When a Reviewer "likes" something

I took 3rd place in Senior Longboarding at the NY State surfing campionships...albeit 10 years ago when I was only 52, and consider myself part of the New Old. I'll be ripping around on my Triumph Bonneville T100 later today, playing guitar for hours, listening to my well tempered hifi, and later hitting an interesting restaurant with my hot attorney girlfriend. Young people can BITE ME.

Dear French fries, I think you stepped in it when you inferred that lots of dollars should buy lots of power "for most speakers". That reasoning is flawed on many levels. Still, I take your point that $5000 is a lot of money for an amplifier.

Dear Manitunc, Of course we don't expect reviewers to buy everything they review. It is expected that manufacturers will loan the equipment. That's all well and good, and if it takes 6 months or a year to review what was loaned, I think that's reasonable as well. However, rumor and hearsay have it that "some" equipment is never returned or paid for by "some" reviewers. Even that, if it is true, does not really bother me; it is a matter for manufacturers and reviewers to work out. The way in which such practices affect the review process is that it biases toward companies that are willing to "lend" equipment and then look the other way, in hopes that their investment in the loaned equipment will pay off in a favorable review.

I had a conversation with an Audiophile who buys ONLY units the Reviewer like and recommend.

Syntax: What do you think?
Audiophile: I don't think.
Syntax: Ok, I don't get it what they like or not ...
Audiophile: You don't get it because you care
Syntax: Right. And?
Audiophile: Man, you have to read BETWEEN the lines.
Syntax: Uh, I thought I buy a review that I can read what is going on?
Audiophile: That's your problem. They can't write what they don't like, they have to do it different.
Syntax: Ok. I will try to read between the lines now …
Audiophile: Good Boy.
Syntax: Is it possible that those „reviews“ are influenced from their wives?
Audiophile: Of course
Syntax: Does it matter when she is ugly?
Audiophile: Absolutely!
Syntax: Hm, what can I do?
Audiophile: Buy & Sell. After a while you are very experienced
Syntax: Aha, is there a way to reduce Hardware rolling?
Audiophile: Of course. Tell your wife how much money you alreday spent ....

Understanding And Enjoying Audio Reviews

When they say...
(They mean ...)

In spite of the measurement anomalies, this speaker is clearly
a state-of-the-art product.
( It didn't SOUND broken when we gave it our top rating )

It was definitely borderline Class A.
( It isn't that good, but it's sooo expensive,
and they're letting me keep it --- G-d I feel So cheap! )

Better than amps costing three times as much.
( I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I like the amp )

Light years ahead of the competition
( The competition won't give us a review sample )

Despite it's slight problems at the extremes, the products strong point
was it's rendition of the all-important midrange.
( This thing has no bass and treble that actually hurts! )

We hire only the best writers.
( We'll hire any audiophile who recognizes a pencil two out of three tries )

This is an incomplete but promising design from a talented young designer.
( The product sucks but he has some money left in his advertising budget )

This product had me pulling one record after another from my collection.
( I listened to all five of my records )

The images in the soundstage had that elusive and seductive sense of palatable presence
( I haven't had sex since my wife left me and I'm starting to hallucinate )

This product lacks some of the subtle refinements we've come expect from a designer of this caliber.
( The product stinks but we don't want to piss off this famous manufacturer )

Better than amps costing three times as much
( I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I like the amp )

This preamp is the new reference
( We aint giving it back, and we aint paying' for it either )

Naive is believing the crap you read on the Internet and taking it as truth without one single verifiable fact being offered as evidence. And be willing to defame others without a thought to the consequences. I guess I can make whatever comments I like about anyone's professional competence.

Vic, I hope not. I'll be 60 in a month, with teenagers, almost 14 & 16. I wish I was long boarding as I was born/raised at the beach in San Diego. I'm not grumpy about my mortality, but I am a dumb ass occasionally.