Billie and Pass seem like very different products. The Billie seems like the perfect integrated for an apartment, perhaps a younger audiophile. The company makes one product, is that right? I considered it early on, but went with a company with a longer track record, Quicksilver. Later, I got a Pass XA 25, which is an amplifier and not an integrated. So, OP, your post is puzzling me.
Showing 6 responses by hilde45
I have found the Huff videos to be fun to watch, but they are puffery. He is in the business of getting clicks. His recent claim to have never truly appreciated subwoofers' contributions to his systems over 30 years until he had a phone call with John Hunter of REL was dumbfounding. Either he really is not an experienced audiophile or he has now decided to puff for REL. Well, either option is not great, but it jibes with his tendency to trade in superlatives and the aspirations of his viewers. |
To each his own, I guess. To me, a good reviewer does not use reviews to push a product as "amazing" etc. No, they are assessed, warts and all. There are typically drawbacks, downsides, imperfections, etc. In other words, *balance.* Take a look at his recent review titles. He is blowing smoke for clicks, and that’s easy to see. HiFi: Speakers that I WILL NEVER forget. My Top 5! Watch Tarun: A British Audiophile and you’ll see someone who deploys judgment and criticism in order to grade the products he reviews. And not everything gets an "A+." He also does not talk to dead people, which is always a plus. |
That's the practice of some reviewers, for sure. But in my opinion, he's full of hyperbole and exemplifies the approach and language of marketing and advertising. Marketing/advertising, in my view, is different than critical reviewing, just as science and business are different things. I suppose the question for me is, Would I trust this sort of person to recommend a heart surgeon? Not. A. Chance. |
I agree with @ghasley too. The only way I’d demur a bit is that the word "review" helps lend credibility where essential elements of the review process -- a.k.a. honest criticism -- is missing. There is no F.D.A. approval process for this stuff, natch, but people do wind up getting misled by the lingo. Is that Huff’s fault for wanting to "monetize" (what a word) his channel? I suppose not, insofar as caveat emptor still applies. But from the standpoint of a hobbyist who wishes for the best sound for everyone, I suppose I’m made a bit sad when the process of intelligent evaluation is derailed just a little more by our contemporary P.T. Barnums wield 21st c. algorithmic technologies to make bank as they make shilling look like critical reviewing. |
@tubeguy76 I’d be curious to hear, also. Even if you do like the Billie, the question for me would then redound to other factors to compare with other contenders: How long has the company been in business? How is their service for units which need a fix? What do used units sell for? How do they pair with other things? (E.g. Is the Billie’s preamp good enough that if you wanted the a different amp, you’d stick with the Billie as a preamp only?) These were all factors which (a) pushed me away from the Billie and (b) toward separates. I am so glad I have a Pass XA 25 for all the reasons above -- company reputation and service, used market value, flexibility as a single function device, and pair-ability with other components. |