NEW How To Use Polestar | Polestar Feedback

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Guys - I hope you all saw our newest feature here at AS called Polestar. Here is the introductory post - LINK

 

To access the feature, click the Polestar tab at the top of any page.

 

This forum topic is for instructions on how to use the feature and for people to leave feedback. Please note the feature is in beta and we are working out inevitable kinks. If we waited to perfect it, the feature would never be launched. Thanks in advance for your feedback and to those who helped during the Alpha stage. 

 

 

How To Use Polestar (Find, Review, Rate Products)

 

 

 

 

 

How To Add A Missing Product

 

 

[fas42]

As I'm sure you're aware, Chris, the Sort mechanism is still not working correctly ... I'll mention it here so people don't keep querying this ...

[The Computer Audiophile]

32 minutes ago, fas42 said:

As I'm sure you're aware, Chris, the Sort mechanism is still not working correctly ... I'll mention it here so people don't keep querying this ...

Yes, thank you Frank.

[One and a half]

Perhaps a series of checkboxes about the reviewer that could create some authenticity.

The checkboxes could be:

- Own this product

 - Heard at a friends'

- Heard at a show/dealer

- Read online review and want to make comments here

 

Maybe a rating for the review, the same as for posts, thanks, upvote, laughing, and the D....

How to stop the review from becoming a dissing match of opinions? That would be my worry.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

6 minutes ago, One and a half said:

Perhaps a series of checkboxes about the reviewer that could create some authenticity.

The checkboxes could be:

- Own this product

 - Heard at a friends'

- Heard at a show/dealer

- Read online review and want to make comments here

 

Maybe a rating for the review, the same as for posts, thanks, upvote, laughing, and the D....

How to stop the review from becoming a dissing match of opinions? That would be my worry.

 

Thanks for the feedback. 

 

I'm checking on our options for the items you mentioned. 

 

The reviews and ratings aren't a place for funny business. I will remove anything that isn't an authentic attempt to help others by leaving an honest review. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

14 minutes ago, One and a half said:

Maybe a rating for the review, the same as for posts, thanks, upvote, laughing, and the D....

I think this is what you're talking about. 

 

People can mark a review as helpful.

People can upvote/thank/like/laugh/etc... each review.

People can sort by newest or most helpful. 

 

 

[One and a half]

6 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I think this is what you're talking about. 

 

People can mark a review as helpful.

People can upvote/thank/like/laugh/etc... each review.

People can sort by newest or most helpful. 

 

 

Yes that interface is familiar and well used, that’s what was on my mind. 
To make an example of a headfi review, the op review of hardware is then commented on, and can and does spiral into meaningless conversation. Would you be willing to moderate quite a bit of nonsense which could be demanding. 
I’m thinking of cable reviews where a powder keg is just sitting and waiting.

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 hours ago, One and a half said:

Yes that interface is familiar and well used, that’s what was on my mind. 
To make an example of a headfi review, the op review of hardware is then commented on, and can and does spiral into meaningless conversation. Would you be willing to moderate quite a bit of nonsense which could be demanding. 
I’m thinking of cable reviews where a powder keg is just sitting and waiting.

Absolutely yes. Polestar isn't a place for comments or conversation. It will be an easy one to remove that kind of stuff because a moderator doesn't have to take into account the context of a conversation or anything. If it isn't an honest review, it's gone. 

[firedog]

Hi Chris-

A little unclear to me: do you want just the dry facts about devices, or also a short evaluation?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, firedog said:

Hi Chris-

A little unclear to me: do you want just the dry facts about devices, or also a short evaluation?

Thanks for the question.

 

Dry facts or even some marketing info goes into the main product page. Below that are the user reviews and ratings, just like any review. Can contain objective and / or subjective information. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Here's an example of a new pair of headphones I recently purchased. 

 

 

[austinpop]

I think one area where this would be super helpful is - cables. People tend not to talk about cables for fear of being crapped on and vilified. 

[austinpop]

Would it make sense to have price ranges as subcategories?

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 minutes ago, austinpop said:

Would it make sense to have price ranges as subcategories?

It might, but I'm not sure how to implement it without making it a mess. How do you envision this? Maybe we are thinking of two different things?

[mansr]

Awesome, it can sort by sort_cms_custom_database_9.field_45. I wish more sites had that option.

[austinpop]

USB cables under $100, 101-500, over $500.

 

For example...

[kirkmc]

On 2/6/2020 at 3:30 AM, One and a half said:

Perhaps a series of checkboxes about the reviewer that could create some authenticity.

The checkboxes could be:

- Own this product

 - Heard at a friends'

- Heard at a show/dealer

- Read online review and want to make comments here

 

Maybe a rating for the review, the same as for posts, thanks, upvote, laughing, and the D....

How to stop the review from becoming a dissing match of opinions? That would be my worry.

 

 

Perhaps another option: received review unit. 

 

And, if reviews specified how long the reviewer has had an item, that can be helpful. First impressions can be very different to impressions after a few months. 

[kirkmc]

12 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

It might, but I'm not sure how to implement it without making it a mess. How do you envision this? Maybe we are thinking of two different things?

You would really have to create different price categories for each type of item. I've seen some sites that use pricing indicators like this:

 

$

$$

$$$

$$$$

 

Where each level correlates to the average or expected price of the item in question. So a $$$$ pair of headphones might be the same actual price as a $$ amplifier. 

[mansr]

Why are all the sorting options descending? When choosing to sort by manufacturer, I'd expect the list to start with A, not Z.

[The Computer Audiophile]

37 minutes ago, mansr said:

Why are all the sorting options descending? When choosing to sort by manufacturer, I'd expect the list to start with A, not Z.

The sorting has a couple issues we are working out. 

[k-man]

I would move the ‘Master Clocks’ out of the DDC category to Accessories:

dCS Vivaldi MC

Auralic LEO GX reference MC

dcS Rossini MC

Mutec REF10 MC

 

[mlknez]

Perhaps a category for Preamps/Integrated Amps/AVRs

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, mlknez said:

Perhaps a category for Preamps/Integrated Amps/AVRs

Preamps go into the Analog Components category for now.

 

Integrated are amps, so for now they'll be in the amplifiers category. 

 

AVR is a new category that I should add. 

[mlknez]

24 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Preamps go into the Analog Components category for now.

 

Integrated are amps, so for now they'll be in the amplifiers category. 

 

AVR is a new category that I should add. 

 

Where would you put a product such as the Marantz AV-8805.  A preamp with both digital and analog processing with no amplifier built in?  It is a preamp but not analog only.  It is not an AVR as it has no amplifier.

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 minute ago, mlknez said:

 

Where would you put a product such as the Marantz AV-8805.  A preamp with both digital and analog processing with no amplifier built in?  It is a preamp but no analog.  It is not an AVR as it has no amplifier.

I would look at its most likely use and that's a preamp. Marantz calls it a preamp. For now let's go with this. It isn't perfect, but I don't know that these needs their own category for now.