Why are audio reviews so consistently positive?

[cjfrbw]

Strange that F is complaining about flow and sustain when for years it seemed he was on board with the big SS amps and audiophile skeleton sound. However, he does provide enough info so that those who really like this kind of sound could tell that the Boulders would be for them. He gives enough info for the reader to buy into the reader's own tastes, even if F's present "state of taste" is currently different.

I think my 26 DHT tube/mercury vapor rectified driver on old VFETs sounds a lot better than the big Ypsilon amps I have heard at shows, which still have that tinge of SS dryness and grit, in spite of the tube rectified pentode inputs.

Getting a combo of speed, dynamics, detail WITH tonal fullness, flow and sustain is a daunting combination of traits for an amplifier.

 

[BruceD]

And then there is this--Ouch!

http://hometheaterreview.com/bsg-technologies-qol-signal-completion-stage/?page=2

BD

 

[MadFloyd]

And then there is this--Ouch!

http://hometheaterreview.com/bsg-technologies-qol-signal-completion-stage/?page=2

BD

That item was the biggest joke. I completely lost respect for Robert Harley after his glowing review of it.

 

[Bruce B]

That item was the biggest joke. I completely lost respect for Robert Harley after his glowing review of it.

I had one in here for a couple of weeks and tested it against my equipment that does the same thing. Can't believe the A'philes were enamored with this.

Stereo Field Processing

 

[audioguy]

I had one in here for a couple of weeks and tested it against my equipment that does the same thing. Can't believe the A'philes were enamored with this.

Stereo Field Processing

Because sometimes (maybe more than sometimes) we think different = better. I had that box (did NOT pay retail) and on some music it was quite fun. Fortunately for me, it generated hum that no matter what I did, would not go away -- so it went away - and I actually made $100 on the transaction.

 

[Lagonda]

I love the reading the well articulated,sometimes passionated post in this forum ! You guys are a nice collection of reviewers, retailers, audiophiles and filosoffers. Why do I read reviews ? For the absolute truth ? Not anymore. I have bought or listened to a lot of gear because of reviews in Absolute Sound or Stereophile. These days I read for inspiration, and all the great pictures. It rarely buy products till they are available used with some years off use and experience behind them. Forums like this are great if you read between the lines. Manufacturers/retailers will push their "groundbreaking" product and some of the wealthy first adopters will buy them and rave. A year later only the really god stuff will get positive mention. Reviewers are stuck somewhere between absolute fidelity and financial
necessity. Audio magazines are not here for the audiofhiles unless they make us buy product. Most products get reviewed after some level of advertising in these magazines, and really bad reviews are therefore rare.
If you have followed these magazines 10-15 year you have seen novice writers/ budding audiophiles become gurus with golden ears ! If they can't spin a good yarn they won't last. Something's always breaks or needs adjusting and in the end ( with the right cable) sounds good. I enjoy the writing and take it all with a grain of salt. The experienced writers manage to convey their negativity between the lines like Fremer did in the Boulder review or when he reviewed Mark Levinsons 53 power amp ( a product that has dropped enormously in used price ).
My advice, read reviews but also read between the lines.

Greetings from Denmark

 

[andromedaaudio]

I think that sums it up very nice.
I had flyer over for a listen yesterday , the importer of Tenor /Aries cerat in Belgium .
May be my speakers get a ""review"" and flyer will post something about them on this forum
Very knowledgeable guy , on music /gear / room acoustics.
I think he did like the speakers /tape/ Cat pre

People should always keep in mind /question the independency of a magazine /reviewer in a healthy manner off course .
I think reading this forum is good in getting into the real value of systems /components

PS But just like in anything , there are various standards , some magazines are merely advert magazines, and some give a very detailed in depth/ high quality review

 

[audioguy]

I love the reading the well articulated,sometimes passionated post in this forum ! You guys are a nice collection of reviewers, retailers, audiophiles and filosoffers. Why do I read reviews ? For the absolute truth ? Not anymore. I have bought or listened to a lot of gear because of reviews in Absolute Sound or Stereophile. These days I read for inspiration, and all the great pictures. It rarely buy products till they are available used with some years off use and experience behind them. Forums like this are great if you read between the lines. Manufacturers/retailers will push their "groundbreaking" product and some of the wealthy first adopters will buy them and rave. A year later only the really god stuff will get positive mention. Reviewers are stuck somewhere between absolute fidelity and financial
necessity. Audio magazines are not here for the audiofhiles unless they make us buy product. Most products get reviewed after some level of advertising in these magazines, and really bad reviews are therefore rare.
If you have followed these magazines 10-15 year you have seen novice writers/ budding audiophiles become gurus with golden ears ! If they can't spin a good yarn they won't last. Something's always breaks or needs adjusting and in the end ( with the right cable) sounds good. I enjoy the writing and take it all with a grain of salt. The experienced writers manage to convey their negativity between the lines like Fremer did in the Boulder review or when he reviewed Mark Levinsons 53 power amp ( a product that has dropped enormously in used price ).
My advice, read reviews but also read between the lines.

Greetings from Denmark

^^^^ What he said.

 

[asiufy]

Just a thought: if you all buy used gear, at some point, there won't be any gear for you to buy, as nobody is buying the new gear, and you'll all be buying demo gear from dealers/distributors who can't sell product, or you'll all be preying on the poor souls who fell on hard times and are selling their gear for cheap. Is this really the market you want for high-end audio?

This mentality has already led to some pretty nocive pricing from some brands/distributors, where aggressive discounting is factored in the price of the product. Again, this is not the kind of thing I'd like to see on the high-end...

 

[PeterA]

Just a thought: if you all buy used gear, at some point, there won't be any gear for you to buy, as nobody is buying the new gear, and you'll all be buying demo gear from dealers/distributors who can't sell product, or you'll all be preying on the poor souls who fell on hard times and are selling their gear for cheap. Is this really the market you want for high-end audio?

This mentality has already led to some pretty nocive pricing from some brands/distributors, where aggressive discounting is factored in the price of the product. Again, this is not the kind of thing I'd like to see on the high-end...

Sure, I see your point, but for many of us, the current prices of new gear discussed here is just too expensive to consider. For instance, I would love to consider the new Magico M3, but at $75K or $84K with Mpods, it's just too much. After some time in the hobby and after many upgrades, one may reach a point where the cost to upgrade to the next level is simply too much for him, and if his gear already satisfies him, he gets off the merry go round, forgets about gear, and listens to music.

I recently auditioned some gear in my system and came to the conclusion that the slight increase in performance did not justify the large jump in cost. I feel the same way about new car prices. Reviews are often stellar, but once the gear is heard in the system, one must ask if the new prices are justified based on the improved sonics.

 

[asiufy]

Sure, I see your point, but for many of us, the current prices of new gear discussed here is just too expensive to consider..

I get it, and I do agree that the pricing on some of these products are not helping the market as a whole. Again, for certain lines, the prices are artificially high, since the entire distribution chain work on heavy discounts, and thus must make the sticker price artificially high, so buyers can have that (also artificial) satisifaction of getting "a great deal".

But if a product is too expensive to consider right now, the worst thing you can do is root for somebody else to buy it now just so you can purchase at 30 cents on the dollar a few years from now. Because that'll just make the manufacturers keep their pricing in the stratosphere, so the same handful of folks can purchase it now (at a discount no less).

If something is too expensive to consider, look for things that aren't. There's plenty of good stuff out there, for all budgets. By not even considering a new product within your budget, folks are not really helping the industry at all, and just feeding that never ending cycle of price hikes.

Personally, I get a kick out of discovering gear that sounds great, and is priced fairly. The latest is the Aqua DAC, and I'll receive a unit pretty soon, for an audition with the SGM 2015 server. That combo has potential!


cheers,
alex

 

[asiufy]

I recently auditioned some gear in my system and came to the conclusion that the slight increase in performance did not justify the large jump in cost. I feel the same way about new car prices. Reviews are often stellar, but once the gear is heard in the system, one must ask if the new prices are justified based on the improved sonics.

That's fair too. Back when I lived in Brazil and was just another customer/audiophile, I had a fairly nice, treated room, and distributors were all over me to have their gear there, and I welcomed them to bring their stuff. That's how I ended up with Kubala cables and MSB DACs, because I heard them in my system, and figured I could upgrade for not much money (in the case of my cables, I actually made money, as I had Nordost Odin!). Other stuff didn't pass muster, so I kept what I had.

That's a perfect example as nobody would doubt the quality of Nordost Odin, if you go by all the reviews and user commentary, but, in that particular system, and for these particular ears, the Kubala was the better choice!

 

[microstrip]

(...) My advice, read reviews but also read between the lines.

Greetings from Denmark

Surely - btw, my glasses come from Denmark, they are of great help in these matters!

 

[Lagonda]

A lot of first buyers of very expensive audio are wealthy people with a lot of time on their hands and the desire to have bragging rights to the best and most expensive gear! The high price is often part of the attraction. I do not root for anyone having to sell their most precious audio pocessions because they have fallen on hard time, I am just willing to buy their old toys when they are tired of them. I'm sure this money goes back to the circle of new audio being bought at crazy prices because they can afford it. I can not, so I will take chances on used gear with no warranty sold by people I often don't know . In all fairness, i have been a first adapter and waited for months as my gear was being manufactured after paying 50K in deposits. I also had the questionable pleasure of being on of Cello's last customers leaving me with little warranty on a 70K home theater setup, buying from a dealer is not always a 100% sure thing.

 

[DaveC]

As a manufacturer I don't mind used sales. This allows people to try my products that can't afford them new, and often they will become direct customers in the future. Even if they do not become direct customers I still get the benefit of word-of-mouth which is worth a lot.

On pricing, the high end is being distorted by certain markets where discounts are culturally expected and high retail prices impress, combined with a lot of extremely wealthy and/or new wealth that doesn't mind paying extremely high prices. In this market lower prices are looked down on. This leaves manufacturers in an awkward position as they can't charge double the price in these markets vs US/Europe where customer expectations are significantly different and msrp has a relation to reality... I think this is why we are seeing extremely high MSRPs but dealers are getting the products at a wholesale price that allows the possibility of large discounts. If the mfg prices msrp too low their sales in some markets will slow or stop. OTOH, in other markets people will be offended by the unreasonable pricing. Globalization has it's challenges... I'd love to hear some solutions!

 

[Joe Whip]

I got off that merry go round years ago. Sure, except for the DAC, the equipment is old in the tooth but sounds superb. The room is the biggest issue and having had a new room built elsewhere in the house with upgraded electrical, I am one happy camper. I have heard the next level stuff and have not been bowled over, especially given the price. I have other things to spend on.

 

[PeterA]

I got off that merry go round years ago. Sure, except for the DAC, the equipment is old in the tooth but sounds superb. The room is the biggest issue and having had a new room built elsewhere in the house with upgraded electrical, I am one happy camper. I have heard the next level stuff and have not been bowled over, especially given the price. I have other things to spend on.

I'm with you Joe. My sentiments exactly.

 

[Joe Whip]

As a manufacturer I don't mind used sales. This allows people to try my products that can't afford them new, and often they will become direct customers in the future. Even if they do not become direct customers I still get the benefit of word-of-mouth which is worth a lot.

On pricing, the high end is being distorted by certain markets where discounts are culturally expected and high retail prices impress, combined with a lot of extremely wealthy and/or new wealth that doesn't mind paying extremely high prices. In this market lower prices are looked down on. This leaves manufacturers in an awkward position as they can't charge double the price in these markets vs US/Europe where customer expectations are significantly different and msrp has a relation to reality... I think this is why we are seeing extremely high MSRPs but dealers are getting the products at a wholesale price that allows the possibility of large discounts. If the mfg prices msrp too low their sales in some markets will slow or stop. OTOH, in other markets people will be offended by the unreasonable pricing. Globalization has it's challenges... I'd love to hear some solutions!

A manufacturer told me a few years ago that the distributors in one of those markets wouldn't even bring his item in for sale unless the price was tripled as no one would buy it at that price, which was in the low five figures for crying out loud. Needless to say, he raised the price and did very well. Crazy.

 

[Al M.]

On pricing, the high end is being distorted by certain markets where discounts are culturally expected and high retail prices impress, combined with a lot of extremely wealthy and/or new wealth that doesn't mind paying extremely high prices. In this market lower prices are looked down on. This leaves manufacturers in an awkward position as they can't charge double the price in these markets vs US/Europe where customer expectations are significantly different and msrp has a relation to reality... I think this is why we are seeing extremely high MSRPs but dealers are getting the products at a wholesale price that allows the possibility of large discounts. If the mfg prices msrp too low their sales in some markets will slow or stop. OTOH, in other markets people will be offended by the unreasonable pricing. Globalization has it's challenges... I'd love to hear some solutions!

Make 'different' products for different markets: put the same product into a bit fancier chassis for the 'crazy' market, name it differently, and sell it at 3 x the price for the 'normal' market. Claim the products are different by also tampering with the cosmetics of components and layout inside. Keep the markets strictly apart for new purchases. What happens to cross-contamination of second hand purchases is not your problem.

 

[DaveC]

A manufacturer told me a few years ago that the distributors in one of those markets wouldn't even bring his item in for sale unless the price was tripled as no one would buy it at that price, which was in the low five figures for crying out loud. Needless to say, he raised the price and did very well. Crazy.

I've heard similar stories a few times before, it is crazy.