Reviewing the Reviewers


Check out http://www.high-endaudio.com/index_ac.html and follow go to the "Audio Critique" page, and then to "Reviewing the Reviewers" page.

This site is run by a man named Arthur Salvatore. He has written much about all aspects of audio on his site...his recommended components, his recommended recordings, his store, etc. He writes like a lawyer, but it seems like he actually has integrity...he must not be a lawyer. :-) Seriously...anyone interested in a point by point analysis of modern audio reviews should check out this site. He's analyzed many reviews and developed his own list of "rules" that most reviews tend to follow (and he's dead-on)...usually because the writer doesn't want to say anything negative about any particular sponsor's (or buddy's) product.

He received an angry letter from Michael Fremer. The letter and his analysis are included on the site. It makes for a long read, but it can be fascinating. Besides...it's information than every audio joe (or jane) should be aware of when they read any review...especially when they're planning on pruchasing a product highlighted by a particular review.

If you want to see textbook examples of his "rules" put into practice, just check out any Soundstage review written by Marc Mickelson.

Enjoy...
phild
Detlof notes: "I've built a system just following my own ears and trying to voice and shape it in the way I *wanted it to sound*"(my emphasis). Which begs the question: HOW does each one of us like music reproduction? Laid back? Bass articulate? Dynamic? Pace & rythm? etc. A useful point when relating to others' opinion, and extremely useful for newcomers to this hobby, maybe.

I, for one, like transient attack, dynamics, and passion. Listening to music is an "interactive experience": I catch myself speaking to the (imaginary) musicians while listening to my system... I like to hear the sudden bursts in intensity -- SPL *and* the emotion / energy this belies.
A friend tells me, he can't enjoy sitting back with my system; the moment he relaxes, a burst kicks him out of the chair.

I fully subscribe to Detlof's proposition regarding the benefits of experiencing "...as many live musical events as possible". And that "best" is largely a subjective notion, and time/experience-related, at that. Indeed, Detlof, de gustibus non est disputandum!
And yet, disputes are sometimes the name of the game!
Still on topic, I think. What reviewer's judgment do you trust? I like Fremer's writings, especially on music, even if I do not like his business ethics.

I trust Rob Reina, Kal, Jack English, for a long reach backward Kent Birdsong of the Hi Fi Heretic, never trusted j-10 or Gindi.

Just curious.
phild, if you're still around: thanks for that post. i've just spent hours going through that site. amazing!
Well Rbischoff, trust is not the word I would use, however I liked Cordesman, Martin Colloms,John Nork and the HP of yore, alas,not the one employed by Dell Computers.
And hi Kubla, nice to find you here, don't cease to be amazed, (-;, it keeps one young. Cheers,
Greg, thanks for having read my long diatribe. You are right about the importance of disputes. They help to clarify where and how we stand. Why don't you start a thread about "shaping preferences" ? I myself, like you need dynamics, I need "those sudden bursts of intensity", like you have in live music, I go crazy if the highs are missing or grainy and I need a solid bass foundation to the music. Subtle timing cues should be rendered as lifelike as possible. Listening to music as an interactive experience...that was an eye-opener for me, because, not unlike you I "correspond" with the musicians as a natural matter of course, but was never really conscious of my doing so...never thought about it, but it was there..so be thanked! Cheers