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Very small variations from day to day, most probably coming from me. Quality of listening depends on my ease in concentrating on the music or not.

The objective variations I experience mainly come from the power line (presence of DC, presence of frequency components other than 50Hz or 60Hz). These variations are clearly audible, but are no dealbreaker. Yes, I prefer listening at night on weekends! Subjective variations of course come from the listener's individual state at the time.

It may be the atmosphere, the power line but I strongly believe that the audible sound quality differences are made posibble by the brain.

Yes, assuming "system" includes my current state (try listening after two glasses of wine, or after a heavy metal concert!), the street outside, the diswasher, the wind, the rain...I don't think the performance of the electronics and speakers changes much, if at all.

I can't put my finger on it yet, but I will.

The LP12 and McIntosh 75 tuner (and the Genki not far behind) always sound better after about 10pm. Pacific time.

I have to wonder how much is the system and how much is my perception of the system?

Sound from my system is very consistent. The only real variance is on the days I get to play it at high volume levels. And that just adds a lot of fun dynamics and impact to the sound.

There are some minor variations from day to day.

Probably a bit of both.

Not a lot but enough to notice and I can't relate it to the weather, the power, or my mood.

But not so much since I added the Nordost Thor power conditioner to the system.

Scientifically, there are no compelling reasons that the system's sound quality should change. The hi-fi system is the transfer medium and the listener is the subjective recipient. It is all in the mind.

It does seem to change with the humidty and temperature.

After 10pm, the sound comes alive. Source: Electrocompaniet 1UP; Power: 300b monoblocks; Speakers: 94db 8ohm flat speakers.

I slumped in despair at the apex of my Listening Triangle. Something wasn't right. "My system needs a subwoofer!" I cried to the heavens. "Mood swings, son, I say, mood swings," the Senator blustered as he staggered in the door. "Next you'll be wanting a Graphic Equalizer, to improve presence." "Senator?" I said, "Back from the latest bailout vote?" "Son, I say, son, your moods swing more than Lord Greystoke in the jungle." he said. Then he bellowed: "Ahheeeyah! Me Tarzan, you bi-polar!" "But, but," I stammered, "it's got no bottom octave! The thrill is gone." "Son, I say, son, you've been flim-flammed!" he shook his fist. "Why, I remember fighting on the beaches, toe-to-toe with the Hun! A drop of blood for every grain of sand! There's no crying in combat like some finochio: 'I've got no bottom octave! I've got no bottom octave!'" "Senator, you were 4-F", I point out. "2-A, son, I say, 2-A. Deferred in support of the national interest. Didn't have to be there, son, knew them that were. Mirror neurons, son, I say, mirror neurons." "What does World War II have to do with anything, Senator?" I wondered. "Son, when you look The Reaper in the eye, there's no time for petty moods." The Senator drove home his point. "Son, remember the time you were listening to Mozart's Serenade No. 10 for winds? Remember what you said?" I remembered: "It seemed to me that I was hearing the very voice of God." I whispered. "And that was on a boombox," he reminded me. "So next time you're rapid cycling like Vincent Van Gough, son, just remember: there is nothing you can see that is not a flower." I knew he was right. If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it? Knock on the sky and listen to the sound!

The room temperature varies very little, so I do not have a noticeable, if any variation.

It's much better when my parents are away and I crank the volume up, way up.