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

People who really care about sound — whatever that % is — won’t fall for the placebo effect because they use their ears to judge sound, not their eyes. As for the rest, it’s the same as everything else — a fool and his money...

I’ve got around 7/8 pairs of well respected headphones but the ones I use the most are the Sennheiser PX100s (indoors) and the ultra budget JVC Flats (outdoors). They not only sound virtually as good as their far more costly counterparts but are considerably more comfortable too. If I want the best sound quality/comfort ratio I’ll use my Porta Pros.

Ha! “Well respected” by who? Creative Aurvana? PSB? Really??? My man, you need to get out more. The PX100s and Porta Pros are mere toys compared to what’s out there these days, and if you don’t know that then you haven’t heard a truly good pair of headphones (or maybe you just use a crap source of music). Then again, if comfort/weight overrule sound quality I can see why you’re happy — whatever blows your skirt as they say. But don’t come on here and say that your little comfy plastic toys sound “virtually as good” as far more costly headphones because that’s just ignorant silly talk that belongs on Reddit, not here.

Headphones and speakers are just different. In terms of raw performance (value for the money) headphones are going to outclass speakers.

Where speakers win is with visceral bass that we can feel within a room.

What site do you think you’re on? This is not a Reddit or head-fi thread. Do you even know how ridiculous this sounds? Have you even heard a well-constructed, high-end audio system, or have you just listened to headphones your whole life? — because that’s sure what this sounds like.

Really good headphones at their best sound sound like a good audio system in a really, really small room. And no headphones can come close to everything a high-end audio system can provide. Case in point — I can assess 100% of the quality of a recording on a good home system whereas I’m limited to about 80% with headphones. Soundstage size, depth and dimension, spatial cues, image placement, etc. are all laid bare in a good home system yet merely hinted at relatively with headphones. So if you think the only place speakers win is with bass you have no idea of what you’re talking about or missing.

Oh man, Reddit needs you. They love inexperienced, ignorant, overconfident people over there. And since professors don’t answer to principals, I’ll just stay right here thanks. I’ve seen your other posts, and if you continue shamelessly flaunting your ignorance here, believe me I won’t be the only one calling you out. Reddit is your friend — it’s a much better fit for you.

I never said headphones equal the performance of loudspeakers directly.

Ha. Impressive retort. Nice lame attempt a a dodge, and that’s true. Indirectly. You implied headphones were better, except for the bass.

If anything, you are bringing confusion to an otherwise intellectually honest discussion.

No, I’m actually bringing some clarity for  people who might not know better.  And there’s nothing intellectually (or sonically) honest to what you stated. 

If anyone is directed to the wrong information, that is not your responsibility.

Well, neither is it yours to overconfidently state misleading things about something you clearly know little about. Maybe we’re even then, eh? Here endeth the lesson.

Ok Sparky, I’ll bite...

So you’re saying that no single headphone in the world can sound like a speaker? For example, have superb imaging and soundstaging capabilities?

Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. Headphones have imaging and soundstage within their considerable limits but in no way compare to the large 3D soundscape that can be created by a home system. Period.

Have you heard headphones that cost more than $20? Are you limited to your local Walmart for audio needs?

Again, yeah. Top level Audeze, Hifiman, Stax, etc. Best I’ve heard by a good margin were the Raal SR1a, but even those I wouldn’t put at more than 30% of what a good home system can do. It’s a scale thing.

Have you actually worked with professional studio monitors that cost as much as your house?

Well, I used to sell ATC speakers and thought pretty highly of active 150s, but even the 50s were pretty damn impressive. I do have experience hearing top models from Wilson, Magico, Rockport, YG, Nola, VonSchweikert, Martin Logan, and many others. Most of these systems were well north of $300k, which would buy a decent house most places but not where I live outside NYC. Best I ever heard was Nola Grand Reference driven by top Audio Research electronics spinning vinyl on a hideously expensive turntable that I can’t recall. Headphones, even really good ones, can’t come close to reproducing the majesty and scale that (or most) good systems are capable of.

I don’t know...but the funny thing is you are so deeply concerned about someone else’s viewpoints...you really need to get a life.

Truth is I couldn’t give a crap about your ridiculously uninformed opinion until you called out another highly experienced and respected member on this site. What I do care about is when someone comes here and spews out misleading garbage that someone who’s learning and doesn’t know better might actually believe. Those things I tend to call out because they’re foolish statements that do a disservice to others here. I suggest you take your head out of your ‘phones and spend some time listening to some good home systems so you don’t barf out anymore stupid crap like “Where speakers win is with visceral bass that we can feel within a room.” Clueless. Absolutely clueless.

Well from now on...I’m not going to respond to stupidity.

No, but unfortunately for those of us here you seem intent on propagating it.

Seems like the site admins are favoring you

Hmm. I wonder why that might be? Something to ponder fer sure.

It would have been fine to simply disagree and present your own findings.

Um, that’s exactly what I did. And note my post wasn’t removed because it’s based on experience, fact, and logic. You just didn’t like that I called you out on one of your outlandish assertions.

You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink it. People will do what they want. You can’t stop them - even if/when you provide the most logical solutions.

No, but I can provide information that hopefully helps a horse recognize and not drink toxic water. I feel good about that even if some horses decide to drink it anyway. Case in point @troidelover1499 above — score one for logic and experience.

Listen to honest folks like maghister; you may learn something new.

Yeah, he pretty much agrees with me and is trying his best to do it politely. Pity you don’t recognize that but not at all surprising. That toxic water does funny things to the brain.  But even he has his limits and finally felt the need to hit you over the head directly to figure it out...

My own limited experience and experiments confirmed that generally speakers/room rightfully controlled exceed any headphones...

Are we done here?

Anyone who does not believe in the placebo effect is fooling himself.

Ha! Priceless. Didn’t know Steven Wright was a member here.

Seriously though, the placebo effect is exactly why equipment reviews done without a comparison to another similar product are next to useless — yeah I’m looking squarely at you The Absolute Sound. Of course the placebo effect could still be at play even in doing product comparisons, but IMHO they go a long way toward at least mitigating it and the only reason for not doing them is pure laziness and/or a desire to crank out as many reviews as quickly as possible with little-to-no accountability for the accuracy of any assessments made therein. Really grinds my gears.