NEW Musical Fidelity DAC

Where would you advertise if you were Creek or YBA? There are obviously companies that try to go word-of-mouth for their advertising, but if you're going to run print ads, don't you pretty much have to go through Stereophile, or maybe a combination of a couple other avenues? Just because there are advertisers who aren't personal acquaintances with ST, having dinner with him, personally delivering and setting up their gear to be reviewed, and having their product covered by him every other issue doesn't change the look of impropriety for those that do.

I don't much care if the "politics" of getting good reviews is thick or thin. They charge a buck an issue for their magazine, so I'll read it. They can cover whatever they want, acquire it however they want, and have any opinion they want. They do a lot of things that are incredibly informative and objective. They have a lot of good reviewers. In general, I think they're an excellent magazine. They also walk an interesting tight rope in their commentary, which is sure to draw commentary from the bleachers, and a few of their practices amplify the commentary. -Kirk

Interesting remarks and rebuttals written above; at my level, I may be least appropriate to add to this discussion.

I wouldn't say for sure that "You can't buy a good review at Stereophile". I have no first hand facts either. But I have talked with a few people much farther up the latter than I that can be more convincing that it this is possible; I am not one to jump on the conspiracy bandwagon though.

If there didn’t seem anything peculiar to all the MF reviews and the most recent in particular, there wouldn't be a number of people chiming in. True, none of us knows for sure, but the behavior draws attention to itself.

As for him jumping on a plane and hand delivering the product, Upscaleaudio stated, “If you were the owner of a small company you would not make sure everything lined up?". If he was so desirous to have "all things line up", then why didn't spend some time trying the unit out first? Also, what does "owning a small company" have to do with this being more important over any other company? (I am not being ultra critical here, just my observations on the comments.)

I really thought the comments by Upscale about people’s thoughts of a company at "start up" or "young" versus when they are full scale were very insightful!

I also liked the fact of Upscale pointing out that there are many brands advertising and not getting reviews. (Although this leads us back to why is MF so blessed to have as many reviews in such a short time period?)

And as alluded to, we have our favorites, if I have a favorite brand, I am more curious to try theirs latest out.

Upscale, your closing statement left me a little puzzled, about pulling the lid and comparing products and you specifically mentioned MF and ML. I am not sure what you meant by it.

I have only seen pictures of both products with their hoods off. From what I have seen, the MF is far more simplistic, and I don't mean that in that one is better than the other. From what I can see and gather, ML has more to it than the MF. (Again, I am not implying anything about sonics here.)

I have recently talked with two companies that do modifications and I asked a question about an ML amp and each had nothing but high praise for what is in them and how they are constructed and designed.

I think we are blessed by those who can afford to advertise, as this helps continue this hobby. I also hope magazines like Stereophile, TAS and others can continue.

Just because the magazine as a corporate entity "can't be bought", that doesn't mean that individual contributors can't. One would be foolish to think that ANY "organization" was made up of 100% loyal and upright employees.

The statement that Blackie contributed regarding Audio Advisor and Sam "Tellig's" business affiliation is quite interesting and bares checking into. If it is true, i would consider this a breech of ethics to the highest degree.

Someone would be foolish to think that favours don't take place in every line of business. As such, audio is no different. With that in mind, some companies and products that deserve recognition and reviews are passed over simply because "favours" are being exchanged. The favours that reviewers do is to expose / pump up specific products / product lines in exchange for being able to keep the products reviewed at no charge, obtaining other products from said manufacturer / distributor at no cost, being the first to see and comment on new products, etc... After all, reviewers that are "in the know" about new products and industry trends are sought after just like reporters that can sniff out stories.

Besides that, i have talked to a few reviewers that were selling "review models" or that had told me of how their "reference systems" had come about. Believe me, these guys normally CAN'T afford this type of gear. The fact that they can keep "review samples" and then unload them for 100% profit can finance a LOT of audio ( and non audio ) projects.

Nobody can justify covering well over a half dozen components from one company within less than two or three years, let alone one reviewer doing such. This is especially true given the amount of manufacturers and quality of gear that are being neglected to do so.

As to the build quality of MF, it is nothing special at all. Nor is the sound that it produces. I will agree that it is all pretty solid stuff for the money though. I say this having owned a half dozen different pieces of their gear and still owning a few. Anybody that makes "glorious" statements about MF is either lacking exposure to various competitive components or has something to gain by promoting such ideals. The fact that Kevin / UpscaleAudio is a Musical Fidelity dealer tends to support the latter theory. He has surely been exposed to other "more than adequate" product lines in his life to make these statements blindly.

I am out of this conversation and thread for good. I do not need to get sued or dragged into court. I am stating what is strictly my opinion based on first hand knowledge coming from several different horse's mouths. If you think i'm talking trash here, John Atkinson had already threatened to see me in court on a previous occasion. That is, until we privately discussed information that he could not deny nor want revealed to the public. As i had stated on AA and promised to John, what he and i discussed WILL remain private. Even if i don't agree with some of his magazine's policies or actions.

I hope that some of you have woken up from what has been said here and in other related forums. Start supporting the underground mags that don't accept advertising, return their review samples and pay attention to whom their employees associate with. Sean
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<< As to the build quality of MF, it is nothing special at all. >>

I don't agree. I just had a Levinson 383 $6500 integrated traded in for a Nu-Vista M3 $4995 integrated. The Nu-vista without the external power supply was more substantial and weighed much more. In fact the power supply by itself was about the same weight as the Levinson.

The A3CR Dual Mono Power amp has four transformers (two large chokes and two large toroids) for $1595. There may be a couple other American or Western made products that also have that to tout. I can't think of them, but there may be some. I am not picking on this name as the only thing to buy...just stating facts. People should buy what they like.

<< Start supporting the underground mags that don't accept advertising, return their review samples and pay attention to whom their employees associate with. Sean >>

I have supplied samples of gear and tubes to magazine reviewers, and in the case of Sam Tellig he was insistant on returning the product (at my expenense) in a very structured manner. I run a full page ad in Stereophile every month, and frankly was pissed at the content of the review (thought positive, I disagreed with its tone) and as you said, I am also a Musical Fidelity dealer, so THAT didn't help. I didn't even know when the friggin' review was coming out. I was in France at the time and had to read a fax of a fax and respond within a couple days.

OTOH, the only time I have not gotten something back is from TWO reviewers of so called "underground mags".

But Sean you are right if you say relationships count and will influence. It would be naive to say they would not.

Even in the "underground" where a "newer" writer may get starry-eyed by getting to talk to some famous name. Influence can take form in many ways. Especially if you don't get paid for writing.

<< They have a lot of good reviewers. In general, I think they're an excellent magazine. They also walk an interesting tight rope in their commentary, which is sure to draw commentary from the bleachers, and a few of their practices amplify the commentary. -Kirk >>

Right on Kirk. And I hope Sean did not get the wrong idea from my comments. Personal influence happens every day, from the guy that gets off on a traffic ticket to whatever. So we do agree on some things.

I think most reviewers are having fun with the hobby, doing the best they can. And they SOMETIMES will be influenced by liking or dis-liking someone, or special treatment.
My point is no magazine is immune to that. Impossible. Unless you hire robots.

I will say that advertising dollars have little to do with it. Reviewers are so removed from that. One of my best friends sells ad space for one of the biggest computer mags in the world, and gets hung out to dry for ad space orders when a product gets a bad review, but tells the manufacturer he has no control over content.

John Marks from Stereophile made a nasty personal comment about me, which is amazing since we've never met and I don't know him from Adam. And he was presuming a bit about me because he did not like my "woody" ad in Stereophile (this was a thread on Audio Asylum). I could care less, but it was suggested that I should be offended by some customers of mine that took offense.

I think there are bigger things to think about.