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Disappointing audition after great review

Ok, so I read the hi fi mags, in print and on line. I recently read a glowing review of speakers retailing in excess of $10,000. Then I found a dealer with the speakers on display. After listening I came away thinking what wa stat reviewer thinking? Also recently I tried a pair of headphones. Read a glowing review which touted its sonic quality and noted although they were heavy, they were comfortable to wear, even for hours. So I tried those headphones. After 5 minutes I could not wait to get them off.

Makes me wonder- are the reviews little more than shill ads? Sometime I think so.

On the other hand, there is one long time reviewer who seems to hear pretty much what I do. What he likes I like.

What's been your experience?
zavato

Showing 1 response by rja

rja's avatar
rja
2,382 posts
 

Lifted from a recent Legacy speaker ad: "Room resonances and reflections make up the majority of what reaches your ears".

IF this is TRUE then most speaker reviews, at least, would have little value considering that listening environments are so different.

So the only way a speaker review would be somewhat valid is if one possesses a very similar listening room and system. This doesn't even take into account variations in hearing acuity.

The reviewer may not be a SHILL at all, although perhaps some are, and the speaker may actually have sounded excellent under their particular circumstances. Whereas the same speaker may sound only mediocre under totally different circumstances.
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