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Audio vs. Other Reviews

Compared to reviewing in other industries, it seems that audio has very very few poor reviews, and I wonder what the difference is. I read music review magazines and they have no problem giving something one star and calling it horrible. I used to read computer game review magazines and still read a copy now and then, and they, too, have no problem trashing a bad game. In both cases, there is a lot of gradation as well - things throughout the spectrum. Every review doesn't end with, "You should check this out, because it may just be what you're looking for!" as the worst it might say.

In pricier categories, car magazines tend to be a fair amount more critical than audio reviews. They also do fairly massive head-to-head comparisons, comparing, say, 10 sport coupes in single go, and rating them, something we're always asking of, but rarely receiving from, audio magazines.

So why is it that basically every audio review is positive? I realize that often, if you read between the lines, the reviews give you a lot of reasons to perhaps steer clear, but why so subtle? Is it really so much harder to do a head-to-head comparison of 10 integrated amps than the same number of luxury sedans? If audio magazines fear advertisers backlash, how do the car magazines deal with the same thing?

Or is it just that, on average, audio components are very capable, and that criticizing them would be unfair?
kthomas

Showing 1 response by bigtee

bigtee
803 posts
 
Who cares what reviewers say. Go out and do your own listening. Hell, everyone talks about this being so good and that blowing something away that I take everything with a VERY BIG grain of salt. I've heard differences in cable but to be honest, each one had an attribute that made it ok in some part of the frequency spectrum. I've never heard one that really gets it ALL right.
We have NO standard with which to judge equipment. Everybody hears differently. It's a hit or miss with whoever is doing the listening.
Cars and such are measured to a varifiable standard. Its easy to determine if this car is faster, quieter or whatever. We can test it. Too bad we can't test the "Perfect ear."
I'll give you an example. I had a few negative things to say about a Bryston B-60, that Stereophile reviewed so highly, in another article I wrote. I received personal e-mails at home telling me I didn't know what I was talking about. I feel after 35 years of playing around with this stuff that I am as qualified as the next to give my opinion. But that is what it was---just an opinion. I wasn't doing a survey to see if people agreed with it! A few years later other people are now "Hearing" the same things I heard(once the new was gone.)
So, go with what you like and damn the torpedoes. I'm not even going to tell someone who likes Bose their nuts! If you enjoy it so be it. Isn't that what this is all about or is it my woofer is better than yours crap!
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