I respect your opinion regarding the Placebo effect, but I dont think so. I dont want to start an argument however for the record, (in my opinion), in blind tests that I ran with several other audiophiles, a difference could be heard using some exotic or more expensive outlets other than hospital grade. To take it a step farther, as long as the outlets were not gold, having them cryogenically treated enhanced the outlets even more after initial break-in.