Placebo- Mind over Sample Rate?

[Paul R]

I heard the following story on NPR this morning, and of course, the immediate parallels with Audio hit me. Check it out and post how you think it may apply (or not apply) to audio and audiophiles. The point of the story was that there were real physical changes evidenced in test subjects when, but theory, there should not have been. Amazing stuff... though not new to most of us.

 

Maybe though, just maybe, *both* sides of the great Audiophile debate are - correct.

 

Wouldn't that just be cool?

 

-Paul

 

 

Mind Over Milkshake: How Your Thoughts Fool Your Stomach : Shots - Health News : NPR

 

"Our beliefs matter in virtually every domain, in everything we do," Crum says. "How much is a mystery, but I don't think we've given enough credit to the role of our beliefs in determining our physiology, our reality. We have this very simple metabolic science: calories in, calories out."

People don't want to think that our beliefs have influence, too, she says. "But they do!"

[wgscott]

It applies to all sorts of things NPR (what is it again, National Pentagon Radio?) reports.

 

BTW, the placebo effect in medicine is quite real, and measurable.

 

On the other hand, we also have this: Elsevier

[Priaptor]

"Outcomes" are also a function of what variables you choose to measure and what to do with the findings.

 

Let's say audio, you do a randomized double blinded study and found no difference between the 10k system v. The 50 k system BUT did a retrospective study of the same group and found those who spent 50k were happier with their systems and received more enjoyment than those who spent 10k.

 

What conclusions do you draw from that?

 

Let's say with cardiac stenting, there is no difference in mortality between the stented group v those treated medically BUT those stented had a better quality of life.

 

What conclusions do you draw from that?

[Harpy]

Collusions I would draw would be the ascetics and craftsmanship of a 10k vs 50k system would influence your perception. If the speakers of the 50k system looked like a Tesla Coil or some sort of sea shell and they sound the same as 10k systems box speakers, then I would perceive better music coming from the more exotic speakers. The stinted people have a doctors craftsmanship in them and perceive a better outcome over those who don't.

[Paul R]

Collusions I would draw would be the ascetics and craftsmanship of a 10k vs 50k system would influence your perception. If the speakers of the 50k system looked like a Tesla Coil or some sort of sea shell and they sound the same as 10k systems box speakers, then I would perceive better music coming from the more exotic speakers. The stinted people have a doctors craftsmanship in them and perceive a better outcome over those who don't.

 

Ah, but the key point here is that in the article, what people believed caused actual, measurable, and consistent physical changes in their bodies. This is the medical placebo effect in a repeatable and easily demonstrated environment. The physical changes are, without question, real.

 

Does what people hear cause a physical change that makes what they hear real in the same way? In the case of the comparable systems, I think that is a different issue, at least in some major respects.

 

-Paul

[Harpy]

Paul, I listened to the same article on the radio. I was thinking along the the same lines. Medically it is very real. My budget does not allow me to get anything too exotic, but I was thinking if I replaced the ugly brown caps with more expensive pretty red ones if I could achieve some sort of effect. I was also thinking I could recloth my speakers to a all the Great Dane mucus off them if they might sound better. For the most part they would be ascetic changes, but if I heard better sound it would still be a valid upgrade, so I am not disagreeing.