2. analog
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When a Reviewer "likes" something

... what does that mean in your opinion. I read in one of the last Stereophile mags a comment from Mr. Atkinson where he wrote about the differences in "opinions" in forums or in printed mags. After all he ended with the argument, a component is good when a reviewer likes it.
Isn't is more helpful, when a reviewer knows something about a real tone reproduction? Or is it ok, when he used every month another CD or LP he got for free, a kind of music nearly no one wants to listen to?
Harry Pearson used in the 90's always the same records for his reviews but that was an exception I think.
What is it worth for you when - for example - Mr. Dudley/Fremer/Valin/HP .... "likes" something? Do you have the same "taste" they have?
I know it is possible to like a Turntable even when that unit can't hold the proper speed, or is extremely sensitive to any influences, there are endless recommendations written about such units...what is it worth for you?
Atkinson for example measures units, some have top datas but they can sound very boring, far away from the real thing, some have no top datas, some "tests" are shortened because a unit can reach a area which can be pretty dangerous (see one of the latest Agostino units, just as an example) but they are rated Class A in recommendations anyway....
When someone "knows" what is right or not, then his "liking" is only a personal opinion which is more or less uninteresting or?
Most customers (not all of course) would prefer to know what a unit is really able to do sonically, or not? Would knowledge destroy the joy of Hardware rolling? Or is there a reason why reviewers use low efficiency speakers when they have a tube amp for review (for example Lamm ML2.1/ML2.2 with Magico Speakers)? Is the matching "expensive + expensive" the proper way to show competence?
128x128syntax
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
I give up...condescending asshats are too taxing to engage.
actusreus
733 posts
 
Raul,

Aha! I now understand why your posts are so painful to read and understand - you write them in Japanese!

You're preaching as if you were some sort of an audio oracle. You are not. You're just another audiophile with too much time on his hands who thinks he knows everything and he's always right. You may have quite a bit of audio knowledge, but you completely lack the ability to convey it, at least in my opinion. Perhaps it's your Japanese, I'm not sure, but I've learned very little from your essays on here, while I've learned a ton from others.

You keep calling everyone ignorant, but you come off as perhaps most ignorant poster on this board, your signature notwithstanding.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Raul, Since you prefer digital to analog now, have you abandoned your tonearm design? I have been waiting for your arm and Dertonarm's (Daniel's) arm designs for quite some time now. Where are the details? Has anyone heard or seen these two highly anticipated tonearms?

Since this is a thread about reviewers, perhaps someone has read a review of them.
lewm
13,038 posts
 
Dertonearm's tonearm is out and about, for about US$14K, if memory serves. (My memory does not always serve, so check it out for yourself.) Raul's is not far off, or so I am told privately.
manitunc
795 posts
 
In this month's Absolute Sound, Robert Harley responds to a letter writer with an explanation that sums up the review process very well. Anyone interested should give it a read, but essentially, a review is one persons opinion of a product heard at a certain time in a certain place with certain associated equipment and should only be used as a starting place, if at all, to narrow candidates for further investigation. He went on to say that he felt that the hi end audio press puts too much emphasis on reviews of equipment and that the only advantage to a professional review is perhaps the ability to form proper sentences, more exposure to different equipment, and the time to spend with a particular unit.

Anyone can do it, given enough dedication, but thats true of anything. I could probably pole vault if I tried hard and long enough. But being good at anything takes more than effort, it takes talent, whether its being a good writer, or a good listener.
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