$4500 amp beat out the Tenor OTL in the latest TAS

Zaikesman- Glad you believe in Stereophile and it's reviewers. I'm not a subscriber anymore, I haven't read the JC-1 review. I hope Halo & Mr.Crump make lots of money.

October 2002 was my last issue...you know the one where they proclaimed the $25K Halcro DM58 is "The best ampilfier ever!"

In that issue, both it and the $1.7K PS Audio HCA-2 are rated Class A. If the Halcro DM58 is "The best ampilfier ever," shouldn't it be A+? And how does it compare to the JC-1s, is it worth the $19K difference in price, will it turn my listening room into the Village Vanguard?

They're the cowards Zaikesman, because they don't want to offend advertisers. It's not a question of postive reviews being exchanged for ad purchases, everything new sounds great. And please remember Fremer's reviewing career started under HP, that how he learned to play the game.

My point was and is, the marketplace information on Audiogon is more valuable and it's free.

I would love to see a review that lists characteristics of an amp (or any piece of equipment), instead of judging it as good or bad.

Some amps do well in certain situations, and have certain strengths, but can't be strong in all areas. Some are "lean" and revealing, some are warm and lush. Some seem more extended, while others present a certain weight to the music. There are ways I think that reviewers can describe equipment without getting into a "better than, worse than" diatribe.

A review of the Tenors might talk about how great these match up with speakers that don't need high current, and how they can make speakers like this really shine.

Or, alternatively, talk about how the Tenors really don't do so well with low impedence speakers.

I always love finding threads here at Audiogon where equipment near in price was listed with an appropriate description. I remember a digital thread that went like this; the person wrote Naim/Linn -- on the beat; BAT/Audiomeca -- seductive/rich; Wadia -- transparent, extended; etc... this list (I can't remember where I saw it) was so useful, because personally there are some qualities that I value over others. And, it also helps when I'm thinking about my system, and what/how I may need to adjust the sound in a certain direction.

Anyway, not sure if I'm making sense, but I kind of wish there was less of a good/bad judgment call, and more relative comparisons, product matching and characteristic qualities described in these reviews....

I'd like to make up my own mind re: whether I think it's great or not!

Kana813, just to set the record straight Carl Thompson and I were paid a flat amount as consultants to Parasound for voicing and board design of the JC-1....We do not work for them, but I became a dealer for the JC-1 last Fall....

My Threshold T-100 is even better than the Antique Sound Labs.

Do you think Stereophile, The Absolute Sound or the like, are going to give any company's product, that advertises with them, promises to, or poses a good advertising possibility, a less than B+ review. Let's get very real, here. When advertising is the name of the game, it will dictate supposed objectivity. Who pays for these magazines? Not the subscription fee. Case closed. If we had an audiophile publication, like Consumers Report, then, we'd see some fireworks/objectivity. Do you think Sterophile is going to say anything negative about a Musical Fidelity product, when they buy the back cover every month. Do you have any idea how much $$$ that is. Look at all the full page spreads of cables. Now you know why they're marked up 1000%. Have you ever read a poor review or a C+ review? Not in a mag with advertising. NEVER!