....without taking the time to 'edit' and add audioexotica v. the screen....all the elder listeners are subject to this to varied degrees. Not mentioning 'selective listening' (ask your spouse/SO....and get another sort of earfull...;) *L*)
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 $18,475.
So I'm not saying you should believe everything you read in professional reviews or even any of it, but here is an example where a reviewer stated that a system costing less than half a more expensive system sounded "almost identical" to the more expensive system.
And CH Precision has a full page ad in that issue of TAS, February 2023, while T+A has none. Just thought you might like to know.
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@larry5729, it's impossible to make any judgement based on real estate sales photos, because the property is often professionally staged for sale. That means emptying the house, doing cosmetic things like cleaning, painting and new window shades, and bringing in nice, clean furniture for show (and the sellers have already moved out). Staging with floor standers and surround isn't going to help sell the property. That said, there is nobody in my personal life (co-workers, friends, neighbors, extended family) with a nice audio or surround setup. I would say that less than 0.1% care enough to spend money on it. |
@mspot @larry5729 I was giving it a thought, and I saw many non-staged open houses. Never saw a decent system. Your have a point though that staged setups don't include a sound system. Opportunity for dealers maybe to team up with realtors and market their systems?
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Not real surprising that audio anything doesn't appear in RE listings of any sort, unless it's a particularly lux 'media room' in a 'smallish' hi-$ listing. And, even then, the focus is on the space itself. The electronics are generally hidden away... The focus is on the home and grounds, the main interest of a potential buyer. The majority could give a fluck about audio anything as a rule. Anytime I've seen anything of the sort is when the home is owned by one that's involved in 'media' in some fashion in a trade 'zine or online splash of what they employ in what they do. Most of these are 'purpose built' for the 'job at hand', and consist of that which SAF is nil. It has been noted and even stated that even musicians don't dabble with the likes of which many here enjoy. Perhaps they're too involved in creation v. 'discerning involvement'....not concerned if one can hear the nuances of fine details that 99.9% wouldn't notice, even if pointed out to them... Perhaps I'm being a bit snide tonight, but....any and all can ignore this, and carry on. It's more or less left up to our sort to impress or distress each other. Mine would likely fall into the latter round file for most which frankly doesn't really bother me. Until you actually were Here physically, you've no clue, and no right to opin otherwise. And I grant you the same. *S* ;) Cheers 'n jeers, J
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More FYI In the March 2023 Stereophile the Zesto Bia 200 Select tube amp is reviewed. It gets a very nice review but in the Measurements conclusion John Atkinson says: "I was disappointed by the Zesto Bia 200 Select’s measured performance." He then goes on to enumerate the measurements that caused his disappointment and ends with: "...the very high source impedances at all three output transformer taps means this amplifier will sound different with every loudspeaker it is used with." The manufacturer says that the bad measurements are the result of well used power tubes and will not affect the sound quality of the amp, a statement which Ken Micallef’s positive review supports. So again, take the review and measurements for whatever you think they’re worth, but here’s another instance where negative things were said about a product under review when the manufacturer had advertised in that same issue of the magazine. Zesto had a half page ad for the Bia 200 Select amp in this issue of Stereophile.. |
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