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Does The Absolute Sound Do Bad Reviews?

I get both TAS and S'phile because multi-year subscriptions cost a song and I'd rather invest in keeping them going than watch their demise.

I use what they say as a baseline. They expose me to stuff I wouldn't otherwise experience. For example, there are a lot of USB based digital players that are getting reviewed now. Ultimately what's good at different price points will shake out and I'll be better informed than just going to my local high-end store.

These mags are just part of the equation that I use to decide what's best for me. But . . . I'm glad they're there.

P.S - I skip a lot of stuff like reviews of dCS products and Wilson speakers because I know I won't be buying them. But I've also seen reviews of Oppo players n'stuff.
 
Only time I elieve a review is when the reviewer says he liked the product so much he opened his checkbook and bought it. I just read a review of the Klipsch Cornwall III and the reviewer opened his checkbook. Can not remember who it was. As these guys can never buy a system and simply play with loaners all the time, I suspect the product has to be quite impressive to have them cough up the cash.
 
I'd hate to see them go under, regardless of what everybody thinks of them. I've learned so much about what is out there by reading them. I read music reviews, too, and know that what certain reviewers love, I won't. You can read this stuff and just go by the description of what it is, to see if its something you might want to check out yourself. I think that is what Audiodon was just mentioning.

The problem is, if they go, what is left, the internet? It's the same crap-shoot here. The majority of AK never met a wooden box speakers from the '60s that somebody didn't say was wildly underrated and better than most of what is out there. Everybody has a bias. I think its best to just go in knowing that, but to read everything you can. Don't pick your own bias, just gather everybody elses up and make a call. The truth has to be in there somewhere, and the only way to find it is to listen yourself. You have to know what is out there to listen to, though.
 
I don't have a problem with The Absolute Sound but like others have said when ever I look at it the gear is so high end that I can't even relate to it so it doesn't matter what they say about it.
 
Regardless of my comments regarding bias, and other things, such as the astronomical price of reviewed components, it would be sad to see them go (not that there's any impending chance of that.
 
Duckzilla said:
Regardless of my comments regarding bias, and other things, such as the astronomical price of reviewed components, it would be sad to see them go (not that there's any impending chance of that.
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I do wish they'd review less astronomically priced gear. But that said, a lot of people in this hobby spend a LOT more than the average person around here. I think they did a survey and the average cost of the system for a Stereophile subscriber was something around $15,000. That's the cost of a nice motorcycle, and nobody gives motorcyclists **** for paying that much for their hobby, so I really don't care. But the DCS Scarlatti type stuff doesn't do much for me. Why even review it? Just talk about it...its not like we're going to run out and buy it! I heard one of those players and it was nice but...
 
I have kept a lot of old digest-sized Stereophile mags, and I use them quite a bit to look up reviews on used equipment I'm considering purchasing. This is often 15 - 20 years down the road, but I do find that even by the time something used is in my price range, that the review is still valid for a lot of information. Regarding the average system cost, in todays market I can see that total adding up quite rapidly. My main system, while at original retail cost would be around $18k, has actually cost me out-of-pocket, exactly $860 to this point. Me? Cheap? Nah. A below-average TAS/Stereophile subscriber, maybe. As you say, John, "a lot of people in this hobby spend a LOT more than the average person around here", and I'd love to know the percentage of TAS readers who have systems that are above $100k, also I'd bet the number would be astounding. Besides, someones got to review the ultra high-end gear for them, don't they.
 
JohnVF said:
I do*


*I trust the opinion of somebody who has heard hundreds of more examples of whatever type of gear that is being reviewed than I have, and who has listened intently to that gear as part of their job, for many many years to the point where over time, I can get a sense of how my listening tastes and habits gel with theirs. I know my own taste has changed as I have been exposed to more gear, so it goes to reason that somebody who hears gear for a living has a better context for what is 'good' than I do, having only been exposed to a limited scope of products.

It's not perfect..I really don't get The Absolute Sound's fascination with the Magnepan 1.7 speakers...but at least I know that they've heard more than 10 pairs of 30 year old speakers before proclaiming something to be "as good as anything you can get under $2000".

And yes, I'm biased. The happiest I have ever been with an audio purchase stemmed from something I bought based (unheard, because I couldn't find an example to listen to) entirely on a review given by HP in The Absolute Sound. It sounded nearly exactly as described.

And guess what...?

The company given the positive review doesn't run ads. Anywhere.
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Same here. It's funny how most Aker's love to bash the hi-fi magazines, and the editors and reviewers of those magazines often have decades of listening experience with a breadth of equipment that I'd bet is much wider than what the average AK member has heard. And the accusations about them catering to advertisers is are old and tired, IMO. Why are people so surprised that expensive, new components sound great? Paranoia, there's lots of it in the hi-fi community.

JohnVF said:
I do wish they'd review less astronomically priced gear. But that said, a lot of people in this hobby spend a LOT more than the average person around here. I think they did a survey and the average cost of the system for a Stereophile subscriber was something around $15,000. That's the cost of a nice motorcycle, and nobody gives motorcyclists **** for paying that much for their hobby, so I really don't care. But the DCS Scarlatti type stuff doesn't do much for me. Why even review it? Just talk about it...its not like we're going to run out and buy it! I heard one of those players and it was nice but...
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Lots of people have complained to both TAS and Stereophile (I subscribe to both) about the over-abundance of very high-end equipment reviews. I can understand that, but, especially in the case of TAS, the point is to talk about and review cutting edge technology first and foremost. I get a kick out of reading reviews of things I'll never be able to afford, at least - like the Scarlatti. Part of that is because I know the trickle-down effect - or at least diminishing value of used equipment - means that some day I'll be able to own something that sounds like that.
 
Mr. Lin said:
Same here. It's funny how most Aker's love to bash the hi-fi magazines, and the editors and reviewers of those magazines often have decades of listening experience with a breadth of equipment that I'd bet is much wider than what the average AK member has heard. .
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Most AKers love to bash the high end. I think it just comes down to that. I was reading the most recent TAS yesterday, and they roundly criticized a pair of Canton loudspeakers. I could link to that article, but why? It would simply be ignored because it goes against the group-think around here. Anything that runs counter to the high end being a rip off, overpriced, and full of charlatans just gets ignored. I don't get it.

As for the really high end stuff..I like reading about some of it, but it seems they could even it out a bit. The ratio of realistically priced gear to cost-no-object gear seems to lean a bit towards the really really high end. I get that they are 'the absolute sound', but even their own staff seems to be divided on it, reading the reviews. The latest issue had a number of reviews with veiled criticism of some of the really really expensive gear.
 
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JohnVF said:
Most AKers love to bash the high end. I think it just comes down to that.
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I agree. Same way "audiophile" is a bad word around here, when by definition we're all audiophiles.

JohnVF said:
As for the really high end stuff..I like reading about some of it, but it seems they could even it out a bit.
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I agree again. Stereophile is attempting to address this a bit with their new budget column, forget what it's called at the moment.

JohnVF said:
The latest issue had a number of reviews with veiled criticism of some of the really really expensive gear.
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Are you talking about the TAS with the Sota Sapphire turntable review? I've fallen a bit behind reading them, and I just started reading the aforementioned review tonight - I think that's the newest one but not sure.
 
Mr. Lin said:
I

Are you talking about the TAS with the Sota Sapphire turntable review? I've fallen a bit behind reading them, and I just started reading the aforementioned review tonight - I think that's the newest one but not sure.
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When do you sleep? Only reason I'm up is because I'm out of the country! It's the issue with the products of the year...I think there's a speaker on the cover (YG acoustics?).
 
Mr. Lin said:
Same here. It's funny how most Aker's love to bash the hi-fi magazines, and the editors and reviewers of those magazines often have decades of listening experience with a breadth of equipment that I'd bet is much wider than what the average AK member has heard. And the accusations about them catering to advertisers is are old and tired, IMO. Why are people so surprised that expensive, new components sound great? Paranoia, there's lots of it in the hi-fi community.

I know the trickle-down effect - or at least diminishing value of used equipment - means that some day I'll be able to own something that sounds like that.
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Mr. Lin, along with the average AK members that you disparage(at times) for ranting about obscenely priced gear which regularly gets reviewed, you do tend to ignore three facts.

First, most common folks here would be required to take out a second mortgage on their house to afford a single new piece of gear. Putting your family and 30 years of work, savings, and worry aside for what amounts to a fling with the blonde harlot is both insane and will be viewed with scorn by grounded people. This attitude will be the same, whether it is in the context of a new Corvette, an around the world trip with a mistress, or a gorgeous stereo pieced together from the January TAS issue. It is called balance on one side, and reverse snobbery on the other side.

Secondly, some people here actually have as much, if not more, breadth and exposure to good/great gear and music than all but the principals at the leading audio magazines, and can provide a balanced and impartial viewpoint to the table. In St. Louis, we have a world class live venue in the Sheldon Theater to listen to folk, jazz, classical, and other performances. We have Powell Symphony Hall with the SLSO, formerly a world class symphony(and still a very, very good one that at times approaches great,) the St. Louis Opera Theater, and the Bach Society. We also have two cathedrals that provide stirring recitals, and the Ethical Society programs a very strong Classical Guitar Society concert series.

If pressed, I could arrive at ten different doorsteps withing an hour where friends have complete systems that are Class A rated, and at home I have five pairs of Class A speakers at my disposal, along with four amps and three preamps that are either Class A or B rated.

Third, and most important, all the audio magazines sink or swim based on advertising revenue. Selling these ad pages keeps the staffers paid, the magazine afloat, and the editors happy. All these constraints means that any review shall be couched in the most favorable terms, so the manufacturer will buy ad space now and in the future.

Manufacturers bend over backwards to get their review. They ship the gear to and from the reviewer's house on their dime, many personally visit to ensure they get face/kiss ass time to establish that all important friendly connection, and they willingly witness an expensive piece of gear disappear for three to six months...and sometimes notoriously witness the magazine or reviewer request/demand favors for a prominent favorable review.

It is little wonder that many of the "poor people" here view new high end gear and their associated reviews - especially the reviews - with a high level of disdain. We don't shop at Aldi for food and Venture or WalMart for clothes, and pick up all we can at sale loss leader pricing because we have succumbed to a vast marketing machine - we do it so we can cover expenses, pay our bills, and tuck a little into savings for a rainy day. If we work overtime, then we may get the green light to buy some stereo gear:yes:

I once bitched to one of the nosebleed priced store owners how impossibly high his product line was. He noted that every sale was his hardest sale, so he would rather work hard to sell a single $10,000 amp that had oodles of advertising, a glowing Stereophile review, and was all the rage amongst lawyers and doctors, than 50 $200 amps that everyone could afford. He also said the person buying the $10,000 amp would be in the store upgrading something else in a month, whilst the person who purchased the $200 NAD amp would disappear for a year.

Does owning and having experienced Class A rated gear daily, or knowing what a great symphony actually sounds like, or recognizing some of the machinations behind the review scene qualify select people to venture grounded opinions alongside reviewers, or all we all just reverse snobs?
 
The thing for me about the high end is that typically high-end gear doesn't leave a lot to tweak. Everything under the hood is clean and done, uses today's components and is assembled well. It's not like getting a vintage piece of tube gear and giving it an overhaul.

I look for the break point of diminishing returns on any and all pieces of my systems. At what dollar threshold does the law of diminishing returns really start to set in. That's the sweet spot. That break point changes from person to person.
 
Good citation, Gvalent. I find it interesting that Arthur Salvatore and I are in agreement regarding audio review magazines, since we don't much care for the same stereo gear, and he basically only likes classical music and I swim on the other side of the music gene pool.

That said, we both keep our eyes open. Are we too paranoid, or just paranoid enough?:dunno:
 
No, but just got tired of reading about $20,000 dollars speakers, turntables or other
things. Once in a while there's some stuff to read that you can reach, but not always.
 
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