2. amps-preamps
  3. 189182-96

Example of a piece o’ crap, useless review

I posted this originally in the Analog section as the review is of a turntable, but the point extends more generally and thought more people would get to see it here.

I’ve harped on how crappy and useless many “professional” reviews are because they lack rigor and omit critical information.  This one is from TAS that is a main offender of pumping out shallow/unsupported reviews, but most of the Euro mags among others are guilty of this too IME.  One key giveaway that a review is crap is that after reading it you still have little/no real understanding of what the piece under review actually sounds like or if it’s something you’d like to consider further.  I mean, if a review can’t accomplish those basic elements what use is it?  This review is so shallow it reads like it could’ve been written by someone who never even listened to the review sample and just made it up outta thin air.  In addition to failing on this broad level, here are some other major problems with the review:

- There is no info regarding any shortcomings of this “budget” turntable — everything is positive.  Sounds like it was perfect, ehem.

- There are no comparisons to another product in the same general price category or anything else.

- The reviewer doesn’t even share what equipment is in his reference system so we can at least infer what he may have based his impressions on.

In short, in addition to this review being so bad/useless for all the reasons stated it actually reads more like advertisement for the product than an actual unbiased review.  I can think of nothing worse to say about a review, and sadly many reviews out there are similarly awful for the same reasons.  Sorry for the rant, but especially as a former reviewer this piece of garbage pushed all my buttons and really ticked me off.  What say you?

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/sota-quasar-turntable-and-pyxi-phonostage/

soix
uncleang
106 posts
 

The problem in this hobby is that there is no baseline. If every reviewer would start with the same speakers, amp, etc then a comparison would be meaningful.

Since every reviewer has a different setup and all of us have different setups the variations are endless and so are the subjective outcomes.

There isn't a baseline for ones sonic preferences either.

 

soix OP
8,663 posts
 

There isn't a baseline for ones sonic preferences either.

@uncleang  Sure there is.  It’s your own ears and they’re the best possible baseline you could have.

doni
310 posts
 

But nobody else has your ears.

ryder
1,682 posts
 

I used to buy hifi magazines when I was in my teens until the early twenties. I stopped reading the mags approaching 30 when I realize it's a waste of time (and money). 

tom2015
88 posts
 

So in the end it is a business for the professional reviewers. If they were to give critical reviews about specific products other manufacturers will avoid them as it could stop the business for a small manufacturer. So in mutual dependency we only get great reviews. Other comment in the past from Stereophile was that they would not review bad sounding products in the first place. But how would you know beforehand? 
 

In summary, for me, 3 comments form this forum saying the same thing > the professional review of the item. 

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