There's mental phenomenon that occurs in subjective matters where when you think something is better, the more you enjoy it. This has been proven with wine. The more expensive a tester believes a wine to be, the better they will rate it. It's also most likely why the Steinway pianos don't sound any better in the lab, but do in the concert hall.

Comments like this that have absolutely no scientific basis immediately remined me of that. I'd be that the OP believes he sees a difference, but could prove it in a blind test.