The Impossible Has Happened


If you've been visiting this forum for very long you know that many people consider professional audio reviews, the ones in the print (Stereophile, TAS, etc.) and online magazines, at best to be paid promotion and more likely outright lies in an attempt to scam you out of your money.

Here is a quote from a recent thread that was about reviews, not about their honesty or value, but got a number of posts about those attributes anyway.

Just once I would like to read a review of a pricey piece of equipment that said that the reviewer couldn’t hear any difference between that and something far less expensive . . .

Well believe it or not that has just happened in TAS, considered by many to be the worst abuser of the truth. The situation is not exactly as in the quote above, the less expensive gear is being reviewed in this example, but it is the same in essence, IMHO.

Alan Taffel wrote a review of the T+A Series 200 components.  In it he says 

"I happen to own a wonderful-sounding modular integrated amp: the CH Precision I1.  Comparing it to the Series 200 was natural but a bit unfair.  The CH unit costs more than double the price of the Series 200 stack.  Nonetheless, I was glad I embarked on this comparison, because otherwise I never would have known that the two systems sounded almost identical."

 

The CH I1 starts at $38,000.  Fully loaded it costs over $50,000..

The Series 200 stack, consisting of a transport/streamer, a DAC and an integrated amp in 3 separate boxes, costs $18,475.

So I'm not saying you should believe everything you read in professional reviews or even any of it, but here is an example where a reviewer stated that a system costing less than half a more expensive system sounded "almost identical" to the more expensive system. 

And CH Precision has a full page ad in that issue of TAS, February 2023, while T+A has none.  Just thought you might like to know.

128x128tomcy6

One thing I’ve realized for sure, choosing gear for a beautiful sounding hifi is much like choosing which super model to marry.

They are all among the most beautiful things out there. Which do you prefer and why? Inquiring minds want to know but in the end it does not matter. Six of one half dozen of another.

The thing with hifi gear is unlike supermodels we are taking about a total expense. Supermodels may cost but also earn big time. Look at Tom Brady and Giselle. She made more money than him.

So if you can’t afford a supermodel, there are still many equally lovey ladies out there that you might afford.

It’s all good in the end. Who ends up happiest? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

 

 

Wonderful.

Honesty is the best policy.

Back when I was a kid, I won the honesty award. And everyone was so happy for me lol.

Both are beyond affordability for the average middle class American! As regards sounding alike, nothing new about that.  Audio electronics have been transparent to the source for several decades - contrary to what the manufacturers want you to believe! Otherwise how could they differentiate their product from the competition?

Any time a TAS review bothers to compare any review component to something else is indeed noteworthy.