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How does relative humidity affect our music?


Winter is here in the Northern Hemisphere, so things are changing both outside and in.

Last week I posted a thread because I cleaned my current CD player for the first time using an old Milty CD Lens Cleaner that I found when I rearranged my CD rack. I thought, and still think, that perhaps one or more pieces of the brushes broke off and were still on the lens. The music wasn't a precise as it was before, and I was fearful that I'd damaged the laser with the cleaning.

Another thing that was noticeable was a very significant amount of excess bass. That didn't make any sense to me because I couldn't see how anything like a laser misreading would increase the bass like that.

Now I'm wondering if the excess bass might be a result of low relative humidity in my room. I checked it and it was 30%. I pulled the humidifier off of the shelf in the garage and set it up between the living room and dining room but couldn't even get the humidity up to 40%, so I went and bought a second one for the back part of the house. Now I have the relative humidity up between 40%-50% and the bass sounds fine.

My question is: was it the lack of humidity that caused this problem and if so, why? Did it affect the sound waves traveling through the air? Did it in someway dry out the absorption panels, making them more reflective instead of absorbing as they normally do? I also noticed that my sinuses were congested due to the change in the weather, so was it just my hearing?

Has anyone else noticed this, or have any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Chuck
krell_man

Showing 5 responses by bjesien

bjesien
1,236 posts
 
My wife and I built the most energy efficient home we could build in 2000. It is sealed and well insulated and need an air exchange system to remove moisture. We built with the intention of being as close to net zero as possible and worked with firms that had energy and health in mind. I prefer our home at 50-60 percent humidity.

Mold is a result of a leaky or less than well insulated envelope. If the building is tight and properly insulated, there will be no condensation in walls, around windows, etc. Mold loves air flow and condensation. Most states, and I am in MA, have contracted firms that conduct energy audits, paid for by a small tax in your gas or oil bill. These audits are free and cheap and will provide, at least in MA, something like $2000 per year in insulation and envelope tightening.

Krell_man, I like listening in the winter because I find all the windows to be closed and any street or wildlife noise to be gone. That's as far as I've gone and don't think I recognize a difference based on humidity. That said we stay between 50 and 60 percent year round.

I agree with both Lowrider57 and Mapman.
bjesien
1,236 posts
 
Improper ventilation is air flow.
bjesien
1,236 posts
 
I own a Venmar. I think it's a great unit.

http://www.venmar-usa.com/85-air-exchangers-duo-2-0-erv-new.html
bjesien
1,236 posts
 
To back up slightly I agree with Zenblaster that moisture without ventilation can cause mold. My point was that air leaks where condensation occurs is a major cause of mold. Also improper insulation so the dew point occurs in the building is a major cause.

Be well, and mold free.
bjesien
1,236 posts
 
How is the furnace vented? In other words intake and outtake, or is there just outtake? I find this subject interesting because sound passes through air and air changes, or the room changes with humidity in it. Humidity even changes structures, like that door that doesn't close as well in the summer but is perfect in the other seasons.
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