No, having done quite a bit of research in the field of psychology I can tell you that the majority of research is not double blind, at least in my field. I am kind of amused when some of the guys take it as the only method of experimentation. Placebo effect is very real. But it does not explain how for example when you expect that budget cd player to sound worse than your higher priced model, it actually sounds better. Placebo is about expectation and double blind test are designed to eliminate the power of suggestion or expectation. Of course when you have statistically valid results that have been obtained throught double blind test they can be more reliable indications of what the data is actually "saying." ButI am reminded of when I was an undergrad and took part in some studies for extra credit. The experiment was simple. I was given a set of about 20 small weights and then asked to pick them up and judge whether or not the one I was currently holding was heavier or lighter than the previous one. At first it was easy, but after 15 minutes of this I became so fatigued that I could not tell or did not care which was heavier or lighter. I think that properly designed test are very useful. The problem is it does not seem to me that many of the test I have seen were performed by people who have done enough experimentation to administer such measures of human perception. The audio industry does not seem motivated and those people with the knowledge seem to have more pressing things to test than amplifers or interconnects. So even though I understand the scientific method, I trust my own ears.
