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

Nobody should say headphones are better or worse than speakers

Average non modified headphones right out of the box and average audio systems uncontrolled and right out of the box are generally a TASTE matter...

But mechanical, electrical and acoustical controls of a speakers system are not a matter of taste....This is the ONLY way to give to your audio speakers/room system superiority over most headphones if not all...I dont have soix experience about that... But based on my experiments this was the case...

For sure when someone mix it is useful to listen to sound under a microscope sometimes headphones or monitor studio box...

I am not an engineer who work , i am in my audio room amd i want music not perfect sounds...

Have you tried listening to your speakers without the bricks on top? Does it reduce the sound quality?

For sure the concrete slabs are not sold with the speakers.... 😊

The slabs and bricks are there to damp the speakers but not only that to compress the springs i use to controls vibrations/resonance problem... The 2 sets of 4 springs boxes under and on top of each speaker are asymmetrically compressed...One set by the load of concrete and speaker weight and the other set on top of the speaker by the weight of the concrete slabs only... the difference in compressing force between the 2 sets of 4 boxes springs  work well to decrease resonant  too powerful mode in the speaker...

It is my own idea about how to use cheap springs to achieve the near same results than costly designed springs...Cost: peanuts... Results: amazingly good....

Thanks for your kind appreciation and posts....

My best to you from the heart.....

I can't believe you guys are arguing if speakers are better than headphones. They are DIFFERENT and do different things.

I don't know anyone who prefers headphones unless they either have no decent stereo or can't play music out loud because it annoys someone.

A very strange twist from a discussion about the placebo effect.

@sokogear

We're not arguing about headphones or speakers. I enjoy sharing my impressions with others and learning new things as well. So many awesome posts here!

@mahgister 

Thank you for explaining the reasoning behind the concrete slabs. While I have not seen this type of application before, I must say it's a unique way to achieve better performance. Perhaps your application is superior to a common speaker stand. (and also much more cost effective). 

High internal loss characteristics may also be improved by added weight (on or below the speaker). Resonance and vibration control could also be positively impacted. I can see how this would help with performance.

Likewise, thank you for your posts. All the best with your system and any upgrades you make in the future...Your posts are appreciated.

@sokogear 

You said, ...


"I can't believe you guys are arguing if speakers are better than headphones. They are DIFFERENT and do different things.

I don't know anyone who prefers headphones unless they either have no decent stereo or can't play music out loud because it annoys someone."

Didn't you just contradict yourself there? 

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. 

Happy listening. 

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