Poor sound quality in hot summer days

Does anyone else notice that on hot summer days with fans and air conditioners going on all around the neighbourhood that the sound quality is not as good as on medium days? I find that my sound is best early Saturday and Sunday and on mild but not too hot days. Even though I have a power conditioner and a Hydra power distributor the sound seems to be deteriorated during peak work day hours and in the heat. My best sound is when it is rainy outside somehow. Does anyone else experience this?

This is a common problem.

When you consider that the power that comes from the wall is what makes all of the music in your system, the old data processing saying “Garbage in - Garbage out” applies to audio quality as well.

In other words, poor quality electricity will result in poor sound quality.

If you want to improve things during those times, you will need to purchase something that will correct the quality of your power. PS Audio sells several devices that do this, the most effective one being their power regenerators that they call Power Plants. They really do work.

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Absolutely, but adding my PSA PP12 made all the difference in the world. Regeneration does wonders for the sound in peak hours (not that it doesn’t make a difference in off-peak, just not as extreme).

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I’d appreciate descriptions of what people are hearing that is associated with power quality and corrected with regenerators. I like the idea but am struggling with putting the last of my component budget (and then some) into a regenerator.

I get it. It is difficult to justify the cost of a regenerator - until you actually hear one in your system. :slight_smile:

Your system will sound markedly better at all times, not just during the peak of hot days.

Keep in mind PS Audio has a generous home trial program.

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Here is what I experienced:

Blacker backgrounds, a bigger soundstage, and more accurate instrument and vocal positions in the soundstage.

I also connected my TV to the powerplant and had substantially clearer picture quality.

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Agreed, along with a added sense of ease as well as greater timbrel accuracy.

By “ease” I mean it sounds as if the system is not working as hard, with greater dynamics and a perceived quicker response.

Neat product.

Only way to completely eliminate this problem is to go entirely off grid. Unfortunately there are no high quality made for audio battery powered units that will power large amplifiers, but there are options available that will power everything else in your system. Those units do come with a hefty price tag though, but I believe as battery technology progresses, prices will come down.

All of the above plus stuff fixing the AC can’t - more ambient noise, “thicker” air due to humidity, etc. I also notice that I get used to having the windows closed through the winter, but then you get used to having them open for a while, and the nice openness from bass venting (even if there is added outdoor ambient noise) and then when you close up on a hot day, you’re back inside the Sub Woofer Room🤠

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Nah, hot weather makes your brain work harder. All your senses’ function is less than optimal. A couple of shots of whisky on rocks will cure everything, in my :crazy_face:experience.

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Pretty reliable 20-50% improvement in any system vs. "baseline listening":stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: By that reckoning, even the most expensive whisky is the best deal in audio.

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Your observation is similar to what I find during the business day, with a root cause that is similar as well. I work full time from home, so I’m listening to my rig during every business day. Beyond debate, my system SQ is not as good during business hours as compared to after hours. During the business day, people are on computers in downtown Chicago offices, office equipment is in use, A/C is in use in every office space, etc. The AC grid has garbage riding on it emitted by a myriad of sources. Later at night on business days, the system is quite noticeably cleaner and more relaxed. While hot weather may be one situation where this occurs, it isn’t the only situation by a long shot since the cause is noise on the mains emitted by pretty much any computer, appliance, what have you on the circuit. I’ll note this observation applies even with power conditioning, which helps reduce it but not eliminate it. The EMI/EMC environment we live in is, frankly, trashy.

The power coming from my wall varies widely, according to the meters on my P20. And so does the sound quality straight from the wall.
But all of my regenerators from my P5, P12 and now P20 improved my sound quality far beyond the best day or time of day from the wall directly. It is an essential part of my hifi.

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Wonder what if any difference there is between power-related sonics as affected by furnaces in the winter vs. AC systems in the summer?:thinking:

:flushed:

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The sound of life outside the window, 10 ft from my left ear affects the sound quite a bit.

Feel that. Reality keeps intruding on our concepts of how it should be.

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I may have a different situation. I actually have pretty decent power round the clock. But there’s more electrical activity in the evening than during the day. I live in a sparsely housed neighborhood and about 2/3 of the persons are driving off to work each morning–I live outside a small town, about 25 miles from the city. My power is cleaner at 9 a.m. than 8 p.m. But my regenerators keep the sound pretty consistently excellent any hour of the day.

I have to say. This is something my p10 fixed. It made my system performance consistent and I have good power at my house.

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Don’t forget heat and humidity affecting loudspeakers (the wood and the paper / silk / ribbon-whatever)

You need a P20.

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