Your fav online resource for high end gear is....


When researching gear for that 'next' golden purchase, where do you turn?

Magazines? If so, which?

Personal accounts?

Forums?

Manufacturers info?

What else?

I've used any and all of the above from time to time. I wondered however as subjective an account the 'review' format is, if people do in fact lean on it for developing some new tact on improving your system, anyway?

thanks for the imput.
blindjim
Mainly Stereophile and if the equipment is old enough Listener, a great magazine that unfortunately did not last.

After that probably the forums and discussions here. Over time it has given me a fair idea of what people like and or listen to or for. Who seems knowledgeable and where and who is more or less open to the fact that it is after all just their opinion.

Will search out the manufacturer to see who they say has reviewed their product. Then do a google search to see who else has, sometimes more come up, sometimes more is revealed. Also will go through about the first 30 or so hits and see which, if any are applicable to what is being sought. Sometimes it is just something new and different, sometimes it is the desire to find out more before making a decision.

Only after that do I head out and see about auditioning equipment. By that point there is a basis of opinion, not necessarily fact, that has resulted from people's and reviewer's experiences. Their rooms and equipment are varied enough that if they all end up saying about the same thing, then it probably is that piece of equipment. Then comes the question of is that the result I am looking for.

In a very subjective world of experience looking for objectivity is a fool's erand in my view. But if you get enough different people saying the same thing, that in and of itself may provide some objectivity
My first and foremost resources are my ears. If I've heard it, than I know what is best for me. When researching gear, I try to listen to my friend's systems, and go to the stereo shows, so I can audition gear myself. (I don't go to B&M stores, as I feel that is ethically wrong to use them for demo's, when I know that I will not be buying from them.)

Second, would be the opinions of my friends and online acquaintances, especially those whose sonic tastes are similar to my own. If they say they have heard a particular piece that I am interested in, and they liked it, then that gives me some more clues as to whether to pursue auditioning that piece myself.

Third, (and this is starting to get pretty far down my reliability list), are online forums such as Audiogon and Audio Asylum. While I don't trust everyone's views, I can usually get a decent feel for where they are coming from. I have found some good information from some of the members of both sites. (Usually I use these sites pretty early on in my research, in order to narrow the rather broad field of equipment.)

Fourth, would be the rock bottom of the resources that I use, which would be the print and online magazines and websites. HiFi+ used to be my favorite print magazine, (when Roy Gregory was there), followed by Stereophile and The Absolute Sound. Online magazines and websites such as 6moons, Positive Feedback, 10Audio, etc... Most of these people either get paid, or get freebies, or heavy discounts, for their reviews, so I really take their opinions with a large grain of salt!

My two cents worth anyway.
I research from many sources and look for patterns of positive comments. If you get several similar comments or observations from multiple sources, then there is a better chance that they are true.

Then I go out and listen to gear wherever and whenever I can.