The "how many reviews it got" rule


This is my rule of thump when I purchase components online
without having heard them first.  If a component received a
lot of reviews, chances are the component is very good.
I mean the component has to be good to attract a lot of
reviewers. Most reviewers probably wouldn’t
bother to review something he doesn’t like in the first place.
andy2

Showing 1 response by jphelps5

For audio reviews you have to re-calibrate what constitutes a bad review, it won't be the same as asking the advice of a buddy or someone on a forum. The term "damn with faint praise" comes to mind for poor pieces of gear.  The reviewer will typically point out a few minor positive qualities and say something like "careful gear matching is important." That's about as bad as it will get. 

I try to match up common characteristics across reviews, if 3 out of 4 reviews say that an amp has a wide soundstage then it usually does.  If all of the reviews say something different I become skeptical and take them all with a grain of salt.