No More Fake Reviews - So Who’s Gonna Tell Us What To Buy?

@jayctoy I think the argument made is that being honest and truthful doesn't go hand-in-glove with being paid: "As long as the reviewer is honest and truthful. Perks benefits is ok with me." 

I suspect nothing much will happen until someone we know is made an example of. Then everything will change.

Audio is a luxury product. Obviously manufacturers take care of reviewers. It's part of capitalism. As a consumer you must be ruthless. Government intervention is not the solution. Just take a break if it stops being fun.

As an older guy I look at these older guys with their idioms and genuflections telling me some circuit board has a slightly bigger soundstage that is beautiful when it is angry. It's a sales job and a pretty decent one at that. I used to work for rich people. They eat that stuff up. 

It looks that many of you are expecting too much from this FTC ruling. For the most part, it applies to "consumer reviews." Those are reviews written by consumers, not by ostensibly "professional’ reviewers that would be writing for a real publication, such as TAS or Stereophile. Even many of the YouTube audio "experts" are arguably "professional," especially if their YT channel generates revenue.

No matter what, most people will buy their equipment based on reviews from sources like Stereophile or recommendations from authorized promoters in the hi-fi industry on audio forums.

You may disagree, of course, but it’s a fact of life.

@jayctoy + 1 - I trust YouTube or any other reviewers no less than I trust people on forums, who are much more anonymous. I read and I watch opinions and I listen to what gear I can, and I decide what makes sense to me. Nobody tells me what to buy.