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Do best of show awards have any impact on your buying decisions?
Best of show awards - impact?
- Thread starter Mike
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Big B
Member
Realizing it is just someone else's opinion. If it makes sense I would probably make some effort to go hear it and form my own opinion.
the professor
Well-known member
No
But, I find it interesting and use it to see how good/bad the reviewer is. It’s the only time where they actually compare things in the same conditions that the public hears them.
Most of the time even as they do their room to room write ups they just give the facts and say very little of any substance about the sound.
But, I find it interesting and use it to see how good/bad the reviewer is. It’s the only time where they actually compare things in the same conditions that the public hears them.
Most of the time even as they do their room to room write ups they just give the facts and say very little of any substance about the sound.
Myles B. Astor
Active member
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- Apr 5, 2013
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- 2,892
To be honest, they’re not under the same conditions. Not even close.
Porsche
Active member
nope
Michaels HiFi
Well-known member
Knowing how many of those awards are bought and paid for, not in the least.
Bones13
Active member
I’ll echo that while I do like to hear other’s opinions, I take it with the expected grain of salt. Not my room, frequently way more $ than I would spend. And I know that “next year” there will be the next new thing.
I like looking, and listening though…
I like looking, and listening though…
W9TR
Active member
The written reviews, show reports, online reviews, recommended components, Best of Show and owner testimonials are all a form of entertainment. I pay attention to them all.
I also look at objective performance measures and find those are a more accurate predictor of my ultimate satisfaction with a product.
I also look at objective performance measures and find those are a more accurate predictor of my ultimate satisfaction with a product.
the professor
Well-known member
I probably didn’t convey my thoughts correctly
A couple times, I’ve been in the room when the reviewer was in there. And certainly many times the same day. That’s what I meant when I said listening under the same conditions.
"Best of" accolades certainly altered me to the Avantgarde brand of speakers that I'd previously just ignored at audio shows because of their zany looks.
In 2002, after selling my excellent KEF Reference 107 speakers when the opportunity to buy a pair of ATC 50 Actives was offered, they turned out a big disappointment. At the time I was subscribed to Stereophile. I noted their Speakers of the Year were jointly, the Avantgarde Uno and an $85K Dynaudio system. I read Robert Deutch's excellently written multi-page review and got more excited with each page as he described exactly the sound I was looking for, a sound so absent from the ATCs. I arranged a short demo in a poor London basement showroom and ordered a pair with a good dealer discount. What a breath of fresh air! I kept these Unos for 17 years before selling them for precisely the price I paid for them new .
After unsuccessfully dabbling with electrostatics (they didn't like my difficult room), I bought used circa 2006 Duos and a few years ago a pair of new Duo XDs. Thanks to Stereophile and Robert for drawing my attention to this excellent brand. It’s such a shame they seem to have difficulties with distributors. I don't know the situation in the US but I understand it may not be ideal, and there is no distributor or dealer in the UK at present. Arranging for auditions of their current offerings would require a visit to their own showrooms in Germany.
PS - I take little notice of audio show reports or "best sound in show" remarks, particularly if offered by some Youtuber who probably has little if any more knowledge about the industry than me. With Stereophile's awards, at least you know what the winner has been judged against and it was from a consensus of "expert" reviewers. I know there are those who despise Stereophile, believing that their reviews are based on advertsing revenue the product may generate, but it's my most reliable written review, and one should be able to "read between the lines" when necessary - often if they don't think much of the item under review!
In 2002, after selling my excellent KEF Reference 107 speakers when the opportunity to buy a pair of ATC 50 Actives was offered, they turned out a big disappointment. At the time I was subscribed to Stereophile. I noted their Speakers of the Year were jointly, the Avantgarde Uno and an $85K Dynaudio system. I read Robert Deutch's excellently written multi-page review and got more excited with each page as he described exactly the sound I was looking for, a sound so absent from the ATCs. I arranged a short demo in a poor London basement showroom and ordered a pair with a good dealer discount. What a breath of fresh air! I kept these Unos for 17 years before selling them for precisely the price I paid for them new .
After unsuccessfully dabbling with electrostatics (they didn't like my difficult room), I bought used circa 2006 Duos and a few years ago a pair of new Duo XDs. Thanks to Stereophile and Robert for drawing my attention to this excellent brand. It’s such a shame they seem to have difficulties with distributors. I don't know the situation in the US but I understand it may not be ideal, and there is no distributor or dealer in the UK at present. Arranging for auditions of their current offerings would require a visit to their own showrooms in Germany.
PS - I take little notice of audio show reports or "best sound in show" remarks, particularly if offered by some Youtuber who probably has little if any more knowledge about the industry than me. With Stereophile's awards, at least you know what the winner has been judged against and it was from a consensus of "expert" reviewers. I know there are those who despise Stereophile, believing that their reviews are based on advertsing revenue the product may generate, but it's my most reliable written review, and one should be able to "read between the lines" when necessary - often if they don't think much of the item under review!
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BendingWave
Active member
Show reports are like bad restaurant reviews. Visiting rooms and saying this room did a good job, or the sound was good or bad doesn't sell magazines or get clicks so those stupid best of show lists are there for that.
How does it even make sense when they don't visit all the rooms? don't tell you which rooms they visited( unless it's on the list) and avoid some rooms on purpose. Yes this happens and it happens all the time. There are many rooms that will not get covered unless you pay, again sorry but true.
How does it even make sense when they don't visit all the rooms? don't tell you which rooms they visited( unless it's on the list) and avoid some rooms on purpose. Yes this happens and it happens all the time. There are many rooms that will not get covered unless you pay, again sorry but true.
Porsche
Active member
only reviews that matter to me is from the folks entering the room and enjoying our systems, it is nice to have visits from myles, fremer, Kneller, etc that stop by to take a listen but do not expect anything in return
BendingWave
Active member
just wait till they purposely avoid your room for some reason like you don't advertise. Its all politics and BS
Porsche
Active member
already had that happen from one of the other forums, was told they didn't come by cause they where focusing on ultra systems and advertisers, ironically I was on the fence at the time over becoming a advertiser/sponsor and had discussed it with them weeks before axpona,
BendingWave
Active member
well you arent the bad guy I am ...yet LOL
After attending many audio shows, I tend to look at the reviewers show reports as entertainment. I do compare their writings and video observations to my own impressions (when the coverage is on a show I’ve attended). Sometimes there are parallels on what I liked but there are also times of significant difference in opinions. Actually, sometimes so vastly different that those differences are hard to believe. I was once in a demo room at a show when a reviewer (who passed away a few years ago) walked in and offered video coverge and “Outstanding Award” for certain considerations. Clearly, the pay for coverage and show endorsement is a practice that is very much alive. So, buyer beware!
I’m a person that expects a high level of integrity and honesty. I do not purchase anything unless I spend the time and effort to do my own research and listen.
I’m a person that expects a high level of integrity and honesty. I do not purchase anything unless I spend the time and effort to do my own research and listen.
JCS123
Active member
Taking advertisers/sponsors out of the equation, restaurant reviews are a fairly good analogy.
There are a few people whose opinions I can trust when it comes to Mexican or Thai food. I don't claim to be an expert, but I know that people having similar tastes to me when it comes to these foods is a very real thing.
If an audio reviewer who I've learned has similar sound preferences to mine in general, and awards a product "best of show", I will be more likely to investigate that product further. (If the subjective review is backed up with measurements, all the better.)
So the short answer: Yes.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Mike and his family, staff and everybody here at AS!
There are a few people whose opinions I can trust when it comes to Mexican or Thai food. I don't claim to be an expert, but I know that people having similar tastes to me when it comes to these foods is a very real thing.
If an audio reviewer who I've learned has similar sound preferences to mine in general, and awards a product "best of show", I will be more likely to investigate that product further. (If the subjective review is backed up with measurements, all the better.)
So the short answer: Yes.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Mike and his family, staff and everybody here at AS!
Mr Peabody
Well-known member
No. And honestly that never occurred to me for some reason.
When thinking about it though there's been times I've been at the same show, a room was declared best of, that left me scratching my head.
For some reason in my mind I thought of the "best of" as being more subjective than an actual review. I do realize even reviews have to be taken with a grain of salt and still subjective as we all have our own preferences.
I've also noticed most of the time the "best of" are the rooms you wouldn't be able to consider unless hitting the lottery or 1%er.
When thinking about it though there's been times I've been at the same show, a room was declared best of, that left me scratching my head.
For some reason in my mind I thought of the "best of" as being more subjective than an actual review. I do realize even reviews have to be taken with a grain of salt and still subjective as we all have our own preferences.
I've also noticed most of the time the "best of" are the rooms you wouldn't be able to consider unless hitting the lottery or 1%er.
Dizzie
Well-known member
Looking at an old issue of TAS I saw two reviewers recommend MoFi Sourcedpoint 888's designed by Andrew Jones. Both recommend them as best sound at the Munich show when cost is considered. I recommended those to my sister even though they are above her budget. They may be Plan B if she does not find something less expensive she likes. I am little help to my sister in that regards because that is not the sandbox I play in so I needed external help.