What is your Placebo?

[saint.panda]

To always have the digital volume on my laptop all the way up and to control the volume via the amp/dac's analog pottie. Not sure if it's placebo though. I've read somewhere that resolution goes down but I'm not sure.

I also swear my gear sounds better each time I (re)read a positive review about it.

The look of a piece of equipment seems to sometimes influence how I perceive the sound, e.g. an amp with dark matte anodized finish tends to sounds better with a "blacker background" than a silver hammond case amp.

I'm also not sure about those expensive aluminium feet under my cdp.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by virometal /img/forum/go_quote.gif When the listening room is clean, my system always sounds better. In fact, I thank audio for making me a better housekeeper. The same can be said for bills. My speakers/headphones sound more extended when the daily to do list is all taken care of.

I feel the same way about this and listening in the dark. I don't know that it's entirely placebo, though. An eased mind will allow deeper relaxation, so taking care of the mundanities of life, as well as having a more enjoyable space likely opens you up to the music more easliy.

As far as listening in the dark, I think your hearing is more focused since the other senses are inhibited. You could have the quietest room on earth and I swear I'd hear more in the dark than if it were lit. Not that the physical attributes in the room have changed (save for maybe a low level hum from the light), just that I'd be more focused on the sound.

Either way, I have no idea about the facts on this, so it probably is placebo, but my belief is that it's actually quite physiological.

 

[Mrvile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlendaleViper /img/forum/go_quote.gif I feel the same way about this and listening in the dark. I don't know that it's entirely placebo, though. An eased mind will allow deeper relaxation, so taking care of the mundanities of life, as well as having a more enjoyable space likely opens you up to the music more easliy. As far as listening in the dark, I think your hearing is more focused since the other senses are inhibited. You could have the quietest room on earth and I swear I'd hear more in the dark than if it were lit. Not that the physical attributes in the room have changed (save for maybe a low level hum from the light), just that I'd be more focused on the sound. Either way, I have no idea about the facts on this, so it probably is placebo, but my belief is that it's actually quite physiological.

Well your brain has to constantly process both hearing and seeing when you have your eyes open and it's light, thus you cannot "focus" on just what you hear itself. However, when you can only hear, the only sense your brain has to process is the hearing, and you are basically "forced" to focus on what you hear, so you process all the details and nuances of what you are hearing.

 

[goldenratiophi]

Head-Fi is improving my life.

 

[Duggeh]

I'm with GlendaleViper, the dark improves the hearing, not the reproduction. I also dont think its placebo.

 

[MdRex]

-Pretty cables (I dont mind spending a little more for sturdy cables, I think I hear a difference but never dared do an A/B) *flame suit up*

-Colour coordination (my main rig is mainly silver, it looks nicer and sounds prettier)

-LED colour (what are you saying??? of course BLUE LED sounds BEST!!!)

 

[DSlayerZX]

head-fi is helping me.....

=_= from someone usually still reading threads at 7AM, one hour before taking the examine that he has no idea what it is about

alright, to be seriously, I think music sounds better right after i woke up, kind of weird....

but anyway, if the room is less noisy, you WILL hear better, since your brain hear less noise.... I got a computer with 6 fans next to me, when I tape the grill close, music sounds more clear to me.

 

[Mrvile]

The higher my postcount is at Head-Fi, the better I can hear

 

[Scifiguy]

The higher the postcount the more knowledgable/cool the comment and person is.

 

[mrdeadfolx]

My placebo (as much as I hate to admit), is that more $$=better SQ

 

[J-Pak]

My golf shoes are helping me be a better golfer I swear! [size=xx-small]Borat: Not[/size]

 

[rhythmicmoose]

Impeccably tagged source files sound better. Album art helps too.

 

[rb67]

Listening to FLAC instead of V0 MP3...

 

[Jahn]

the later at night, the better the sound.

 

[smeggy]

Sadly I went through my placebo phase in the 80s and early 90s, now I don't have any placebos left