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

Objectivity and sincerity are things to be valued. Just surely don’t ever expect both when it comes to marketing. Especially objectivity. You are likely to be greatly disappointed.

I learn about any interesting audio equipment solely through reviews from magazines, the internet, or YouTube videos. Over the years, I have purchased a very good system. The speakers, not listed, are the only items I would not buy without hearing them first.  The first time I listened to any of the electronics was in my home after the purchase based on what I had learned.

Denafrips Gaia DDC 
Denefrips Terminator Dac
PS Audio BHK Signature Pre Amplifier (tubed input stage)
Pass Labs X260.8 Mono Amplifiers (2)
Sony Blu Ray UBP-X800 CD/Blu Ray Player

Every piece listed above did exactly what I was looking for and expected based solely on the information sources I used.  I do not care how, why, or what alleged gains these writers received; their opinions were truthful and helpful.  Since I live in an audio wasteland state, Oklahoma, they were my only source of enlightenment.

I was sorta gratified to once read in … the absolute sound or stereo review, I forget which ….. that the reviewer felt that the Futterman OTLs that I own are among the 5 best amps of all time. But really, I read reviews these days mostly for entertainment. I’m not buying anything these days other than for maintenance. I’m set with my gear. And I got set by listening …. to the gear through my own ears, not through the ears of someone else as described in their (often silly, hyperbolic) reviews that can be so one-sidedly over the top as to read like paid editorial.  

Yeah ,I really remember reading them all back in the 60s n 70s..I took a break buying them now just read them at my Library along with Rolling Stone ...They alway gave good reviews...and no bad ones ...Hear you get more interesting information .