What is a reviewer?

[Kingrex]

Reviewers should absolutely able to set up a system. And they should have equipment commencerate with the room and power. I have no problem with a reviewer using a NAD integrated in a living room situation. The reviewer should be able to pull the speakers out and get the most from the room. But VAC ref equipment or of similar should be in a room designed to reproduce audio at a high level. And I expect the manufacturer to assist in initial setup. But the reviewer should have skills to fine tune on his own to be taken seriously.

 

[Kingrex]

In 2016 John Atkinson told me Stereophile had more print subscribers than all the other English language publications combined. At the time just under 80,000 subscribers. John has told me they reach over 1 million views online. The Absolute Sound currently claims 38,000 print subscribers on their website. They may reach half a million views online, but I haven’t checked recently.

Don’t particularly care about YouTubers including Andrew Robins.

As for Steve Guttenberg, he was on a seminar panel and talked about a curated list of the best versions Rolling Stones of their recordings. I challenged him because I tend to like versions with Keith Richard on lead vocals whether they are the best sounding or not.

Then he talked about silk dome tweeters, and I criticized him for his opinion. The next time I saw him at a show he said he just wanted people to look at alternatives. We both laughed and moved on.

At another show he was on a panel “The Young Guns of High- End Audio.” He was on the panel as joke since he is old.

He knows he is entertainment and seems fine with it.

And you did make a real point but so did I about reviewers needing actual knowledge about how to test.

Views and subscribers are very different. They drive revenue in different ways. How long the video is watched is critical. A view could be I turned it on, then off after 10 seconds. You know your really hot when you can break a video once, twice, even more, and the audience watches to the end.

 

[PYP]

this was posted in another thread but relevant here: https://cecritic.com/news/news/ftc-cracks-down-new-rules-for-audiophile-reviews

 

[tima]

this was posted in another thread but relevant here: ...

Better to refer to the post on WBF than duplicate its discussion here.

 

[Rt66indierock]

well; Steve Hart from Scottsdale, why are you being such a Troll? how long did you have that attack on David Robinson in your back pocket looking for a chance to throw it out there. then you used the pretense of Brad's Positive Feedback reference. that underhanded, hurtful, vile swipe at David, who is not here to defend himself, is pathetic. what might you gain from such a move? what exactly did David do to you? or is that just your way?

i wondered just what might possess anyone to be such an arse. so i looked at all your 159 posts here. what a pile of crap. it is your way. you are a Troll among trolls. Troll of the year maybe. true; the David-attack did not violate our TOS. but it did violate any level of decency.

please crawl back under your rock.

and have a nice night.

Mike, Elliot asked for opinions about reviewers. Qualifications were in the original post.

So, reviewers should meet the following criteria.

• They should have at least the same training in audio I received as a teenager.
• They should have training in how to test.
• They should never have written anything about MQA after RMAF 2017.
• Never sold audio equipment in a retail environment.

I don’t care whether you like my criteria or not.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, Elliot asked for opinions about reviewers. Qualifications were in the original post.

So, reviewers should meet the following criteria.

• They should have at least the same training in audio I received as a teenager.
• They should have training in how to test.
• They should never have written anything about MQA after RMAF 2017.
• Never sold audio equipment in a retail environment.

I don’t care whether you like my criteria or not.

i don't care about your silly criteria for reviewers. and my response to you did not take issue with your criteria. i respect your right to be irrelevant. not worthy of disputing. and just a distraction to the serious issue i had with your post.

my problem was that you got personal, underhanded and hurtful with comments about David Robinson. in my opinion, those have no place on a public forum.

 

[Kingrex]

this was posted in another thread but relevant here: https://cecritic.com/news/news/ftc-cracks-down-new-rules-for-audiophile-reviews

Cool site. Never saw it.

Last thing I want is more and more government overreach. I want 0, as in no government agency pretending they know better what I should be allowed to read. I am more disdainful of censorship than about any other over reach in society.

 

[PYP]

Cool site. Never saw it.

Last thing I want is more and more government overreach. I want 0, as in no government agency pretending they know better what I should be allowed to read. I am more disdainful of censorship than about any other over reach in society.

I think full disclosure would help the industry. That could be done voluntarily. And it would be up to the hobbyist to evaluate how important it is if a particular reviewer does not disclose long-term loans, discounts, etc. Or perhaps folks don't really care...

 

[Kingrex]

I think full disclosure would help the industry. That could be done voluntarily. And it would be up to the hobbyist to evaluate how important it is if a particular reviewer does not disclose long-term loans, discounts, etc. Or perhaps folks don't really care...

I hear what your saying. A recent thread about an attachment to a ground box was posted and the guy says it was a gift. I dont know that matters as I read it. I figure people don't post positive stuff about things they don't like. They go quiet.
We are assuming said person is not a dealer.

On the other hand. People trash talk stuff for all sorts of reasons.

There is no way to know what any persons motivations are. I tend to believe ownership is less a driver of motivation than other drivers. Such as: personal relationships, Ignorance, preconceived notions, peer influence, admirationn, envy and simply just liking it. Lots of powerful reasons outside owning it.

I see ownership as more a result of the other factors driving you to the place of having it in your possession. If a reviewer didn't care much for a cable, they wouldn't accept more of it and have a loom. They would keep reviewing till they found one they liked, then ask for more.

 

[JackD201]

lol is right.

What is your clientele’s usual response when you tell them sonic performance doesn’t matter to you?

Cute straw man. A little more ingenuity was expected from you. Man it is easy to get under your skin even when not trying to. Lighten up will ya.

When it comes to what performance DOES matter most to me, interest and not much more. It is usually asked by them to provide context for the set-up decisions we've made for our demonstrations with regards to the devices under test. Our clientele are more interested in the sonic performance traits that matter to THEM. Some need a bit of guidance but since the vast majority of our clients have years of music collecting and system experience behind them, advice is given when asked for. Feedback is taken when cooperating on the setup. Instruction comes in the form of subtleties that might be missed by those who do not dive into manuals on features that are uncommon in other products.

We provide choices for them to make not for us to shove things down their throats or spread some type of new religion.

Let me expound more clearly on the pissing contest thing. I am under no illusion I have the best system in the world. There will always be little things or not so little things I can improve on. Validation is great but ultimately, MY system is built for MY enjoyment. When I help somebody build a system they enjoy my pride comes from the enjoyment they derive from it. I've said this many times before. This status thing is bullshit. It has no value and brings no value. In fact, efforts chasing status runs counter to satisfaction. It may drive sales but it attracts the wrong customers. There's the reason we'll be on our second decade of operations next year. Happy repeat customers who have never been talked down to.

 

[Elliot G.]

Cute straw man. A little more ingenuity was expected from you. Man it is easy to get under your skin even when not trying to. Lighten up will ya.

When it comes to what performance DOES matter most to me, interest and not much more. It is usually asked by them to provide context for the set-up decisions we've made for our demonstrations with regards to the devices under test. Our clientele are more interested in the sonic performance traits that matter to THEM. Some need a bit of guidance but since the vast majority of our clients have years of music collecting and system experience behind them, advice is given when asked for. Feedback is taken when cooperating on the setup. Instruction comes in the form of subtleties that might be missed by those who do not dive into manuals on features that are uncommon in other products.

We provide choices for them to make not for us to shove things down their throats or spread some type of new religion.

Let me expound more clearly on the pissing contest thing. I am under no illusion I have the best system in the world. There will always be little things or not so little things I can improve on. Validation is great but ultimately, MY system is built for MY enjoyment. When I help somebody build a system they enjoy my pride comes from the enjoyment they derive from it. I've said this many times before. This status thing is bullshit. It has no value and brings no value. In fact, efforts chasing status runs counter to satisfaction. It may drive sales but it attracts the wrong customers. There's the reason we'll be on our second decade of operations next year. Happy repeat customers who have never been talked down to.

very well said and what the purpose of a good dealer is to guide a client to find what they are looking for. This search involves many factors and of course the end sound quality is among the top reasons but not the only one.

 

[JackD201]

........the end sound quality is among the top reasons but not the only one.

For sure! An interior designer friend told me that her greatest enemies are speakers and flatscreen TVs. Oh, that hurt!

 

[andromedaaudio]

For sure! An interior designer friend told me that her greatest enemies are speakers and flatscreen TVs. Oh, that hurt!

And what about cables ?

 

[Holmz]

For sure! An interior designer friend told me that her greatest enemies are speakers and flatscreen TVs. Oh, that hurt!

What about women/wives?

 

[andromedaaudio]

Id say an enthusiast is an enthusiast , maybe a reviewer should be more? IMO being an enthusiast isnt credentials. I love football but Im not a QB in the NFL. Liking to cook doesnt make you a chef. dont you think thats a very low bar?

Ok the other requirement is having 2 ears .

I listen to authorities as less as i can certainly in a hobby , so i skipped listening to reviewers 14 years ago .

If i wanna buy new stuff i listen to it as much as i can , i dont need reviewers / misinformation.

Much better to listen to gear with an open mind not influenced by others.

 

[Elliot G.]

Ok the other requirement is having 2 ears .

I listen to authorities as less as i can certainly in a hobby , so i skipped listening to reviewers 14 years ago .

If i wanna buy new stuff i listen to it as much as i can , i dont need reviewers / misinformation.

Much better to listen to stuff with an open mind not influenced by others.

I agree ! I was taught a certain way to listen, This has been said many times and I follow that. When I see reviews that are all over the spectrum I find it hard to relate to any of them. Listening is a skill not a birthright. It can be learned, practiced and improved. I believe almost anyone can do it and learn how too. The acceptance of others opinions ( lets face the facts that is what a review is as today structured) is only a shortcut at best and a permission slip at worse.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Take for example VIOLA labs , phenomenal amplifiers in my view .

But not popular at all to most other listeners , it works both ways.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

For sure! An interior designer friend told me that her greatest enemies are speakers and flatscreen TVs. Oh, that hurt!

Our interior designer likes my speakers!

 

[JackD201]

Our interior designer likes my speakers!

Shoot me her number. I may have work for her. LOL

 

[JackD201]

And what about cables ?

It's the wives that abhor those!