2. headphones
  3. 168196-159850

So how much do you think the placebo effect impacts our listening preferences?

My hypothesis is that for ~%97 of us, the more a headphone costs the more we will enjoy the headphone.

My secondary hypothesis is that the more I told consumers a headset cost, the more they would enjoy the phones. i.e. a $30 headphone < $300 headphone < $3,000 headphones <<< $30,000 headphones.

I’m willing to bet that if I put the kph 30i drivers in the focal utopia’s chassis and told participants in this fake study that the phones cost $4k.... Everyone except for the 3%ers would never guess something was up. The remaining 97% would have no clue and report that it was the best set they ever heard.

Then if I gave them the kph30i and explained it was $30. 97% of people would crap on them after hearing the same driver in a different chassis.

My ultimate hypothesis is that build quality and price are the two most important factors in determining if people will enjoy a set of headphones. This how I rationalize the HD8XX getting crap on when only 3 people have heard it and publicly provided their opinion lol. "It’s a cheaper 800s, of course it’s going to sound worse!"

mikedangelo

Showing 4 responses by jjss49

jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
true story:

when i got my new-to-me well tempered labs turntable a few years ago, i pinged mike pranka at toffco (wtl usa importer) to send me a fresh platter mat as the old one got damping fluid spilt on it during shipment

mike said yes, he found one in his possession -- i then said, cool mike, so how much should i pay you

being the total prince he is, he said, nah, this is an extra i have here, you got it man, no charge, gimme your address again

i said, hey mike you are great, but you gotta let me pay you a couple hundred for it, cuz it’ll sound alot better to me when i use it!!!

he says, well, hell if we are going down that road, send me a grand!!! 😂😂😂😂😂
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
@soix 

we have a new polluter here... don't waste your breath... as we know, this place sorts itself out after before long... juvenile folks like this with very little to contribute won't be around for long

let's just enjoy the music and ignore the noise
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
Have you ever worked in studios, with audio professionals, or even spoken to industry leaders?


for those who don’t know, @soix has been in and around the high end hifi industry for many many years, in fact wrote professional equipment reviews, has terrific ears, thus has broad and deep experience and knowledge in this field, and actively shares it with other users seeking guidance on this board

just sayin...

@soix doesn't call out others' statements often, nor whimsically, and when he does, most readers here take notice
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
In my view, emotions are to blame for much - maybe most, maybe all - consumer decision making in ways that are largely subconscious.

The placebo effect is emotion driven.

It is inevitable that decisions get made about the purchase of any and maybe all products that are driven by factors intrinsic to psychological projection of personal needs and desires as opposed to any objective assessment of the characteristics of the product itself. The task of the consumer is to keep that process to a minimum, the task of the advertiser is to inflate the process, and the placebo effect is one of his or her tools.


well said, and spot on imo
More to discover