What's your opinion about on-line audio reviewers?

As utterly pointless as keeping up with the Kardashians. I need to hear the piece of kit myself, in my environment, and how it integrates with everything else I have. Otherwise, it's just another opinion...
 
Nixxuz said:
Since I feel the need to bring it up every time New Record Day is mentioned; he took money for reviews from manufacturers, and he didn't make that clear, which is against the law. He got "caught" when Eric Alexander of Tekton paid him for a review, and Ron thought he was being paid for an "honest" review. When the 1st part of a 3 part review came out, Eric Alexander lost his mind, pulled the speakers being reviewed from the website, called Ron and chewed him out, got a call for an order for the speakers, put them back up on the site, and told Ron he was considering exposing the detail of their pay for play deal to the public. Ron got jumpy and made a video confession, along with Eric Alexanders emails and voicemails on the subject. Eric Alexander came into the comments section of the video and was all over the place, claiming Ron: Didn't know how to measure speakers. That Tekton built this particular model of speaker to "trap" dishonest YT reviewers. That he, Eric Alexander, was going to sue Ron for all kinds of things. Ron released an extremely rehearsed looking video "burying the hatchet", which made no mention of either party's faults or behaviors, and then pulled all the videos about a week later, along with all measurements posted for that model of Tekton.
That was long winded, but an important note was that Ron, about 2 months later, was a presenter at T.H.E Show, alongside another reviewer, JoenTell. JoenTell got substantial donations from Micca and SVS to get a room at the RMAF the last year it was done. ZeosPantera also got sponsored by SVS and I think Micca actually to get a room at the same RMAF. All these guys are paid, in one way or another, by manufacturers. This limits their credibility as far as I am concerned.
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:yikes: Wow. News to me. Where'd you get the info (if I may ask)?


CraigVMN said:
As utterly pointless as keeping up with the Kardashians. I need to hear the piece of kit myself, in my environment, and how it integrates with everything else I have. Otherwise, it's just another opinion...
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In a perfect world! But back in the real world, any honest opinion and accurate info is better than none. Of course, that's the rub: honesty and accuracy.:)
 
grillebilly said:
We are all online reviewers, to a lesser degree than the popular ones. That’s the curse of the internet, to be an expert (or influencer as they are now called) all one needs to do is say they are.
I bought some new speakers based on reviews so I’m guilty of propping them up.
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While we never expected to have this power to influence others, we do have it, let's see what happens as we enter the Twilight Zone...
 
Nixxuz said:
Since I feel the need to bring it up every time New Record Day is mentioned; he took money for reviews from manufacturers, and he didn't make that clear, which is against the law. He got "caught" when Eric Alexander of Tekton paid him for a review, and Ron thought he was being paid for an "honest" review. When the 1st part of a 3 part review came out, Eric Alexander lost his mind, pulled the speakers being reviewed from the website, called Ron and chewed him out, got a call for an order for the speakers, put them back up on the site, and told Ron he was considering exposing the detail of their pay for play deal to the public. Ron got jumpy and made a video confession, along with Eric Alexanders emails and voicemails on the subject. Eric Alexander came into the comments section of the video and was all over the place, claiming Ron: Didn't know how to measure speakers. That Tekton built this particular model of speaker to "trap" dishonest YT reviewers. That he, Eric Alexander, was going to sue Ron for all kinds of things. Ron released an extremely rehearsed looking video "burying the hatchet", which made no mention of either party's faults or behaviors, and then pulled all the videos about a week later, along with all measurements posted for that model of Tekton.
That was long winded, but an important note was that Ron, about 2 months later, was a presenter at T.H.E Show, alongside another reviewer, JoenTell. JoenTell got substantial donations from Micca and SVS to get a room at the RMAF the last year it was done. ZeosPantera also got sponsored by SVS and I think Micca actually to get a room at the same RMAF. All these guys are paid, in one way or another, by manufacturers. This limits their credibility as far as I am concerned.
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Was that the "I hear distortion at a certain frequency w particular electric guitars" review?
If so, I think that was the review of the Tekton Impact.
Tekton was introducing the "tweeter array" at that time so I expect that was why Eric was maybe hyper sensitive.
I have a pair of the Impacts. I'm very fond of them but maybe there's a distortion. I don't notice it. Maybe it was something specific to the review location or equipment.
Sure escalated to a **** show tho. Nothin like a good pissing contest............... as long as I'm not in it.
 
Have no opinion, since I`ve never read any on line Hi-Fi equipment reviews.
And also, I haven`t read a Hi-Fi hard copy magazine subscription equipment reviews since 1975 !
 
I'll watch or read anything, so long as it gets my attention. Whether I believe anything they say is another matter. I like Steve Guttenberg, though. He gets to the point and doesn't waste my time.
 
My take on audio reviews and audio evaluation, in general:

We see, hear, read reviews of components. Nobody listens to a component. We all listen to systems. In rooms which have a giant Influence on the end result. Essentially, unless you have the same room and the same system, your results with the same component will differ. Whether to a greater or lesser degree. When we are talking loudspeaker reviews, it's worse.

In loudspeaker reviews the unspoken fundamental is that in reality a loudspeaker is a Herald for the message handed to it by the upstream components. Then the message from the speakers is either massaged by the room and room placement of the speakers or it is massacred by those same elements. Reading an 'assessment' of audio equipment via a different system, room and ears is like putting a mannequin into hot water and asking whether it is tolerable.

I read reviews or listen to them to evaluate the evaluator. Most gloss over the realities of what they are reviewing.

The most important thing an audiophile can develop is understanding of system component interaction including room placement of speakers. I feel that it is also important to actually get an audition of the latest rave review component every few years. There is no greater vaccination against hyperbole and crony conspirators who confabulate than factual knowledge that the Emperor really is either resplendently dressed or buck naked.
 
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Apart from sound quality, I think reviews can be valuable if the reviewer will just honestly relate the tangibles about the piece under review. In fact, I think potential buyers might be better served if that was all the reviewer concerned his or herself with.
 
I will be very shallow here :biggrin:

I stopped watching Andrew Robinson when he cried in one of his videos... I stopped watching New Record Day when his 'Valley Girl' enunciation/phrasing became too fuking annoying... I stopped watching Darko when he became too arrogant to correct obvious errors. Instead, he or his people would just delete comments
 
theophile said:
Essentially, unless you have the same room and the same system, your results with the same component will differ. Whether to a greater or lesser degree. When we are talking loudspeaker reviews, it's worse.
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That's the gospel truth; and on top of that there's personal preference.
 
peguinpower said:
I really like Steve Guttenberg. His channel is like talking to a friend in the same hobby. Lotsa life pieces like personalities, viewers systems, record recommendations, and I find a lot of value with his conversations with people like Herb Reichert.

I like John Darko, The Next Best Thing and New Record Day and I feel that what they like, is usually something I may like.

The British Audiophile, Hans Beekhyuyzen and a few more have great tech discussions.

I discovered the Dynavector 20x2 via New Record Day and he was spot on about that cartridge. I checked out the Zu's based on Steve G's liking to them, and ended up buying one. I have Steve to blame for settling on Pass Labs for amplification. Ive been able to get rid of multiple amps and was able to get everything all the others did in an X150.8.

Based on reviewers, I have aspirations of acquiring a set of Devore speakers. That still further in my future, but I really want a set.

I can't stand negative reviewers whose main schtick is to respond to others reviews or opinions with ridicule and condescension. That just lazy and leechy.
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I like Darko, not Gutenberg.
 
Seems to be the consensus that when you boil the cabbage down, nobody's opinion matters but your own. I can go along with that. Still, a fair review can be helpful. At the very least it can be entertaining and if the production values are high, we might get some good audio porn. I think a key is knowing whether or not the review is compromised. If it is, then the review is essentially worthless for anything other than the pretty pictures.

As for individual reviewers styles, here's my brief rundown of pros and cons (be warned -- cattiness will ensue!):

  • Robinson does a good job. But I don't really care "what Christy thinks".
  • New Record Day (Ron) does a good job but his voice, pronunciations and lingo can get quite tiresome. May be a case of familiarity triggering my gag reflex.
  • I like Darko but he needs to man-up and test some floor-standers.
  • Cheapaudioman cracks me up. And that's really all I want him to do.
  • Tharbamar is very likeable. Seems like a sweet guy. Could be an axe murderer for all I know.
  • JoeNTell, what's with the name? Get some experience and THEN make videos!
  • That home theater guy (kspace?) ...whatever, again, get some experience before you hang your shingle out as some kind of authority.
  • British auduiophile -- Very nice style. Will be checking him out more.
  • NBT -- still can't tolerate this cat. He looks 22 and says he's owned like 80 pairs of speakers. Huh?? Tries to look like a rocker dude. I dunno...he is probably perfectly fine, but he just puts me off.
  • Guttenberg -- Fer crying out loud, quit looking off to your right in every video! What's over there, anyway? Nekkid wimmin? Then let's see that!
  • Zero Fidelity -- I like Sean and I appreciate his industry experience. His room sucks, though. Why is he holed up in a spare bedroom, anyway?
  • Z Reviews -- I think Z is honest but I do wish he'd clean up his language. I've turned him off (and sworn him off) a number of times over all the f-bombs and profanity.
 
jdmccall said:
Seems to be the consensus that when you boil the cabbage down, nobody's opinion matters but your own. I can go along with that. Still, a fair review can be helpful. At the very least it can be entertaining and if the production values are high, we might get some good audio porn. I think a key is knowing whether or not the review is compromised. If it is, then the review is essentially worthless for anything other than the pretty pictures.

As for individual reviewers styles, here's my brief rundown of pros and cons (be warned -- cattiness will ensue!):

  • Robinson does a good job. But I don't really care "what Christy thinks".
  • New Record Day (Ron) does a good job but his voice, pronunciations and lingo can get quite tiresome. May be a case of familiarity triggering my gag reflex.
  • I like Darko but he needs to man-up and test some floor-standers.
  • Cheapaudioman cracks me up. And that's really all I want him to do.
  • Tharbamar is very likeable. Seems like a sweet guy. Could be an axe murderer for all I know.
  • JoeNTell, what's with the name? Get some experience and THEN make videos!
  • That home theater guy (kspace?) ...whatever, again, get some experience before you hang your shingle out as some kind of authority.
  • British auduiophile -- Very nice style. Will be checking him out more.
  • NBT -- still can't tolerate this cat. He looks 22 and says he's owned like 80 pairs of speakers. Huh?? Tries to look like a rocker dude. I dunno...he is probably perfectly fine, but he just puts me off.
  • Guttenberg -- Fer crying out loud, quit looking off to your right in every video! What's over there, anyway? Nekkid wimmin? Then let's see that!
  • Zero Fidelity -- I like Sean and I appreciate his industry experience. His room sucks, though. Why is he holed up in a spare bedroom, anyway?
  • Z Reviews -- I think Z is honest but I do wish he'd clean up his language. I've turned him off (and sworn him off) a number of times over all the f-bombs and profanity.
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I've never heard of most of those people, so I looked up British Audiophile on youtube. I'm only about 2 seconds into a video of his and I'm appalled by the guy's listening room. The acoustics look awful and as soon as he starts to talk I can hear that the acoustics are awful. He's got a lot of catching up to do if he's going to restore any credibility with me.
 
Tim64 said:
Amir on Audio Science review he uses measurements and is brutally honest. He actually found some serious flaws on the Pass Labs First Watt amplifier. High distortion was one of the issues and he even admitted the hate mail will be arriving soon.
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High distortion (relatively) does not suprise me on a First Watt / Pass Labs amp. They're not designed for low distortion figures/high performance figures but for the way they sound. But I'll need to go find this review and see anyway :)
 
Tim64 said:
Amir on Audio Science review he uses measurements and is brutally honest. He actually found some serious flaws on the Pass Labs First Watt amplifier. High distortion was one of the issues and he even admitted the hate mail will be arriving soon.
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Hm, can you link to the measurements behind this? I could not find any review of a Pass Labs and/or First Watt amp by Amir. All I could find was this https://www.stereophile.com/content/pass-laboratories-xa25-power-amplifier-measurements which shows the amp performed to specification (although, distortion crept up at higher frequencies into low impedance loads).
 
Tim64 said:
Amir on Audio Science review he uses measurements and is brutally honest. He actually found some serious flaws on the Pass Labs First Watt amplifier. High distortion was one of the issues and he even admitted the hate mail will be arriving soon.
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Amir’s a dick. An abrasive techie who only sees the world through a single lens. Dogmatic in his world view. Trashes peoples livelihoods while sitting in his silicon valley bungalow after getting rich off stock options. Responsible for one of the most useless codecs around. His only claim to fame is that Microsoft decided to produce it and he helped manage the project. Promotes mediocre gear to the clinically inclined. Dont care for the fella and for most of what passes muster in his little lab.

Listening to music is like eating food and drinking wine to me. If it sounds good and checks off the most basic requirements, Im good.
 
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Conversely one could reason: Where would any of us be without dicks?

Sorry. Just had to say it.
 
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