ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1377288873&sr=1-2
i've used these and recommended them for 5 years.
since my carpet is thick 'shag' i do use a 10 pound weight sitting on top of the base to keep it stable. if my floor was hardwood or 'thin' carpet then i would not need the weight.
http://www.amazon.com/I-Tower-Power...ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1377288873&sr=1-2
i've used these and recommended them for 5 years.
since my carpet is thick 'shag' i do use a 10 pound weight sitting on top of the base to keep it stable. if my floor was hardwood or 'thin' carpet then i would not need the weight.
I have two lava lamps in my main listening/watching room (one purple and one red). These are the perfect lights.
And much better than any type of dimmer lights, because dimmer lights always introduce audio and video noise in your system.
Anything at all that has an intensity (light or whatever else like fans) adjustment switch or knob is no good for true audiophiles/cinephiles.
* Low intensity black lights (25 watts) behind your gear is also great; I got few of those too.
And much better than any type of dimmer lights, because dimmer lights always introduce audio and video noise in your system.
Anything at all that has an intensity (light or whatever else like fans) adjustment switch or knob is no good for true audiophiles/cinephiles.
* Low intensity black lights (25 watts) behind your gear is also great; I got few of those too.
I think that if our eyes are comfortably relaxed, our ears stand a better chance to be as well.
So yes, the right level of lighting has an influence on our perception, IMO, same as the right volume level of the listening has.
It is as tough to get the exact (perfect) light level as it is to get the perfect listening level. And it varies too from one moment to the next (day-to-day).
...And of course for each person, with a different set of eyes, ears, and different emotional perception.
But it is also very relative because when we are listening to music in the outdoors, in plain daylight, everything's free in our different perception (social fun).
So yes, the right level of lighting has an influence on our perception, IMO, same as the right volume level of the listening has.
It is as tough to get the exact (perfect) light level as it is to get the perfect listening level. And it varies too from one moment to the next (day-to-day).
...And of course for each person, with a different set of eyes, ears, and different emotional perception.
But it is also very relative because when we are listening to music in the outdoors, in plain daylight, everything's free in our different perception (social fun).
Last edited:
Does anyone have any additional comments since this poll was done or would like to contribute if you haven't already?
Dre
I do.
Complete darkness. No sights and no noise other than the music. Of course, this doesn't happen often but when it does, I'm in bliss. When the family is asleep, the power grid demand is low and I have a chance to turn off the HVAC after midnight is when I will put up post it notes in front of all LED's, turn off the lights and with remote in hand, simply listen to the music in the most relaxed way possible.
Tom
Rarely in total darkness. There are always some lights on. As little intefering noise as possible. Interestingly though, music always comes from blackness.
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