Music better at night...as good as it gets!

[DD66000]

I've had a thought process for years, actually decades, I don't think I have ever seen a discussion about. That listening to music always sounds better at night, or very early morning hours before sunrise.

I'm not talking about listening in a totally dark room, when your sight does not dominate. And I've done that thousands of times. I'm talking when you have at least one light on in the room.

I think it might have to do with atmospheric conditions being different at night, compared to the daylight hours. And that atmospheric conditions of the dark hours somehow improves the sound of the music.

Any thoughts?

 

[dkane360]

I'd say it's more likely to be personal moods than atmospheric conditions.

I seem to find and listen to most of my music at night as well, which is difficult when you want to turn it up and everyone's sleeping.

 

[bikdav]

That is an emotional thing. I get that music sundowning effect also.

 

[FirstReflection]

There can be a number of reasons why we seem to (or really do) hear better at night.

The biggest reason is that there is usually less ambient noise at night or in the wee hours of the morning. In the mid-day and evening, there are lots of cars, work, people talking, etc. The ambient noise level is typically much higher during the day, which masks quiet and subtle sounds.

Air temperature does also make a difference. It is typically cooler at night. Cooler air is denser air - the air molecules are literally closer together - and there is less kinetic energy - the air molecules are not moving as quickly. The speed of sound is dependent on the medium. The speed of sound is faster in denser mediums. So technically, sound travels faster through cool air than it does through warm air, though the difference is so small that it's unlikely we can perceive it.

The air moves throughout the day, however. As the air gets warmer throughout the day, it rises. At night, the air is more still. In the evening, as the temperature falls, the air cools and falls as well. Sound waves travelling in this rising or falling air are carried somewhat in the direction that the air is travelling. At night, there can actually be stronger reflections of sound off of the ground as the air falls and carries the sound waves in a slight downward direction as they travel. Conversely, when the air is rising as it heats up, there is less of a reflection off of the ground. Whether or not we can detect a slight increase in SPL from the ground reflection at night, I don't know.

Then there are the human factors. Our vision tends to be best a dawn and dusk. I'm not sure if our hearing follows a similar pattern, but it seems reasonable that it might. We tend to get a bit tired in the mid-afternoon when the temperature is also typically at its peak. And we tend to be very alert at twilight - likely a throwback instinct as we were vulnerable to nocturnal preditors at this time.

There's also psychology. We are able to hear details much more clearly when we are paying close attention. During the day, we're often distracted by thoughts about work or family or friends. At night, many of us have a routine where we "wind down" and allow ourselves to relax. Without the mental distractions, we're able to pay more attention to what we're hearing.

So we're cooler (physically), calmer, more alert and less distracted at night. Put all of that together, and it's not really surprising that we seem to hear better at night, I don't think. Factor in fewer visual distractions as well, and it is REALLY not surprising. Even though you're talking about having a light on in the room, it's still darker at night and we don't have sunlight coming through windows or the crack under the door. Again, it's just one less source of distraction, allowing us to concentrate better on the sounds coming from our speakers

 

[mtrycrafts]

...

Air temperature does also make a difference. It is typically cooler at night. Cooler air is denser air - the air molecules are literally closer together - and there is less kinetic energy - the air molecules are not moving as quickly. The speed of sound is dependent on the medium. The speed of sound is faster in denser mediums. So technically, sound travels faster through cool air than it does through warm air, though the difference is so small that it's unlikely we can perceive it.

The air moves throughout the day, however. As the air gets warmer throughout the day, it rises. At night, the air is more still. In the evening, as the temperature falls, the air cools and falls as well. Sound waves travelling in this rising or falling air are carried somewhat in the direction that the air is travelling. At night, there can actually be stronger reflections of sound off of the ground as the air falls and carries the sound waves in a slight downward direction as they travel. Conversely, when the air is rising as it heats up, there is less of a reflection off of the ground. Whether or not we can detect a slight increase in SPL from the ground reflection at night, I don't know.

...

While all this is nice tidbits of info, how does that apply inside a home? Inside temperatures do not change so drastically as it does outside, not are air currents so drastic.

 

[j_garcia]

Fact: cooler air is less of a hindrance to sound, which makes sense since the air is less dense. I live not too far from a freeway. In the winter, particularly in the early morning, the sound is much more intrusive than any other time of day. I read an article once and it stated this quite clearly and seemed to fit with what I have experienced for years.

I actually do enjoy listening in a darkened room more as well. It seems to focus one more on the sound with less distraction from the visual.

 

[cpp]

all depends on where you live, what you're listen to, how loud you play it etc..

 

[Grador]

I agree that the predominant difference is probably emotional. I as well think music sounds better later at night.

Fact: cooler air is less of a hindrance to sound, which makes sense since the air is less dense.

Cooler air does conduct sound better, but because the air is denser, not less dense.

 

[FirstReflection]

While all this is nice tidbits of info, how does that apply inside a home? Inside temperatures do not change so drastically as it does outside, not are air currents so drastic.

Absolutely. I only intended my remarks as some potential reasons why we seem to hear better at night. I tried to point out that it's unlikely we're able to actually perceive any differences due to things like the very slightly faster speed of sound through cool air vs. warm air, and the very slight upward or downward travel of the soundwaves due to rising warm air or falling cool air. You're absolutely right that in a climate controlled environment - like many indoor situations - these air temperature changes don't even take place, so anything to do with changes in air temperature is totally moot!

Mostly, I think it's due to fewer distractions, less ambient noise and human factors of psychology. The OP was wondering about potential atmospheric reasons though, so I merely made mention of some factors that could theoretically play a role

 

[tcarcio]

After how many beverages does the sound get better.... I kid but I must say I really think it might just be less distractions then during the day and being able to just concentrate on the music.

 

[j_garcia]

Cooler air does conduct sound better, but because the air is denser, not less dense.

Sorry, meant more dense, not less dense.

 

[DD66000]

As I originally stated, I think the atmospheric conditions do affect sound.
Temperature seems to be what affects sound the most. From what I just read, air pressure does not.
And I do not think it has to do with listening at the end of a long day, as you unwind. Because much of my best listening was first thing in the morning after a goods night sleep.

 

[mtrycrafts]

..

Mostly, I think it's due to fewer distractions, less ambient noise and human factors of psychology. The OP was wondering about potential atmospheric reasons though, so I merely made mention of some factors that could theoretically play a role

That is much more reasonable

 

[mtrycrafts]

I agree that the predominant difference is probably emotional. I as well think music sounds better later at night.
Cooler air does conduct sound better, but because the air is denser, not less dense.

Perhaps this will help
Speed of sound - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Colder air is denser but the speed of sound is slower.
The molecules are less active as temperature drops.

But, in the end, how would the speed of sound make a difference as music will get to your ear almost as fast within mseconds.

 

[DD66000]

While all this is nice tidbits of info, how does that apply inside a home? Inside temperatures do not change so drastically as it does outside, not are air currents so drastic.

Unless you are running an air conditioner 24/7, then you will get a varied temp range. And the humidity will change.
I live in an area that changes very little, in temp or humidity and the music still sounds better in the hours of darkness.

 

[j_garcia]

Found this:

The speed of sound depends on wind conditions, temperature, and humidity. It does not depend on the frequency of sound; all notes travel at the same speed. The speed of sound in dry air at 0 degrees C is about 330 meters per second, nearly 1,200 kilometers per hour. Water vapor in the air increases this speed slightly. Sound travels faster through warm air than through cold air. This is to be expected because the faster-moving molecules in warm air bump into each other more often and therefore transmit a pulse in less time. For each degree rise in temperature above 0 degrees C, the speed of sound in air increases by 0.6 meters per second. In water, sound travels about four times as fast as it does in air, while in steel, the speed of sound is about fifteen times as great as in air.

So that doesn't seem to fit? If sound travels faster with more density, why would it travel faster through warm air vs. cool?

*edit then found this:

For an ideal gas (no molecular forces) the equation for the velocity of sound c is:

c = sqrt( k * T / M) with T = temperature, k = adiabatic constant and M = molar mass

Thus c increases when T increases, so sound travels faster in hot gases.

So it actually travels slower in cool air, but maybe there is less loss of sound?

 

[Grador]

So it actually travels slower in cool air, but maybe there is less loss of sound?

Think of it this way, with cooler denser air the sound has to travel though more molecules per distance making it take longer, but since everything is more tightly packed together energy transfers more easily between them. I am currently doing more reading on this to refresh my memory, will post any useful links I find.

Edit: http://www.sfu.ca/sonic-studio/handbook/Sound_Propagation.html This link has a bit of information on sound propagation. If I am reading this right it seem that things are a little more complicated than my assertion that cooler = less absorption.

 

[j_garcia]

Think of it this way, with cooler denser air the sound has to travel though more molecules per distance making it take longer, but since everything is more tightly packed together energy transfers more easily between them. I am currently doing more reading on this to refresh my memory, will post any useful links I find.

But it costs more energy to pass through the denser air. They are saying that it travels faster through less dense air because the molecules are moving faster and bumping into each other more frequently. That's the key I guess though, since there are less molecules per area, the sound is dispersed more quickly, while in dense air, more of the sound is transmitted?

 

[Grador]

Looks like you got in before my edit, check for my added link.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Unless you are running an air conditioner 24/7, then you will get a varied temp range. And the humidity will change.
I live in an area that changes very little, in temp or humidity and the music still sounds better in the hours of darkness.

The question still is how does temperature and or humidity affect the quality of music? How does the speed of sound affect this quality, if indeed it does. Just because sound gets to one's ear a few milliseconds quicker or slower?
Or, the noise floor shift at night time is more likely the difference.