Popular Post GregWormald Posted May 6, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 6, 2021 5 hours ago, semente said: If you were disappointed then you had high expectations. Where did those expectations come from? Reading magazine reviews? Watching Youtube videos? Buying into all that forum hype? Lesson learned the hard way unfortunately... Sorry. The first recommendation I make to any newcomer to this hobby is to ignore reviews (they're mostly just a cross between an infomercial and an opinion-led tasting session), learn how to interpret measurements and to correlate them with listening, and listen, listen, listen. Bying blind is too much of a gamble. Believing that magazines are there to help is a mistake. While it is always best to have a real, lengthy audition in your own home, that is getting less and less likely, so you'll have to find another way of reducing purchasing errors. IMO the way to use reviews goes something like this: Learn to separate real reviews from advertorials. Hint—advertorials are always over the top. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Real reviews always comment on the shortcomings as well as the positives. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Work out which reviewers seem to appreciate the same thing you do in music and secondarily, in sound. This means you have to read a lot! Work out what the consensus is among the reviewers that match your preferences? The wider the opinion gap, the more likely something is off somewhere. Work out what the reviewer has to gain from his review. Hint—the more gain, the more likely it is that the review is exaggerated. lucretius, Kal Rubinson and semente 2 1 Link to comment
GregWormald Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 15 hours ago, PhilBarone said: This is some great advice, I printed it out but I haven't seen reviews that are like the ones you describe. Where can I find them? Thank you! Phil They aren't awfully common, but they are out there, and by people who are skilled, insightful and wanting to inform and help others. Internet—YouTube, music and hi-fi forums, magazine back issues Hi-fi clubs, get-togethers, demonstrations, ask individuals, talk to salesmen (risky, but there are good ones out there—they usually don't denigrate the brands the don't sell) Do some auditions yourself and then you can compare what reviewers think. It doesn't have to be just about speakers to get an idea about them and their preferences. Libraries, book stores I know it's a bit of a hassle but you are spending good money on something that's supposed to give you pleasure for years. It's worth time and effort. (Remember the old saying: "Buy in haste, repent at leisure.") Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now