2. misc-audio
  3. 119637-2215

I notice a lot of reviewers buy the sample piece

When I read Absolute Sound or Stereophile I notice quite a few reviewers will buy the sample gear. Do they get the piece at dealer cost or even below that? I wonder if they have to keep it for a period of time before they can resell it?

taters
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,820 posts
 
Arthur Salvatore has a lot to say on this subject on his Reference Components website.
jl35
4,014 posts
 
reviewers also tend to only review equipment they have heard and liked. no one wants to listen for a few months to gear they do not like.
jl35
4,014 posts
 
out of curiosity I did a quick random check, and noticed only a small percentage buying the reviewed equipment...
philipwu
214 posts
 

read between the lines...

when the reviewers mentioned they received the component from previous reviewer or it has been burned in already or whatever tell-tale signs, all kinds of endorsement, "highly recommended", their purchases are simply their marketing gimmick. Reviewers whom can honestly compare between similar gears in a controlled audio setting, highlighting strengths & weaknesses between components are rare these days.

ejr1953
915 posts
 
One of my audio buddies (who used to own a high end dealership) said he knew one of the reviewers from the major publication who used to tell him that some manufacturers offered the samples at a huge discount, better price for a better review. He said that, flipping the review samples offered the reviewers a little bonus to their income.
Back in the late 70's I worked at some high-end dealerships in the DC area.  I'll never forget how a speaker from a famous Japanese company in the $750/pair price range was positively reviewed in several publications, but when customers would compare them to speakers from other manufacturers, they NEVER bought the Japanese model, NEVER.  There was nothing wrong with the speaker, it just wasn't at all competitive in its price range.
More to discover