For me- placidus, placidus, placidus. Every. single. time. It’s just the best. People aren’t so simple that every house lines up perfectly all the time and everything is so balanced, people are messy and placidus shows this- amongst other things.

I dont mind equal house though, it’s quite good. As long as it’s not Whole Signs- I can’t stand Whole Signs      It seems to be becoming a trend nowadays though.

Ultimately though I think a person should just go with whatever feels right to them. If they relate to their equal house placements more than they relate to their placidus house placements than they should use equal houses- because it feels right to them. Personal experience overrides anything else. 

I would like this one to be properly solved, perhaps with some sort of test!

I believe the Edgar Cayce readings preferred Placidus and that has always been an authority to me!

I have an intercepted Virgo in the sixth house and sixth house for me is DEFINITELY something where a Leo like intensity of things being focused on my personality has become a thing.

One interesting case study is William Blake who has 8th house Saturn in placidus and 7th in equal. To me, a real 7th house Saturn is someone like David Wilcock that talks a bit about boundaries, and drug taking etc. An 8th house disciplines that invisible realm for people.

William Blakes writings are all about the latter.

A lot of experienced astrologers though do like equal houses. On this forum in a thread originally started by M300 but now put on my username, people were putting their charts up almost every one is equal. I can't actually stand equal. I will post in equal as well as placidus if I was posting my chart and someone asked but, I would not read for someone in equal because I would believe myself to be lying. Although I am open to evidence on this. Evidence aside from 'but the poles'.

Equal.
Extensive testing - years and years of Koch, Placidus, Equal, side by side. Like 8 years or so, lol. I investigate!

I started out using Placidus. Placidus is accurate, but I feel that Equal houses adds a dimension that is more accurate and performs better. It wasn't until I switched from Placidus to Equal that I had an realized how lacking Placidus was. You could be missing a whole facet of a person that is a large part of who they are.

My chart made a lot more sense too, even though only one planet changed houses.

If I read someone's chart using Placidus vs. Equal houses, Placidus is okay, but Equal is better.