What would make HiFi Reviews (more) useful?

[Ajani]

If a reviewer buys a product below retail, can he be a judge of its value for money?

I know that (as RGA mentioned) the best recommendation a reviewer can make is to buy the product he reviewed... But can someone who buys a product for 40% or 50% of MSRP, give a credible opinion on its value for money? There are many products that persons are willing to buy used on Audiogon, but that they don't think are worth retail price...

So if a reviewer bought a $10K Speaker for $4K is that really a recommendation that we should buy the speaker at $10K? I've heard the argument that the reviewer could purchase any $10K Speaker he reviews for that price, so the fact that he bought the particular model means it is his favorite $10K speaker... That I have no issue with... But the question I pose, is whether the reviewer would still buy that Speaker if he had to pay retail ($10K) or would he think that the difference between it and a Speaker retailing at $4K is not that great?

Assuming he can buy any product at 40% of list, then a $4K Speaker would cost him $1.6K and a $10K speaker would cost him $4K... The difference between them being $2.4K... If he had to pay list, then the difference between them would be a far more substantial $6K, so would he still think that $10K speaker was really worth the extra outlay over the $4K one? Would he still buy it?

[RGA]

I happened to read the Stereophile recommended list and it stated that Art felt it deserved class A++ or something and it went to class B. That was in 2009 so I am not sure what is going on there.

As for reviewer's discount - I can't speak for them all - I have not asked about any discounts. But in theory if we can get say 50% off then that would be typical across the board so all manufacturers are equal - so we would still choose our favorite product within our budget just like anyone else. In most cases I believe you could do better than a reviewer's price simply by buying it used. The McIntosh MA 7000 is $8800 new - I might be able to buy it for $4,000 maybe even $3000 with reviewer discount - my dealer sold a mint shape one used for $2000. This is a current model. So I don't consider discounts to be much of a plus - I have paid far more out of my own pocket being a reviewer.

As for value for money - this is always so difficult to answer. In my show report I try to do this by selecting my five favorite rooms with speakers under $10k (based on the speakers because generally less expensive speakers will have less expensive front ends) and then rooms with speakers over $10k.

I feel that most audiophiles who take this seriously will get to the point where they are spending in the $6-$10k price range for a set of loudspeakers. I managed the AN J going to university with no job and living on student loans - I chose not to own a car because audio was more important to me. So it can be done. I also bought the OTO during that time.

One thing that you raise is the reviewer's system has a great deal to do with "perceived" credibility. If you are a manufacturer selling $80,000 amplifiers who would you rather send your amplifier to. Richard Austen who owns a $4k amp and $5k speakers or Fred Crowder who owns $192,000 speakers and $95,000 amplifiers? Both of us may be just as good at auditioning gear and evaluating strength and weakness etc. And I may have auditioned the same ultra expensive amps - but if you are selling $80k amps you will send it to Fred.

I am on the one hand jealous that he gets to play with the expensive stuff - but if I did I might be heartbroken to have to say goodbye to it. Besides - I figure 80% of the readers are in my general budget zone so by reviewing the affordable stuff I might get read more. So there are always advantages - besides $80k amps ought to be darn good - It's more fun to find those $5k speakers that are truly wonderful.

I can't speak for others but I try to look at the price performance ratio of everything I review. The show report is a little different - I comment on the sound regardless of price. The Perfect8 Technologies speakers are $375,000 and they sounded very very good. There is no way on earth that what I personally heard justifies the $375,000 price tag. But this is a sculpted piece of art that are catering to a certain clientele and the technology is there the look is there and the sound is very good. If one has the pockets to pay that price they don't really care what I have to say about them in terms of price performance.

Vandersteen has a house sound you either like or you don't. If you like them and you want to keep going up the Vandersteen line then perhaps you would find their top $45k model worth it to you. I liked the sound of them I must say but I would sooner buy a Teresonic or Audio Note for under $10k because to me they simply sound more natural and right. In fact it's not much different than spending $51k on the AN E Sec Sig - if you get the sound of the AN E then it is possibly the only speaker for you and you may decide to continue up the line to $50k versions.

The other issue to go along with what I said about Fred is that I can't really look at a $50k speaker and say that it's good or bad value in absolute terms. The Vandy at $45k is their best speaker - it sounds better than all the others. Is it 10 times better than the $4k ones - no but then times better isn't the point some people are willing to pay ten times the price for a 5% improvement.

Still I think I can say that when I hear certain very expensive products that I can say "wow that truly is the best I have heard" or "it really does scale like little else". The Acapella High Violencello II with Plasma Tweeters at $80,500 is a speaker I will never own unless I win a lotto.

Of course the price seems absurd - this is not even on of their 5 most expensive - they go up over $800k. But I can safely say that it was truly stunning - It's a statement loudspeaker in a sense of transients on drum sticks that is exceptional. If you have the money they're worth it - and if you don't then who cares if it is worth it or not - it's moot based on your income.

I think in the end too much is made of money spent. IMO the AN E/Spe HE is a speaker that can be the end of the road kind of speaker - it's $7,600 and it stands with anything I heard at CES regardless of price. Yes there is better - certainly better in isolated traits - but at silly prices based on my savings account. I liked them a LOT more than most of the $15,000 - $70,000 loudspeakers I was hearing. I could also say that about Gallo's new 3.5 at a modest $5,900 or KingSound's Prince II at $6,000 - or splurge and get the $8k Kings.

You can spend stupid prices and occasionally get the results but most of us are in the sub $15k camp for speakers. If I had the money I would buy the AN E/Spe HE. But I would also buy any of the speakers in my final 5 at the end of my show report as alternatives based on those auditions and I think they are worth the retail price - in some ways I find them all a little under priced based on the sound of the market at CES.