Differences Between North American & European Reviews

[Woochifer]

The fundamental difference between the British and American magazines is that the British magazines will typically rate anywhere from 80 to almost 200 products in each issue, where U.S. magazines rarely review more than 20 products per issue. British magazines are also a lot more open to mixing mass market products with higher end products, and throwing home theater and two-channel product reviews into the same issue.

The U.S. magazines typically have a preconceived audience in mind -- Stereophile and TAS review audio-only, and leave the home theater reviews to separate sister publications that might use the same reviewers. And Sound & Vision is the magazine that rates mass market products, while Stereophile is less apt to including mass market products.

In addition, the U.S. magazine reviews are typically lengthier, where the reviewer will spend a long time with a product at home before publishing the review. British magazines typically cull together a review panel and they will do a comparison review of several products at the same time. Hi-Fi Choice I believe conducts these listening tests under blind conditions.

Differences in editorial policy will also vary depending on the magazine. I've noticed that What Hi-Fi? and Hi-Fi Choice tend to have very different opinions frequently.

[Ajani]

The fundamental difference between the British and American magazines is that the British magazines will typically rate anywhere from 80 to almost 200 products in each issue, where U.S. magazines rarely review more than 20 products per issue. British magazines are also a lot more open to mixing mass market products with higher end products, and throwing home theater and two-channel product reviews into the same issue.

The U.S. magazines typically have a preconceived audience in mind -- Stereophile and TAS review audio-only, and leave the home theater reviews to separate sister publications that might use the same reviewers. And Sound & Vision is the magazine that rates mass market products, while Stereophile is less apt to including mass market products.

In addition, the U.S. magazine reviews are typically lengthier, where the reviewer will spend a long time with a product at home before publishing the review. British magazines typically cull together a review panel and they will do a comparison review of several products at the same time. Hi-Fi Choice I believe conducts these listening tests under blind conditions.

Differences in editorial policy will also vary depending on the magazine. I've noticed that What Hi-Fi? and Hi-Fi Choice tend to have very different opinions frequently.

To add to your points:

British Mags tend to give scores i.e. 5 stars, 91% etc... while American mags just give long narratives....

[Feanor]

...

In addition, the U.S. magazine reviews are typically lengthier, where the reviewer will spend a long time with a product at home before publishing the review. British magazines typically cull together a review panel and they will do a comparison review of several products at the same time. Hi-Fi Choice I believe conducts these listening tests under blind conditions.

...

The panel/consensus approach of the Brit mags is commendable although the time with a given component must necessarily be very short. 'Phile and TAS articles themselves are long on account of being heavily padded with personal reminiscences and anecdotes on the one hand, and impressions of the sound particular recordings that are difficult to relate to unless you own the actual album. I would appreciate more succinct and to-the-point articles. Personally, if I wanted a literary experience I would look elsewhere than audiophile magazines.