Audio influencers on YouTube hiding comments from public view

''then why bother having a comments section? ''

1: trying to make $$ from clicks, channel subscriptions and vendor contributions.

2: ego.

I won't try to guess which is the primary motivation.

He was an interesting character, then a target...

He was not always well politely spoken and a bit harsh or dogmatical about his opinions but who is perfect ?

Hate is  meaningless...

I debated  against him and it was interesting...

I cannot say the same for most of those who hate him ...

Life is too short for hating especially the interesting character...

It’s funny that MC has been gone from this site for a while now, but apparently, still casts a large shadow. 😆

It's funny that MC has been gone from this site for a while now, but apparently, still casts a large shadow. 😆

@ozzy62 It is not any different. I have just never been one for acceptance of and conformity with norms that I don’t agree with, and like to voice my opinion.

@newton_john When there are valid comments to be made that don’t necessarily align with the channel’s owners message one typically goes to the comment section. If opposing views are not allowed then what is the value of the comments section other than to amplify what was stated in the video? To me, this makes the comments section of little to no value as I have already watched and heard the video. Opposing views can sometimes be insightful. On Amazon some of the low ratings comments can be very informative to prospective buyers. On YouTube audio wannabe influencer channels  the comments are just for sycophants.

How is this any different than audio rags giving positive reviews to advertisers? It's been going on for decades and this is the same thing in the virtual world.

I don’t see this as a free speech issue. There are plenty of other places for debates  where opposing views can be expressed. Why should Youtubers provide platforms for their critics?

@rooze I’m in complete agreement with you.

@carlos269 The system is in place on YouTube to allow channel owners to remove comments and even ban the commenters if necessary. I’m arguing that the system needs to be there, to protect against people who can’t act decently. If the system is misused by the channel owner then that’s a problem, but it needs to be there.

If you want a quick example of what I’m referring to, go to Facebook and search for ‘Ohm Acoustics’, then look at the comments on their most recent post. As of 10:30 est 7/6/25 the comments are still there. Are you saying, that as the channel/page/group owner, I shouldn’t be allowed to remove that filth from my property? I doubt that’s what you’re saying. It’s an imperfect system, but other than disabling all comments, which defeats the objective of building a community, it’s all there is.

@rooze in the cases that I sided it was simply an “overreach and start removing comments from people who just don’t agree with me”.

@carlos269 No. Well intentioned people with valid concerns have a place on public forums, people who spew vile rhetoric or simply can’t or won’t act decently, do not.

I know this is controversial, free speech and all that goes with it, but if I’m investing my time and energy into creating a channel, a community, or whatever it is, and someone just wants to burn it down by being deliberately disrespectful, disruptive, etc, then I should have the right to protect my space and remove them.

Of course if I overreach and start removing comments from people who just don’t agree with me, then I become the problem.

@rooze the issue that by flushing that perpetrator you would also be flushing well intended members with valid concerns. If you allow for the deletion of comments then posts will become homogenous and all favorable so what value does that provide when you are only displaying intentionally and artificially skewed commentary?

People can be horribly mean spirited and are capable of the worst kind of behavior when hiding, like cowards, behind the safety of their computers and phones. I saw an example of this on a Facebook post just a couple days ago where a well known speaker manufacturer innocently posted a picture of their product, on their own profile, inspiring a raving lunatic to come out of the woodwork with some inappropriate remarks of a homophobic nature. Not only should I be allowed to delete this type of comment, there ought to be a button I could press to flush the perpetrator into the local sewer system.

People want the freedoms to behave like scum without recourse. I don’t think so.

I've never had any interest in those influencers type 

Two thoughts:

1. YouTube is a for profit company, users naturally use their channel to profit themselves. They are not obligated to commit to free speech, although I would argue that if they can find a way to make that profitable over the long term, they should work towards that goal as that would ensure their business's longevity.

2. Internet culture has devolved into an ugly place where posters feel free to anonymously slag and troll as viciously as they feel entitled to, that said IMO policing one's comment section to dissuade the trolls is a very difficult exercise in walking fine lines, I don't envy anyone with a YouTube channel they are relying on to pay the bills.

I actually learned a lot from MC, it’s too bad that he injected politics and especially some shakey COVID stuff into his posts (as a march 2020 adopter of the high test version, with permanent consequences, this bothered me a lot). I am not a Tekton guy, but he did offer some insight into turntables and vibration control especially. I will have to check out his YouTube channel.

I don’t agree with removing or restricting comments selectively- better to simply block them all. Regarding ocd Mikey, he’s not a reviewer and doesn’t claim to be. He’s a seller and makes that very clear. He’s upfront about his business. 

When Youtube reviewers morph into retailers you can understand the need to remove negative comments. The obvious Red Flag is when they criticize brands they don't carry or claim they no nothing or have never heard a highly regarded popular component. 

jays audio restricts  comments, you can clearly see only favorable comments are seen. 

Also ocd hifi does the same thing. If you read the comments, once in a while they'll be someone who has concerns and then that immediately is no longer the case. You can figure out that person has been blocked.

Image conveyed positively that all, YouTuber probably self-serving with his own comments too.

Great video guys. It's a great product

Millercarbon was / is a bag of hot air, the king of junk tweaks. He would promote a Sandwich-bag of baloney put on his best in the world tekton speakers. We’re all entitled to our opinions I’ve certainly got a few. To a point he was laughable the useless Dribble did saturate, I’m glad it’s gone. 

Cheers

Hilde, thank you for the correction, much appreciated. I did not make a comment about spelling the name incorrectly, I thought the gent was speaking about another person. Just trying to keep up. FFS, LOL, charming.

Millercarbon was a blowhard who thought he knew more than he did. He could be president.

@tomic601 - totally agree about Keith Herron. I've got his line stage preamp and his phono preamp and they are both wonderful. 

@hilde45 + 1

Thank you for the correction. Hasty reply deservedly bit me. 

Thanks, Paul McGowen then, that makes sense, not Paul Gowan.

Nope, still not getting it. If you're going to make a comment about spelling the man's name correctly, go look it up. FFS.

Thanks, Paul McGowen then, that makes sense, not Paul Gowan. Dionne Warwick rescinded my Psychic Friends Club membership a few years ago, I'm no longer good at divining.

Paul McGowan , president and one of the original founders of PS audio 

I'll bite, who is Paul Gowen? Thank you.

Devil's Advocate here: I can see why one might turn off comments after reading relentless spiteful comments on Paul Gowen's Youtube page by the "EvERythiNG sOunDs THe SAme" crowd.

He constantly railed against cancel culture....oh the irony, the Godzilla of irony.  

Yep. It's all "free speech" until you advocate for facts or the underdog.

@audioman58 

https://youtube.com/shorts/1z2B9FI9qPY?feature=shared
this is a short that OCD Mike posted. I pointed out that he should probably consider putting some 703 rigid panel instead of having the loose insulation to prevent fibers from falling. His response I felt was definitely belittling plus, his lack of knowledge about Guildford of Maine fabric is questionable.

You only have to click on his user name to see that carlos269 registered in 2000.

@carlos269 -- Carlos, I don't know how long you have been an Audiogon member, but if you weren't around for the CD (Chuck Days), you will never appreciate the AC (After Chuck) days here on this Forum.  There have been some argumentative blowhards on this site, but Chuck (aka MillerCarbon) was next tier.  It doesn't surprise me that he curtails freedom of alternative thought on his YouTube channel -- he has a long history of demanding the last word and belittling anyone who disagrees with his edict.  He almost drove me from this site, but I'm too much of a hardheaded East Tennessean to give in to a bully.  Plus, people like @jasonbourne71 offset the "Chucks".

Happy listening!

Back when Chuck aka MCarbon posted here frequently, i called him out as “ a low sample size “ audiophile. He read a lot about what components sounded like and salivated and promoted them ahead of actual breakin and careful evaluation.  For example, the Herron phono pre ( i actually do own one ), is not a giant killer but is neutral and was affordable and very well constructed. i evaluated 12 phono stages to reach this conclusion in a single system. Had I ( and i did ) placed the Herron in my reference system, i would have / did reach a different conclusion.

reading about audio gear is like trying to pass the sommelier by reading about wines in Wine Enthusiast…. i view utube exactly the same way… 

Best to Keith a gem of a guy - wishing him all the best in a happy deserved full retirement 

oddiofyl

... these guys are not professional reviewers , they are the Kardashians of the audio world ...

Yup. I feel sorry for some of them because they apparently have no idea how silly they look and sound.

One of the audio site reviewers who frequents this site bristled when his grammatical errors were noted. In response, he said he’s in it just for fun and told the user that he’d read the review "much to seriously!" (sic.) He considers himself a "professional" but doesn’t want to be taken "to seriously." Go figure.

They can all be ignored.   

It's left up to me to decide what reviews are valid or just entertainment. Comments have always been monitored. Nothing new.

The best quote I've heard that sums up the current hypocrisy... "I don't believe in censorship but I really don't want to hear what they have to say."

OCD Mikey. Has the best tips on Mary Jane  quality ,

his word is the final word no discounts his leadership and experience 

has paved the way to Audio Nirvana .light up or leave me alone -as Traffic would say !

Business are not countries; they are not prevented from blocking anybody they want to, nor should they be. You may have 'free speech' from the government, but businesses are certainly not required to allow it. 

I have had some  comments removed from certain audiophile You Tube sites. 

Is anyone surprised that youtube is just a commercial that you volunteer to watch?

They are just shaping the comments to fit the narrative of what they are selling.

Sadly, it's not just Youtube, feel like most of the world is doing this now. You have a different view, it just disappears. 

@tablejockey Some one must be buying because he is opening a B&M Store in Tennessee.  I know he is posting a little on WBF and one of his really bad videos he speaks of moving to TN. 

''Audio influencers on YouTube"

Who is being influenced? 

More important, who is buying that bent wire for $200?

He constantly railed against cancel culture....oh the irony, the Godzilla of irony.  

here you go on you tube

https://www.youtube.com/@MillercarbonsTheAudioFiles

@MillercarbonsTheAudioFiles

@hilde45 exactly. MC claimed to know a lot, maybe he did, but he went out of his way to ridicule people. He made a full-time job out of being unpleasant. And he was good at his job.

@carlos269  I think you hit the nail on the head. Fine for these Youtubers to make money, but if they are going to opine about the relative merits of products, they owe it to their audience to fully disclose every consideration, payment, advertisement, long-term loan, or other financial consideration provided by the manufacturer. I don’t know of many of them that do that. 

IMO, anyone with "influencer" in their job title isn't getting any views or listens from me. Peddle your made up BS somewhere else.

Miller Carbon was on this site and posted prolifically.

He seemed to know a lot, but he put people down, and was constantly bragging.

Now he's on youtube hiding people's comments, eh? What a narcissistic pustule.

Can those "influencers" you guys are talking about please post a list of user names? That would be most welcome.

Off topic question. Why is that video mentioned by foggyus91 so bright? I see this on some YT videos.

Reviews on all private sites have gone meaningless.  Recently we tried to leave what I thought were balanced reviews on Bookings.com and VRBO-mainly positive, but mentioning a few negatives that were something that I would want to know about if considering a prolonged rental- and they were either published with the negative content deleted or not published.  I used to spend hours pouring through reviews before pushing the reserve tab but now it’s why bother?