Like changing weather

Ever notice how reproduced music changes character at different times of the day, month, or even year? We covered in yesterday's post how mechanical transducers, including the musical instruments themselves, need time to perform their best. However, there's yet another aspect apart from break in to consider. The environment itself. Our environment impacts more than most of us realize. Changing power conditions, weather, air pressure, humidity, all affect how sound is produced and travels through its medium, air. I have written many times of the problems we encounter with AC power which can vary wildly during the day, night, and seasons: worse in summer, better in winter. I know it's discomforting to consider that we're all connected together on the power grid; and power demands from our community affect the performance of our equipment. It's why a power regenerator, like the Power Plant, is a necessary addition to any quality system. How many of you consider the impacts of weather and seasons? We worry about break in, playing the system for many hours to loosen the mechanical elements so they sing more freely, and then get upset when it seems we've taken a step backwards. I've had this happen more than a few times, where the music's sounding sweeter by the day, and then, boom! It sounds worse and I fear I've gone too far–only for the sound to return to its original glory the next day. The reason this happens is because mechanical transducers, like loudspeakers, are susceptible to changes in the very air they rely upon to deliver music to our ears. Temperature, humidity, pressure differences affect what we hear; music that can often change with the weather. So, next time the system's not sounding great–or perhaps sounding extraordinary–consider the cause might just be out of your control.