[Don Pearce]

I was up and working at three this morning, and things seemed very
quiet - I was playing some music and it didn't sound the way it
usually does, so I reckoned it must be the ambience. Well, I recorded
a bit of the background noise, then did it again just now at 9. am to
see the difference. And here it is

http://81.174.169.10/odds/nightday.gif

At night there is less noise the whole way up the audio range by about
10dB.. The big daytime lump around 6kHz is a bunch of birds in the
garden having a chat. Noisy *******s - this is recorded through double
glazing. The nearest road to me is about a hundred yards away, past a
row of houses, so if the residual difference is traffic noise, I can't
actually hear it.

Is this a normal thing, or do most people get a greater night/day
difference?

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

[Tony[_3_]]

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

At night there is less noise the whole way up the audio range by about
10dB.. The big daytime lump around 6kHz is a bunch of birds in the
garden having a chat. Noisy *******s - this is recorded through double
glazing. The nearest road to me is about a hundred yards away, past a
row of houses, so if the residual difference is traffic noise, I can't
actually hear it.

Is this a normal thing, or do most people get a greater night/day
difference?

It's normal. And the night noise could be limited by your mic and pre-amp
noise. Try measuring with the mic in a solid box packed with woollies to
find the mid and high frequency noise floor of your measuring system.

You will be picking up traffic noise from a very wide area. The noise level
reduces with distance, but the further away you go, the more vehicles there
are within a given radius. Same for rail traffic and other industrial and
commercial noise.

I agree that music will sound different with a quieter background. I think
you hear more subtleties with a quieter background, and also more defects
(if there are any!).

--
Tony W
My e-mail address has no hyphen
- but please don't use it, reply to the group.

[Don Pearce]

On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:20:03 GMT, "Tony"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

At night there is less noise the whole way up the audio range by about
10dB.. The big daytime lump around 6kHz is a bunch of birds in the
garden having a chat. Noisy *******s - this is recorded through double
glazing. The nearest road to me is about a hundred yards away, past a
row of houses, so if the residual difference is traffic noise, I can't
actually hear it.

Is this a normal thing, or do most people get a greater night/day
difference?

It's normal. And the night noise could be limited by your mic and pre-amp
noise. Try measuring with the mic in a solid box packed with woollies to
find the mid and high frequency noise floor of your measuring system.

Yes, we hit the mic's noise floor at about 6kHz. That recording was
made on the stairs. I've just tried my more usual recording room, and
the result is much quieter.

http://81.174.169.10/odds/roomnoise.gif

Now we hit the mic noise floor (5dBA - it is a Rode NT1A) at a couple
of kHz.

You will be picking up traffic noise from a very wide area. The noise level
reduces with distance, but the further away you go, the more vehicles there
are within a given radius. Same for rail traffic and other industrial and
commercial noise.

No railways within a mile of me, so probably not an issue. The very
low frequency stuff is no doubt conducted rather than airborne.

I agree that music will sound different with a quieter background. I think
you hear more subtleties with a quieter background, and also more defects
(if there are any!).

Quite so.

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

[Keith G]

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:20:03 GMT, "Tony"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

At night there is less noise the whole way up the audio range by about
10dB.. The big daytime lump around 6kHz is a bunch of birds in the
garden having a chat. Noisy *******s - this is recorded through double
glazing. The nearest road to me is about a hundred yards away, past a
row of houses, so if the residual difference is traffic noise, I can't
actually hear it.

Is this a normal thing, or do most people get a greater night/day
difference?

It's normal. And the night noise could be limited by your mic and pre-amp
noise. Try measuring with the mic in a solid box packed with woollies to
find the mid and high frequency noise floor of your measuring system.

Yes, we hit the mic's noise floor at about 6kHz. That recording was
made on the stairs. I've just tried my more usual recording room, and
the result is much quieter.

http://81.174.169.10/odds/roomnoise.gif

Now we hit the mic noise floor (5dBA - it is a Rode NT1A) at a couple
of kHz.

You will be picking up traffic noise from a very wide area. The noise
level
reduces with distance, but the further away you go, the more vehicles
there
are within a given radius. Same for rail traffic and other industrial
and
commercial noise.

No railways within a mile of me, so probably not an issue. The very
low frequency stuff is no doubt conducted rather than airborne.

I agree that music will sound different with a quieter background. I think
you hear more subtleties with a quieter background, and also more defects
(if there are any!).

Quite so.



Mind you don't *overscience* it - what you experienced there was the Magic
Time of the wee smalls! (Nothing new to any vinylist who has found it hard
to stop keep putting records on, in the still of the night!! ;-)

[Don Pearce]

On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:10:27 -0000, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:20:03 GMT, "Tony"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

At night there is less noise the whole way up the audio range by about
10dB.. The big daytime lump around 6kHz is a bunch of birds in the
garden having a chat. Noisy *******s - this is recorded through double
glazing. The nearest road to me is about a hundred yards away, past a
row of houses, so if the residual difference is traffic noise, I can't
actually hear it.

Is this a normal thing, or do most people get a greater night/day
difference?

It's normal. And the night noise could be limited by your mic and pre-amp
noise. Try measuring with the mic in a solid box packed with woollies to
find the mid and high frequency noise floor of your measuring system.

Yes, we hit the mic's noise floor at about 6kHz. That recording was
made on the stairs. I've just tried my more usual recording room, and
the result is much quieter.

http://81.174.169.10/odds/roomnoise.gif

Now we hit the mic noise floor (5dBA - it is a Rode NT1A) at a couple
of kHz.

You will be picking up traffic noise from a very wide area. The noise
level
reduces with distance, but the further away you go, the more vehicles
there
are within a given radius. Same for rail traffic and other industrial
and
commercial noise.

No railways within a mile of me, so probably not an issue. The very
low frequency stuff is no doubt conducted rather than airborne.

I agree that music will sound different with a quieter background. I think
you hear more subtleties with a quieter background, and also more defects
(if there are any!).

Quite so.



Mind you don't *overscience* it - what you experienced there was the Magic
Time of the wee smalls! (Nothing new to any vinylist who has found it hard
to stop keep putting records on, in the still of the night!! ;-)


Oh I enjoy the time all right. For me the science has always been an
"as well", never an "instead".

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

[Keith G]

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:10:27 -0000, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:20:03 GMT, "Tony"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

At night there is less noise the whole way up the audio range by about
10dB.. The big daytime lump around 6kHz is a bunch of birds in the
garden having a chat. Noisy *******s - this is recorded through double
glazing. The nearest road to me is about a hundred yards away, past a
row of houses, so if the residual difference is traffic noise, I can't
actually hear it.

Is this a normal thing, or do most people get a greater night/day
difference?

It's normal. And the night noise could be limited by your mic and
pre-amp
noise. Try measuring with the mic in a solid box packed with woollies
to
find the mid and high frequency noise floor of your measuring system.

Yes, we hit the mic's noise floor at about 6kHz. That recording was
made on the stairs. I've just tried my more usual recording room, and
the result is much quieter.

http://81.174.169.10/odds/roomnoise.gif

Now we hit the mic noise floor (5dBA - it is a Rode NT1A) at a couple
of kHz.

You will be picking up traffic noise from a very wide area. The noise
level
reduces with distance, but the further away you go, the more vehicles
there
are within a given radius. Same for rail traffic and other industrial
and
commercial noise.

No railways within a mile of me, so probably not an issue. The very
low frequency stuff is no doubt conducted rather than airborne.

I agree that music will sound different with a quieter background. I
think
you hear more subtleties with a quieter background, and also more
defects
(if there are any!).

Quite so.



Mind you don't *overscience* it - what you experienced there was the Magic
Time of the wee smalls! (Nothing new to any vinylist who has found it hard
to stop keep putting records on, in the still of the night!! ;-)


Oh I enjoy the time all right. For me the science has always been an
"as well", never an "instead".


Nothing wrong with a bit of 'as well' science, I hafta say.....

[PhattyMo]

Don Pearce wrote:
On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:20:03 GMT, "Tony"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
At night there is less noise the whole way up the audio range by about
10dB.. The big daytime lump around 6kHz is a bunch of birds in the
garden having a chat. Noisy *******s - this is recorded through double
glazing. The nearest road to me is about a hundred yards away, past a
row of houses, so if the residual difference is traffic noise, I can't
actually hear it.

Is this a normal thing, or do most people get a greater night/day
difference?
It's normal. And the night noise could be limited by your mic and pre-amp
noise. Try measuring with the mic in a solid box packed with woollies to
find the mid and high frequency noise floor of your measuring system.

Yes, we hit the mic's noise floor at about 6kHz. That recording was
made on the stairs. I've just tried my more usual recording room, and
the result is much quieter.

http://81.174.169.10/odds/roomnoise.gif

Now we hit the mic noise floor (5dBA - it is a Rode NT1A) at a couple
of kHz.

You will be picking up traffic noise from a very wide area. The noise level
reduces with distance, but the further away you go, the more vehicles there
are within a given radius. Same for rail traffic and other industrial and
commercial noise.

No railways within a mile of me, so probably not an issue. The very
low frequency stuff is no doubt conducted rather than airborne.

Yes,I'd have to agree.
I'm several miles from any rails,but I can still faintly hear the trains
at night,there's one that almost sounds like it's right up the street a
ways.I'm probably atleast 5-miles from any rails,and on the other side
of a large 1000+ft "hill" from half of them. I hear plenty of LF stuff
from them at night.

The power may very well be a bit 'cleaner' at night,since most people
are in bed,and most of their noisy appliances are turned off.
Also,alot of businesses,subway trains,etc. shut down too.
You DO have to contend with the occasional noisy street-lamp though.
Alot of the traffic lights around here are an RF-noise nightmare!

I agree that music will sound different with a quieter background. I think
you hear more subtleties with a quieter background, and also more defects
(if there are any!).

Quite so.

d

[Andy Evans]

On Mar 23, 3:42�am, PhattyMo wrote:
Don Pearce wrote:
On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:20:03 GMT, "Tony"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
At night there is less noise the whole way up the audio range by about
10dB.. The big daytime lump around 6kHz is a bunch of birds in the
garden having a chat. Noisy *******s - this is recorded through double
glazing. The nearest road to me is about a hundred yards away, past a
row of houses, so if the residual difference is traffic noise, I can't
actually hear it.

Is this a normal thing, or do most people get a greater night/day
difference?
It's normal. And the night noise could be limited by your mic and pre-amp
noise. *Try measuring with the mic in a solid box packed with woollies to
find the mid and high frequency noise floor of your measuring system.

Yes, we hit the mic's noise floor at about 6kHz. That recording was
made on the stairs. I've just tried my more usual recording room, and
the result is much quieter.

http://81.174.169.10/odds/roomnoise.gif

Now we hit the mic noise floor (5dBA - it is a Rode NT1A) at a couple
of kHz.

You will be picking up traffic noise from a very wide area. *The noise level
reduces with distance, but the further away you go, the more vehicles there
are within a given radius. * Same for rail traffic and other industrial and
commercial noise.

No railways within a mile of me, so probably not an issue. The very
low frequency stuff is no doubt conducted rather than airborne.

Yes,I'd have to agree.
I'm several miles from any rails,but I can still faintly hear the trains
at night,there's one that almost sounds like it's right up the street a
ways.I'm probably atleast 5-miles from any rails,and on the other side
of a large 1000+ft "hill" from half of them. I hear plenty of LF stuff
from them at night.

The power may very well be a bit 'cleaner' at night,since most people
are in bed,and most of their noisy appliances are turned off.
Also,alot of businesses,subway trains,etc. shut down too.
You DO have to contend with the occasional noisy street-lamp though.
Alot of the traffic lights around here are an RF-noise nightmare!



I agree that music will sound different with a quieter background. I think
you hear more subtleties with a quieter background, and also more defects
(if there are any!).

Quite so.

d- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I use CDs at night before I go to sleep to get a good night's sleep. I
find I sleep better when I go to sleep to music. My current favourite
for best soporific is Richter's "Authorised" double recording of
Schubert sonatas on Philips - the G major.
I love music at night! But about 3 minutes of it and I'm asleep!