Reviewers get equipment from companies by the truckload and often don't know exactly what piece they are getting. When we buy something it has been carefully researched, and usually auditioned, at least in the store or often at home. Sometimes we get to hear things in the homes and systems of fellow lunatics, I mean audiophiles!
How many of us luna... er, audiophiles really buy something without having any experience with the company or product.
I have bought a Krell FPB 200 without hearing that particular model before I bought it, but Krell amps were not an unknown quantity to me. I also bought a Krell KRC 2 without hearing that model, but I had another Krell pre-amp before the KRC and I had spent a lot of time with other Krell pre-amps.
I would not buy a Levinson amp on AudiogoN because I have never listened to Levinson gear. That doesn't mean it isn't as good as Krell, it just means I don't know enough about it to take the chance.
I was in the market for speakers earlier this year. As it turns out I ended up buying them locally. This was not because I didn't look on AudiogoN and couldn't find anything. There were lots of speakers. Unfortunately there were very few that I had listened to, and was familiar with their sound.
If I had bought a pair on AudiogoN they would have been a good pair to review since they would have been an unknown quantity, and my situation would have been more like that of the average reviewer.
How many of us luna... er, audiophiles really buy something without having any experience with the company or product.
I have bought a Krell FPB 200 without hearing that particular model before I bought it, but Krell amps were not an unknown quantity to me. I also bought a Krell KRC 2 without hearing that model, but I had another Krell pre-amp before the KRC and I had spent a lot of time with other Krell pre-amps.
I would not buy a Levinson amp on AudiogoN because I have never listened to Levinson gear. That doesn't mean it isn't as good as Krell, it just means I don't know enough about it to take the chance.
I was in the market for speakers earlier this year. As it turns out I ended up buying them locally. This was not because I didn't look on AudiogoN and couldn't find anything. There were lots of speakers. Unfortunately there were very few that I had listened to, and was familiar with their sound.
If I had bought a pair on AudiogoN they would have been a good pair to review since they would have been an unknown quantity, and my situation would have been more like that of the average reviewer.