Who is Michael Fremers'

Raul, I'll be the one at the Zocalo WITH clothes. :)

Speedy, I like you better when you aren't such a milk toast.

>>Speedy, I like you better when you aren't such a milk toast.<<

You mean when he was playing "Pointdexter" on television? I loved that pocket protector he wore. It was sirdweeby at his best.

Don't laugh,the "poindexter gig" paid good money.I paid for my system with that "dough".The pocket protector sold on E-Bay,for serious dollars.

I find that the reader must be intelligent enough to understand the listening bias of the reviewer and learn to read between the lines at times. I find most reviewers consistent to their biases. Certainly, some are gifted writers helping our hobby grow. They often inspire new interest and often entertain us within the hobby.

There is no mistaking that a reviewer is human. They can be wrong or off base at times. Instead of being upset with the reviewer, I would suggest the reader needs to be intelligent enough to know that a review is only a guide. The consumer must decide for themselves.

I have learned through vast experience that all changes are room and system dependant. I can go to a friends house and he can claim that he has a remarkable improvement in sound. I can leave without being impressed.

I remain even more confused on absolutes due to the fact that I have listened to extremely similar systems in different rooms (both rooms designed for sound) and had completely different experiences.

Both rooms used the EMM Stack, w. Wilson Maxx IIs and Halcro amplification. Both used the same cables. One used the EMM preamp, the other a VTL preamp. Without indicating which room I preferred, I left one in shock of how lifelike the presentation was. The other room sounded just like a great stereo system. It just didn't have the magic of the other system.

What does this tell me? That if the same system can sound different, how can we expect a reviewer to echo everyone’s opinion.

The Dynavector XV-1s is a perfect example. Loved by most, but hated by a few. Is it the tonearm? Does the person have the right system? Can we trust the person's ears or listening bias? Maybe it was just bad luck.

While reviewers can be biased and advocate something they like or prefer, we must be reviewers ourselves. That is the great thing about this forum and others.

This past year Time Magazine's Man of the Year is a mirror. This truly echoes the importance of each of us. Nothing has contributed more to this than the internet. We are the reviewer, we are the consumer and we can make or break a company. I often purchase electronic equipment based on user reviews. I read the reviewers article, but qualify it with the user comments posted afterwards. I am not the first to purchase but benefit from the experience of others. Most reviewers know that they are subject to public scrutiny in today’s age. What a wonderful time we live in.

Dear Thom: +++++ " To the point of all of this, let's not construe anything dirty about trying to get a certain full function preamp into Mikey's hands for commentary. At the same time, Raul, please don't let anyone mistake that either you or I are wearing a crown of thorns.

As much as we love music and hi-fi, making a product "real" by manufacturing it is a lot of hard work and deserves a proper reward. There is nothing impure or shameful about this, and you needn't hide behind a shroud of benevolence. " +++++

No, I don't. We have at least three magazine offers ( no Stereophile and I never ask MF to do it.) to make the Essential review and we have to refuse because we are not ready for a lucky " rave magazines reviews ". Let me explain it: we build unit by unit by hand ( no mass production system. ) testing/ measuring every single stage ( and I don't mean with " single stage " for example the line stage or the MC stage, no I'm reffering to several " single stages " inside that big line/MC stage. ) before we are satisfied, very time consuming ( but we like it that way and we don't want to change our very high build quality execution. ), for example our RIAA calibration is a " weeks " time consuming not only because we must to achieve ( at least ) an accuracy of 0.015db but because that accuracy must stay in that way over long run conditions, complex!!!! We are trying to reduce our build/test system production and when we think that it is time then you can be sure that I could ask for those magazine reviews that IMHO every serious audio manufacturer needs.

Thom, this is excatly what move me to ask MF about the MC2 review: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1177643811&openflup&27&4#27

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.