Has something gone wrong @ Stereophile?

a little further explanation about "positive reviews" . . . 

I have six reviews and twelve column per year.  Why would I waste precious words  telling readers about a less than wonderful product? 

If you read me regularly you can guess what pleases – and displeases – me without a review 

It is that simple

herb

Hi Herb,

I have always had a high regard for your reviews and colorful, engaging narratives. Thank you for your contributions to the audio world.  Keep up the good work.

Hi Herb, I recall you foreshadowed a review of Micromega’s great-looking integrated amp. Did something go wrong with logistics? Or did it arrive and and you end up not liking it? Blink once for yes, twice for no. 🙂

Fyi I did buy one (M100) really liked the build quality, design and features, but never gelled with the sonics. At least with my speakers (Audio Physic Sitara at that stage) and in my room the stereo image was rather constrained and bass timbre was a bit tight (in a not-so-good way). With and without Sonarworks EQ. No idea why really, but it wasn’t the DAC/pre part ... running the XLR pre-out to a (modest KAV-series) Krell power amp fixed those things entirely.

You can read Stereophile, as well as Sound and Vision, if you have an apple news subscription. 

@herbreichert 

 readers shouldn’t have to read between the lines to figure out what you really mean.  Your comments indicate that you aren’t allowed to say what you feel for fear of irritating advertisers.  As a reader I shouldn’t have to thinking like a listener to Shostakovich Fifth Symphony (Is he endorsing or criticizing Communism?).  A negative review won’t land a Stereophile reviewer in the Gulag.  Stereophile is the top magazine in it’s field; it ought to be able to survive an occasional upset manufacturer