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Does anyone on AG truly care anymore about objectivity & sincerity of Magazine reviews?

The latest cover story In the Absolute Sound triumphs the latest 3rd generation YG loudspeakers & their very best, latest technology. While the accolades commence (& do they ever), they only say, "the aluminum- coned midrange driver are carried over from the series 2" conspicuously omitting to mention nothing whatsoever has been done to it - ever (unlike virtually all their competitors who've had numerous major improvements to their MRs). It’s exactly the same driver that came with the speaker when it was first introduced decades plus ago. Their claims for it have not been verified by any 3rd party ever & no audio company has tried to copy their aluminum drivers ever, either. Entry level Paradigms perhaps, but they have the wisdom to understand aluminum cannot be made to compete with the beryllium they use on their upper end product.

Regarding the revised silk dome tweeter, "you may think your speakers excel in this area but until you’ve heard something like the 3s...you may have never heard true high frequency refinement". So a complete dismissal (with no comparisons of any kind of course) of all Diamond, Beryllium, ribbon, electrostatic etc. tweeters, just like that.

Is it just me or is there (from the Wizard of Oz) a clearly implied, "Ignore that man behind the curtain! !" message, as YG simultaneously has a full page, 4 color ad in the same issue & has been an extremely heavy advertiser for years in the magazine?

I’m reminded of the con man’s credo - You can fool some of the people all the time & all the people some of the time - & that’s enough. I had thought that’s not an especially good, long term business model. Maybe I’m wrong on this last, here.

john1

Showing 2 responses by fleschler

fleschler
2,041 posts
 

Among biased reviews for maintaining publishing/ad revenues, reviewers with alternate music/listening sensibilities and a systematic approach to audio equipment, I cannot wholeheartedly agree with most reviews. 

There are some products I own that have had such universal acceptance and/or accolades that make their reviews worthwhile.  Two immediate products come to mind that I own -Topping D70s DAC and the Dynavector 20X2 cartridge.  The Denon 103 cartridge is certainly another with many optional alterations.  Show me one negative review of the Von Schweikert speaker line since it's inception.  

I've read so many reviews by esteemed reviewers and then audition their reviewed equipment at stores, homes, and mostly at audio shows (with their room/system limitations) that I generally cannot trust reviews unless I've heard the specific equipment in my home with my systems to make my own decision.  

My profile notes what I currently use and do not intend to change.  I don't swap out equipment often and am set for decades to come now with a near SOTA system. 

fleschler
2,041 posts
 

@bdp24 Wow, J. Gordon Holt. I did not consider him as much as a reviewer as the authority on sound reproduction. I am probably one of a few music lover audiophiles who when I had the opportunity, to install activated carbon bass filtering in my custom built listening room. It works too! He suggested it 40 or 50 years ago (I’m 68 and reading about audio as you have since my youth). I still enjoy reading about new products.

@john1 My neighbor owns YG Sonja 2.3s. After improving his power cabling to Grover Huffman and adding Westmister Labs REI amps, I truly enjoy listening to music in his system but with caveats. They are wonderful for pop music, vocals, small ensembles. They are not enjoyable to listen to orchestral music or heavy rock as they sound small. I used to dislike nearly everything he played prior to the new cabling and amps. I’ve previously heard 5 prior amps in his system and did not like any sound compared to my system. Now, I can relax to pop and vocals at his house. He likes laid back orchestral sound without large dynamic contrasts so these speakers are perfect for him.

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