How can we improve?

[Mike]

How can the industry improve if we only get “best”, “new reference”, “ground breaking”, etc reviews?

It’s amazing to me when I see this stuff that nobody is talking about the packaging, instructions, connections, finishing, etc. Forget the sound, that’s subjective. But are these guys seriously saying every product is perfect?

Just remember what the VAC Master 300 amp looked like before I told Kevin I didn’t like the look? What if we all just blew smoke? It would still look this:

Instead of like this:

 

[JCS123]

I can understand not wanting to do negative reviews, but you're right - I gave up on the site that hails the product of the month to be "the pinnacle", "the end of the search", etc.... only to be bested the next time a review sample comes in.

That kind of reviewing in itself creates negativity - I get upset at having wasted my time and untrusting of the reviewer. Just my 2¢.

 

[mep]

How can the industry improve if we only get “best”, “new reference”, “ground breaking”, etc reviews?

It’s amazing to me when I see this stuff that nobody is talking about the packaging, instructions, connections, finishing, etc. Forget the sound, that’s subjective. But are these guys seriously saying every product is perfect?

Just remember what the VAC Master 300 amp looked like before I told Kevin I didn’t like the look? What if we all just blew smoke? It would still look this:

Instead of like this:

Reviewers are not supposed to be product designers and offer their opinions to audio manufacturers on how to make the exterior of their products look sexier to audiophiles.

Since you are both a dealer and distributor, you have a voice in that arena.

 

[Michaels HiFi]

Reviewers are not supposed to be product designers and offer their opinions to audio manufacturers on how to make the exterior of their products look sexier to audiophiles.

Where is that rule written?

 

[Mike]

Reviewers are not supposed to be product designers and offer their opinions to audio manufacturers on how to make the exterior of their products look sexier to audiophiles.

Since you are both a dealer and distributor, you have a voice in that arena.

Whenever I watch reviews on everything from Ice Makers to automobiles to outdoor pizza ovens, the reviewers all talk about the look of the product, the quality of the packaging, the design, the ease of use and many other factors. I think it would be interesting to get audio reviewers opinion on things like the quality of packaging, the ease of instructions, the overall design or quality or look of the product, initial ease of use, etc. For example, did they find it difficult to connect the XLR cables in the back of the unit because of some aesthetic aluminum overhang which serves no purpose other than to frustrate you trying to connect or disconnect a cable (real example)? Was the device unreceptive to a big chunky audiophile power cord (another real example)? Was the device so light that a big chunky power cord caused the device not to sit flat due to its weight? Maybe talk about the quality of the footers (example: I remember the Blue Hawaii headphone amp coming with sharp spikes only and scratching the hell out of some of our racks).

These are all things we experience every single day with products, surely reviewers must do as well. I rarely if ever hear these other things being discussed regarding audio reviews. But they are part of other product reviews for nearly everything.

Just a thought….

 

[GSOphile]

I liked the comparos you guys used to do.

 

[mep]

Whenever I watch reviews on everything from Ice Makers to automobiles to outdoor pizza ovens, the reviewers all talk about the look of the product, the quality of the packaging, the design, the ease of use and many other factors. I think it would be interesting to get audio reviewers opinion on things like the quality of packaging, the ease of instructions, the overall design or quality or look of the product, initial ease of use, etc. For example, did they find it difficult to connect the XLR cables in the back of the unit because of some aesthetic aluminum overhang which serves no purpose other than to frustrate you trying to connect or disconnect a cable (real example)? Was the device unreceptive to a big chunky audiophile power cord (another real example)? Was the device so light that a big chunky power cord caused the device not to sit flat due to its weight? Maybe talk about the quality of the footers (example: I remember the Blue Hawaii headphone amp coming with sharp spikes only and scratching the hell out of some of our racks).

These are all things we experience every single day with products, surely reviewers must do as well. I rarely if ever hear these other things being discussed regarding audio reviews. But they are part of other product reviews for nearly everything.

Just a thought….

Pointing out obvious flaws in the design like jack's and binding posts that are spaced too close to use with audiophile cables is one thing. Redesigning an existing product like you did with Kevin is not a reviewer's job.

 

[Mike]

Pointing out obvious flaws in the design like jack's and binding posts that are spaced too close to use with audiophile cables is one thing. Redesigning an existing product like you did with Kevin is not a reviewer's job.

True. I was just thinking if you found something frustrating, the manufacturer may not even know (or care to be fair), but it’s worth mentioning.

 

[Michaels HiFi]

True. I was just thinking if you found something frustrating, the manufacturer may not even know (or care to be fair), but it’s worth mentioning.

The legacy 'reveiwers' staying stuck in the past is a large part of what's led to their being largely irrelevant today.

Jay will get more views and sell more product with his videos in a day than the legacy media will in 6 months.

 

[Mikado463]

'Subjective experience is not the most reliable indicator of objective reality'

a tag line from the signature of a member on another forum that I like............

 

[mep]

True. I was just thinking if you found something frustrating, the manufacturer may not even know (or care to be fair), but it’s worth mentioning.

Agreed.

 

[Mr Peabody]

I suppose it's good he's putting it out there. I personally wouldn't waste my time reading anyone's reviews that are positive all the time. Especially to the point he won't even review something he doesn't like. That's why I don't read What Hi-Fi.

I can see if the product was so bad it didn't have anything good to say. You can point out aspects you don't like without trashing or bashing. Like someone said on another thread you have to learn to read between the lines.

 

[BendingWave]

Whenever I watch reviews on everything from Ice Makers to automobiles to outdoor pizza ovens, the reviewers all talk about the look of the product, the quality of the packaging, the design, the ease of use and many other factors. I think it would be interesting to get audio reviewers opinion on things like the quality of packaging, the ease of instructions, the overall design or quality or look of the product, initial ease of use, etc. For example, did they find it difficult to connect the XLR cables in the back of the unit because of some aesthetic aluminum overhang which serves no purpose other than to frustrate you trying to connect or disconnect a cable (real example)? Was the device unreceptive to a big chunky audiophile power cord (another real example)? Was the device so light that a big chunky power cord caused the device not to sit flat due to its weight? Maybe talk about the quality of the footers (example: I remember the Blue Hawaii headphone amp coming with sharp spikes only and scratching the hell out of some of our racks).

These are all things we experience every single day with products, surely reviewers must do as well. I rarely if ever hear these other things being discussed regarding audio reviews. But they are part of other product reviews for nearly everything.

Just a thought….

reviews have become reports... period. IMO if the reviewer can't tell me what is different about the product versus the competetion then I do not see the worth. I dont want to be told what's better, highly subjective and questionable, but what are the strengths and weaknesses versus the competition. How does this product differ from product B? This is helpful rather than 10 pages of boilerplate and the same conclusion " certainly worth looking at if you want one of these things"

 

[MontanaJoe]

Whenever I watch reviews on everything from Ice Makers to automobiles to outdoor pizza ovens, the reviewers all talk about the look of the product, the quality of the packaging, the design, the ease of use and many other factors. I think it would be interesting to get audio reviewers opinion on things like the quality of packaging, the ease of instructions, the overall design or quality or look of the product, initial ease of use, etc. For example, did they find it difficult to connect the XLR cables in the back of the unit because of some aesthetic aluminum overhang which serves no purpose other than to frustrate you trying to connect or disconnect a cable (real example)? Was the device unreceptive to a big chunky audiophile power cord (another real example)? Was the device so light that a big chunky power cord caused the device not to sit flat due to its weight? Maybe talk about the quality of the footers (example: I remember the Blue Hawaii headphone amp coming with sharp spikes only and scratching the hell out of some of our racks).

These are all things we experience every single day with products, surely reviewers must do as well. I rarely if ever hear these other things being discussed regarding audio reviews. But they are part of other product reviews for nearly everything.

Just a thought….

totally agree.

AND HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE if in addition to the packaging, instructions, etc. these audio gear IF they would also incorporate something like Shunyata's "Cable Cradle" so all these heavy and bulky power cords stay in place instead of all us having to jury rig our racks with absurdly expensive cable holders that maintain at best a tenuous connection with our amp, preamps, DACs, etc. We all love to rationalize about little tweaks here and there BUT how important is a solid connection between a power plug and device? Some of us spend tens of thousands on battery devices, power conditioners, etc. yet the basic connection to our devices is tenuous dependent on some block, cable cradle supported by ever growing screw in rods, etc. It's laughable that whether it is a product that cost 80 dollars or 300K dollars our cables are not only at risk of disconnecting BUT even breaking their inputs on these devices.

 

[Mike]

totally agree.

AND HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE if in addition to the packaging, instructions, etc. these audio gear IF they would also incorporate something like Shunyata's "Cable Cradle" so all these heavy and bulky power cords stay in place instead of all us having to jury rig our racks with absurdly expensive cable holders that maintain at best a tenuous connection with our amp, preamps, DACs, etc. We all love to rationalize about little tweaks here and there BUT how important is a solid connection between a power plug and device? Some of us spend tens of thousands on battery devices, power conditioners, etc. yet the basic connection to our devices is tenuous dependent on some block, cable cradle supported by ever growing screw in rods, etc. It's laughable that whether it is a product that cost 80 dollars or 300K dollars our cables are not only at risk of disconnecting BUT even breaking their inputs on these devices.

The Furutech Cable Cradle works really well.

I use them at home with all my big shunyata power cords.

 

[MontanaJoe]

The Furutech Cable Cradle works really well.

I use them at home with all my big shunyata power cords.

That is what I use as well. Point is I have all these posts all over my room, despite all those things crawling to new heights and jutting out from the back of my rack or the floor, now five of them, the power cords are still not as secure as they would be with a simple OEM Shunyata cable cradle install for a few bucks for the American markets. The cables attached to the back of my Everest never come loose. A slight move of power cords, for whatever reason, could cause them to disconnect from my amp/pre/DAC, etc.

It would be a simple add on for them was the point I was making in addition to the other points of packing, looks, etc.

 

[mep]

That is what I use as well. Point is I have all these posts all over my room, despite all those things crawling to new heights and jutting out from the back of my rack or the floor, now five of them, the power cords are still not as secure as they would be with a simple OEM Shunyata cable cradle install for a few bucks for the American markets. The cables attached to the back of my Everest never come loose. A slight move of power cords, for whatever reason, could cause them to disconnect from my amp/pre/DAC, etc.

It would be a simple add on for them was the point I was making in addition to the other points of packing, looks, etc.

Cable bras were invented because cable companies thought it would be good to build power cables the diameter of fire hoses with massive weighty connectors. Stereo gear was not designed to handle the weight/stress of these cables and connectors and that's why the cable connectors pull away from the sockets they are connected to on your stereo gear, your wall sockets and power 'conditioners.' Cable bras to the rescue...

 

[Mr Peabody]

Whenever I watch reviews on everything from Ice Makers to automobiles to outdoor pizza ovens, the reviewers all talk about the look of the product, the quality of the packaging, the design, the ease of use and many other factors. I think it would be interesting to get audio reviewers opinion on things like the quality of packaging, the ease of instructions, the overall design or quality or look of the product, initial ease of use, etc. For example, did they find it difficult to connect the XLR cables in the back of the unit because of some aesthetic aluminum overhang which serves no purpose other than to frustrate you trying to connect or disconnect a cable (real example)? Was the device unreceptive to a big chunky audiophile power cord (another real example)? Was the device so light that a big chunky power cord caused the device not to sit flat due to its weight? Maybe talk about the quality of the footers (example: I remember the Blue Hawaii headphone amp coming with sharp spikes only and scratching the hell out of some of our racks).

These are all things we experience every single day with products, surely reviewers must do as well. I rarely if ever hear these other things being discussed regarding audio reviews. But they are part of other product reviews for nearly everything.

Just a thought….

I don't know about so much now reviewers used to give that type of information.

I remember comments on things like double boxing, weight, difficulty of placement, etc. As you mentioned I read a review of a Class D amp where the reviewer mentioned his power cable lifted the amp up. It's not like you mentioned anything that we haven't already gotten. It may have gone by the wayside in error, IMO

Something else mentioned in the video, I don't know about wining and dining I see no problem with a manufacturer or rep helping with set up and giving a rundown on the item in question. Seems it would ensure the reviewer hears the product at its best and the reader gets pertinent information..

 

[Mike]

I don't know about so much now reviewers used to give that type of information.

I remember comments on things like double boxing, weight, difficulty of placement, etc. As you mentioned I read a review of a Class D amp where the reviewer mentioned his power cable lifted the amp up. It's not like you mentioned anything that we haven't already gotten. It may have gone by the wayside in error, IMO

Something else mentioned in the video, I don't know about wining and dining I see no problem with a manufacturer or rep helping with set up and giving a rundown on the item in question. Seems it would ensure the reviewer hears the product at its best and the reader gets pertinent information..

Yes agreed. No issues with setup assistance. Seems kind of ignorance otherwise. Now, that could be FaceTime too.

I was just thinking about things like set screws visible, packaging, manual (I like a paper manual), difficulty with connections, quality of binding posts (my pet peeve), etc.

P.S. Pass binding posts on their main amps are my favorite.