Glowing reviews

[02audionoob]

Is it me or are almost all published reviews positive and even glowing? Where's the review that says Preamp model XYZ is noisy and cheap and a total rip-off?

[Florian]

Welcome to the reason why i stopped reading and listening to other people :yikes:

[Auricauricle]

Here's a guess: I think we have reached the threshold of sonic and technological expertise that makes it increasingly difficult to discern what sounds really good and what is considered well made. With chips being in the fore, it seems that decisions that vexed engineers of the past are either no longer relevant or unnecessary headaches. In other forums, we have discussed and read of the decline of interest in state of the art craftsmanship and critical listening. In sum, I would reckon reviewers and their consumers are going to have to ratchet things up quite a few notches if they are going to say anything meaningful.

[blackraven]

If professional reviewers really said what they think of a piece of equipment they would lose advertisers and nobody would send them any equipment to review.

Still, if your careful reading reviews, you can read between the lines some times and get a sense that the reviewer really doesnt like what they are reviewing

[Auricauricle]

Maybe that was the case years ago when the contraints of electronics were being tested. The fact that it was only a few years between the "Tube" Electronic and, finally Digital eras makes me wonder if we have reached a creative peak of sorts. Personally, I find what I listen to most satisfactory; the vocals I hear today are very clear and "present"; instrumentation is articulate; and it is all viscerally and intellectually involving--what more could I want? While I can well imagine something better, for I have certainly had plenty of opportunities to do so, at this point I could not be happier.

But, that's very biased of me, and probably feeds right into what you're talking about, guys....

Em...Yeah, it's what Flo' said.....

[pixelthis]

One reason that I got started on this site was the owner reviews
of equipment, which have dried up a bit of late, but they did save me from buying a HK receiver.
When they started making stuff in China I read a lot of bad reviews.
A review of a NAD DVD player was scathing, the reviewer said that
he needed three copies before he could find one that would work.
I have read a ton of bad reviews over the years, maybe you have a selective filter or something:1:

[atomicAdam]

Reviews on AR range greatly in content, and unfortunately reviews who don't like something tend to just write " it sucks " or " POS " or something small like that. Normally this will get kicked out of the system.

it is funny how people can write way too much about the simplest thing that they love, yet only have time for two or 3 words for something they hate.

too many glowing reviews does bring down the quality of the reviews in all.

[E-Stat]

Is it me or are almost all published reviews positive and even glowing? Where's the review that says Preamp model XYZ is noisy and cheap and a total rip-off?
I know three reviewers who tell me two things: they do not review all the gear they hear and writing bad reviews is no fun. HP has written some scathing reviews, but prefers spending his extended listening time to the good components, not the bad. Too much to do in too little time.

rw

[basite]

there are only a few reviewers & persons that I 'trust', when it comes to audio products. Yet, even than, I always listen to it before making up my mind.


alot of audio magazines get payed to write 'glowing' reviews, so I hardly ever trust magazines.

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[E-Stat]

Yet, even than, I always listen to it before making up my mind.
The objective has always been to simply narrow down the choices - not make the decision for you. My priorities are different from my mentors and so are my choices.


alot of audio magazines get payed to write 'glowing' reviews
I only respect the views of journalists, not marketing folks.

rw

[Ajani]

I know three reviewers who tell me two things: they do not review all the gear they hear and writing bad reviews is no fun. HP has written some scathing reviews, but prefers spending his extended listening time to the good components, not the bad. Too much to do in too little time.

rw

I've seen a pretty similar explanation online from a Stereophile reviewer... Basically, he only reviews products he's interested in... usually products that impressed him at a trade show etc... so chances are high you'll see a good review (since he cherry-picked the products he wants to test)...

I don't think the major mags take bribes like many people think, they just choose to review specific gear... so the crapola that would get bashed, tends to be ignored and hence you don't see negative reviews...

[hifitommy]

dont publish reviews of substandard equipment. rather than undermine someones business, they will avoid those products until there are substantial reasons to write a review.

they try to bring good products to our attention. new companies have 'infant failures' due to durability or unsound design. after a while, they get the hang of it and thats when tas or stereophile will pick up the ball and run.

another factor is you learn to trust certain reviewers by experience and eventually know which reviewers to rely on.

in the early days, i would read a review in tas and the product was as reviewed, (bsr metrotec 5 band eq or the adc XLM cartridge) hence i learned to trust most of their reviews.