Gee, shouldn't they have the specs for the rooms they will be exhibiting in long prior to the show? Should more than give them a heads up on how to set the room up and tweak a little once they arrive? Some of the less than stellar sound I hear at these shows is due to more than room issues. I can go from room to room and hear really good sound in one and crap in the other. A good bit of the time, it is the room with the less expensive stuff that sounds the best, although not always.
Negative show report posts... enough is enough.
- Thread starter Peter Breuninger
- Start date
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
That's what speaker manufacturers do everyday. They go into someone's home and set up speakers/systems. You buy the higher end of a manufacturer's wares and you get the luxury of having a Rep right at your door.... most of the time as I found out!
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Or do what Wilson did at last year's RMAF and arrive 3-days early to scope out the room and take measurements!
I agree. Imaging is best in the sweet spot but in my experience tonal quality doesn't vary all that much out of the SS. A bright room sounds bright in and out of the SS for example. If I really like what I hear off axs, I move into the SS if I can.
I would like to agree, but when some rooms do sound fantastic then clearly the expectation level isn't too high. What gets me, though, is the number of exhibitors at these shows who reserve the same room every year and yet never seem to achieve good results.
And reviewers should be free to call out bad sound. Otherwise they are not reviewers, but rather public relation mouthpieces.
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Peter: Seems a bit draconian, no? (But see, *, below). I was going to shows back in the 70's, when they were still CES at McCormick Place, and have been to my share over the years. How anyone thinks that any meaningful evaluation can be done, positive or negative, in the context of a trade show is beyond me. I applaud the dealers and manufacturers who attend these shows- no doubt a lot of tire-kicking, carping, and snark to go around in the corridors and rooms, even without the Internet- and, probably by people who in all likelihood have no intention of buying such gear in the first place. (If you were going to thown down 20k or 100k or more on some of this stuff, I would expect you'd want more than a listen at a show before you whipped out the old Centurion card, or whatever the card du jour is these days).
Obviously, the trade does these shows because they have to; and there are no doubt audiophiles who enjoy them for what they are.
As to comments about what was heard at a show, I think there always must be, explicit or implicit, the caveat that it was under "show conditions." I suspect most people here, who have been around the block a few times, know this- that even a negative report from the front lines is not the last word. [*I'm guessing your concern is folks who do take such negative reports as a valid review].
For more seasoned non-industry people, I would think going to these shows is just a way to get together among those with a shared interest in the hobby/gear/whatever. But, for those in the trade, I don't envy you these shows.
Obviously, the trade does these shows because they have to; and there are no doubt audiophiles who enjoy them for what they are.
As to comments about what was heard at a show, I think there always must be, explicit or implicit, the caveat that it was under "show conditions." I suspect most people here, who have been around the block a few times, know this- that even a negative report from the front lines is not the last word. [*I'm guessing your concern is folks who do take such negative reports as a valid review].
For more seasoned non-industry people, I would think going to these shows is just a way to get together among those with a shared interest in the hobby/gear/whatever. But, for those in the trade, I don't envy you these shows.
Sadly, many reviewers these days seem to be just that. Fortunately, there still are some honest ones around whose writings you can actually learn something from.
Right on, Bill. We mention the positive rooms as data points to see if there is long term correlation. Some do sound very good and I recognize the work and effort this takes. Also, I am an expert with years of experience with top level audio equipment... I am not a once-in-awhile casual observer.
Yes, I agree with your * as well.
Yes, I agree with your * as well.
Well, I don't. But it is still a problem if you can't get the equipment to sound right in such a situation, and people should be able to criticize this.
Well, we non-expert customers cannot appreciate quality sound, of course, that's not what audiophiles are supposed to do. Audiophiles are only supposed to be the silly suckers whom the manufacturers can rob all their money from by selling them their mega-expensive equipment to, aided by a certain group of reviewers who play into their hand …
[Sarcasm switch off.]
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