Audio reviews: too many analogies, never simple, but most of all, never clear.


How many reviews have you read were it takes at least 2 paragraphs for the the reviewer to actually give 
hint this article is actually audio related or even gives mention to what he or she’s reviewing. Get to the subject matter. Leave out your less than perfect dramatic writing skills and lets start hearing about the actual review. I’d rather hear about comparisons between audio components than analogies between wine and taste related to transparency and how that gives rise to what they are getting ready say. What does wine have to do with audio transparency, nothing! Also they have a tendency to talk more about recordings that I’m sure 99% of the readers of the article have never heard of, or would ever listen to.
And when you looking for some sign of what they actually think of the components they’re reviewing they never give you a straight answer; it’s always something that leaves, at least for myself, asking, well where’s the answer. 
hiendmmoe
IMO, you have to know how to "interpret" these articles. I appreciate when a reviewer tells you up front what gear is being used. I like John Darko and Herb Reichert a lot. They are easy for me to understand. I also like Clement Perry at Stereo Times. The worst for me is 6 Moons....talk about pompous and verbose....I can’t read any of their stuff anymore. In the past, I’ve read entire articles and wasn’t sure what the heck was said. Their publisher is the worst of the lot.
I am so glad that you started this thread hiendmmoe! I discovered a reviewer on enjoythemusic.com; Jules Coleman, who is absolutely over the top with just what you are talking about.

I guarantee that you will not believe how long it takes him to start talking about the product; in this case Sonus Faber speakers. He runs on about boring nonsense that is nothing that you don’t already know, and when he finally gets to the review, that’s bad too! It is hard to believe that the editors would accept his reviews...and there are more than one.

www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0420/Sonus_Faber_Il_Cremonese_Floorstanding_Loudspeake...
I wrote reviews for a living for close to forty years and, yes, like a bunch of you I just can’t help but lose my emotional equilibrium when a review doesn’t meet my august criteria. Trouble is, whenever I turn up the steereo to mellow out, my wife bangs on the door with a sledgehammer.
Miller Carbon, I do believe I just learned something about journalism by reading your post.  Thank you for that, it explains a lot about the current state of affairs in the poor excuse for journalism that exists today.  I am sick and tired of ideologies and agendas being pushed instead of the truth.

For the subject at hand, sometimes I enjoy the scenic route, as long as they get to the point eventually.  Other times I want "just the facts, ma'm", and I scan through to the bottom line.  Sometimes I can tell when the reviewer is damning with faint praise.  Sometimes I can't find much value in the review, but I always want some measurements, putting the item on the test bench.

But when it comes to reviews, I just can't get that worked up about it.


Audio reviews chew more than they bite off.  Their taste in music is prosaic at best.