speaking of reviewers---nice spat between Valin and a guy here:
http://www.avguide.com/blog/first-l...ce-series-centaur-amp-virgo-linestage-perseus
http://www.avguide.com/blog/first-l...ce-series-centaur-amp-virgo-linestage-perseus
Who is your favorite audio reviewer/writer
- Thread starter MarinJim
- Start date
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Could not resist to more than five posts.
It is like football here - after the 90 minutes match there are endless debates in the TV about the referee decisions , the manager and owners press conferences and almost nothing about the game itself. And it lasts until next game!
i was thinking of making this a topic---but don't know if it fits.
how do folks think of guys who just review what they have bought? if a guy is only reviewing essentially his own system--is he just gaming the system to get accommodation pricing on what he likes? many of them don't compare to any reference or competitor at all and are one big advertisement
i'm not going to name names, but this happens a lot from what i'm seeing/reading.
nothing bugs me more than reviewers who don't compare products---if you are afraid of offending a manufacturer, you are in the wrong. offending someone leads to better designed products. this is why negative reviews should be much more the norm.
how do folks think of guys who just review what they have bought? if a guy is only reviewing essentially his own system--is he just gaming the system to get accommodation pricing on what he likes? many of them don't compare to any reference or competitor at all and are one big advertisement
i'm not going to name names, but this happens a lot from what i'm seeing/reading.
nothing bugs me more than reviewers who don't compare products---if you are afraid of offending a manufacturer, you are in the wrong. offending someone leads to better designed products. this is why negative reviews should be much more the norm.
Excuse me but how did a thread entitled "Who is your favorite reviewer/writer?" morph into a reviewer bashing thread?
Hi Keith,
Audio, professional reviewers, audio manufacturers, etc. are all part of this hobby of ours.
And over the years we learned to decipher the good from the bad,
the true value from the outrageously overpriced.
We usually talk about the good, on the Internet, and not the bad.
Because that's the way it is.
But I feel exactly what you're saying; because it is by comparing to other products that you go deeper into the topic of a that product. And some forums don't want people to do that because it is off topic with the product's thread! Do you know what I'm saying? It is sad but true.
Anyway, we are limited, so are the pro reviewers, to the confines of their own rules and also their experience with other products to compared to, of course.
And some reviewers, generally the veterans, are better than most others.
They've been at it for a half century or close.
It is up to the readers, us, to differentiate and decipher the reviews, the writings from the audio/video pro reviewers. The reviewers are paid people, that is their job to write about audio/video products, first and foremost.
But with the Internet, people, us, we are becoming more knowledgeable with much more access to any product's information by many more people. And because of that, we learn to evaluate better.
And if we mix our own experience into that product; then we understand even more that each person has his own personal opinion based on his toys (gear, speakers, room, etc.), and from his own understanding of personal life experience.
The reviewers we already mentioned are some of the very best. Because of their vast experience, and their dedication to their audio passion. Michael Fremer for example? :b
But Keith, you are right. In most general, negativity is not acceptable. And people don't usually like to go farther than the surface. Just check several forums of the Internet, in the UK for example.
I believe it has to do with control, rules, fashionable ordnance, and limitations on freedom of expression. Some' like that anyway.
Life is very short, and we should live it to the fullest, without reserves, and fear of offending,
I think. Give a voice to all, and not just one side...
We have friends at this forum that are reviewers, quite a few of them. Through this forum we know that they review because they are music lovers first reviewers third. Second being that they have separate careers from which they really make their livings. The system may be far from ideal but no one can seem to agree on what an ideal system would actually be. I became a distributor so I could get high on my own supply. Does that make me crooked or smart? I do know I have to invest personal time, money and effort, sell far more than I keep and I'm doing my part in keeping talented people working. I guess that rules out crooked. I don't go bashing competitors or take time and space to say or write anything negative to do this so why should a reviewer who's real responsibility is to report what is out there not make any decisions for us? Even if a reviewer did make direct comparisons like say rblnr always does. It will always just be his opinion formed within his own setting which is totally different from any of the readers. If there is one negative I do want to know about it would be reliability. That would require a long term loan or outright purchase.
Personally, I don't care if they borrow or buy at huge discounts. I still think someone with a reputation to protect is more credible than anonymous guys on the net who may just be posing as guys "lovin' their own". Now if a reviewer get's branded as a talking head for certain manufacturers or a client for a favorite distributor for that matter, and credibility goes down as a result. That isn't my problem. It's theirs.
Personally, I don't care if they borrow or buy at huge discounts. I still think someone with a reputation to protect is more credible than anonymous guys on the net who may just be posing as guys "lovin' their own". Now if a reviewer get's branded as a talking head for certain manufacturers or a client for a favorite distributor for that matter, and credibility goes down as a result. That isn't my problem. It's theirs.
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Reviewing is an impossible job. Too many permutations, variations, odd combos and dysphoric or euphoric anti-synergies or synergies.
A consumer must develop a philosophy of sound reproduction and then just stick with that philosophy for good samples and well matched combos. Some are happy with status objects and expensive furniture.
Some audiophiles and reviewers are into nervosa and the next trendy "movable feast" nirvana, more or less indistinguishable from the most recent.
Also, I have seen well known reviewers post comparisons of multiple units. I would posit that it is impossible to properly break in, listen critically, and compare in these circumstances, especially in the limited context of a temporary or changing rig. Nontheless, the reviews are presented as authoritative.
Reviewing is about supply and demand for the reviews as much as the products, consumers want a dream, a fantasy, a status object, a discovery, a fresh beginning, all of which there are chased by a lot of loose dollars, sometimes massive dollars.
Exploitive, manipulative, and superstitious seem to go with the territory. The cons come along with the appetites and wishful thinking.
A consumer must develop a philosophy of sound reproduction and then just stick with that philosophy for good samples and well matched combos. Some are happy with status objects and expensive furniture.
Some audiophiles and reviewers are into nervosa and the next trendy "movable feast" nirvana, more or less indistinguishable from the most recent.
Also, I have seen well known reviewers post comparisons of multiple units. I would posit that it is impossible to properly break in, listen critically, and compare in these circumstances, especially in the limited context of a temporary or changing rig. Nontheless, the reviews are presented as authoritative.
Reviewing is about supply and demand for the reviews as much as the products, consumers want a dream, a fantasy, a status object, a discovery, a fresh beginning, all of which there are chased by a lot of loose dollars, sometimes massive dollars.
Exploitive, manipulative, and superstitious seem to go with the territory. The cons come along with the appetites and wishful thinking.
Well put!
At the end, we are our own reviewers. From the products we purchase, and the reviewers themselves. Meaning we are the critics of the critics...
In holland and in my work (expertise ) not audio , we have a saying " meten is weten " .
Meaning " measuring is knowing"
And i think a good deal of good audio is measurable , thats why i like stereophile :b
Most of the other magazines are more like a pleasure to read and look at , and if you read between the lines you get an idea .
magazines exist on sales an advertisement and one should always keep that in mind
I also like martin collumns /ken kessler and michael fremer and the people of soundstage who like the convergent preamps
hj
Meaning " measuring is knowing"
And i think a good deal of good audio is measurable , thats why i like stereophile :b
Most of the other magazines are more like a pleasure to read and look at , and if you read between the lines you get an idea .
magazines exist on sales an advertisement and one should always keep that in mind
I also like martin collumns /ken kessler and michael fremer and the people of soundstage who like the convergent preamps
hj
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I think that guy has it in for Valin. That's not as I understand, the only site where he's been attacking JV. I think he goes by another name on Audio Asylum.
I can't disagree with anything you are saying. All I'm saying is that in journalism there's hard news and there are opinion columns. I think we can agree that reviews fall in the latter category. Just as in the broadsheets, we pick the columnists we respect and even then don't have to agree with their observations and conclusions. In my opinion, if they get us thinking they've done their job.
I don't know that I actually have a favorite, but I will say that Michael Fremer really loves music, and a wide variety of music at that. Once in awhile, I ask his opinion of a particular record or artist by e-mail, and I am always impressed by his enthusiasm for artists from Mel Torme to The Kills. He totally gets it, and his knowledge is diverse.
Some reviewers seem to be somewhat burned out with the hobby, but not Mike Femer, no way.
Any man who loves music can't be half-bad.
Some reviewers seem to be somewhat burned out with the hobby, but not Mike Femer, no way.
Any man who loves music can't be half-bad.
And Michael has a sharp sense of humor, plus he ain't shy of speaking his mind sometimes.
...To the point of offending the unfortunate few once in a while. I like him too, Mr. TT. :b
...To the point of offending the unfortunate few once in a while. I like him too, Mr. TT. :b
Me too, most of the time anyway. Still a lot of gear in our product roster that I can't afford even at distributor prices. They're indented then delivered. At least I get to play with them quite a bit though Other People's Money
Other People's Money My favorites without doubt are Martin G. DeWulf of Bound for Sound and Jerry Seigel of 10Audio and I happen to agree with most of their choices.
John Crabbe, long time contributor and editor of HFNRR, was.. as he passed away in 2008, real craft, real deal.
Wojciech Pacula from Highfidelity.pl and 6moons. Very technical and informative, like Crabbe really...
Sam Tellig from Stereophile. very amusing readings... not to forget his lovely Marina , every other line... Fun and real.
The thing is, no one really is my favourite, but I let myself be taken on a verbal journey from time to time, 'tis an auditory read, and sometimes it's like when I get to hear something I've read about, and it is like it was described...
Gratitude goes out, make no mistake!
I also have my favourite reviewers speaking/writing other languages, such as Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, French, German and Italian and Dutch and Japanese.
The names would most likely be unknown to most users on this forum, but they are most certainly informative, and fun to read, adding to the sum of all things.
Imperial
Wojciech Pacula from Highfidelity.pl and 6moons. Very technical and informative, like Crabbe really...
Sam Tellig from Stereophile. very amusing readings... not to forget his lovely Marina , every other line... Fun and real.
The thing is, no one really is my favourite, but I let myself be taken on a verbal journey from time to time, 'tis an auditory read, and sometimes it's like when I get to hear something I've read about, and it is like it was described...
Gratitude goes out, make no mistake!
I also have my favourite reviewers speaking/writing other languages, such as Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, French, German and Italian and Dutch and Japanese.
The names would most likely be unknown to most users on this forum, but they are most certainly informative, and fun to read, adding to the sum of all things.
Imperial
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