I'm always amazed at the reaction of so many people when they all shift their attention to "the-best-I-ever-heard" product reported by a reviewer or two. We all have our preferences and compromises and of course a brand or two that we have been very successful with. But the IAR situation just simply gets old after awhile. The ridiculous VTM200 amp review is a case in point. Gosh, does this publication ever change?
Yes, ARC and McCormack do indeed make some great products, but when they come out as the best by one reviewer year after year after year, this indicates a few things: 1) are all the other designers of audio gear unable to produce "equally" musical gear? 2) is the reviewer simply having a tough time getting out of his/her little box? - almost sounds like religious devotion instead of subjective reviewing; 3) and when such "best" claims are made, what context is this? .... a brief listen of each in completely different rooms and setups? ... or was it an extended session where one amp was exchanged for the other a few times?
And is the McCormack the best SS amp to drive something like Apogee Scintillas or the MBL 101 speakers? Or was it found to the prefered amp to drive the reviewer's favorite Vandersteen or Thiel speaker? Choosing an amp has everything to do with the speaker it is to drive.
Without the reviewer listing the competitive products in the comparison, such "best" statements are of zero value. And even then, it is in the context of the reviewer's priorities that are often far different than our own.
Using the "live performance" as the definitive reference is a fine goal, but I can't get the orchestra in my room nor can I get my system into the orchestra hall. And the room is a huge factor in itself. So this ultimately does not work very well either.
John
Yes, ARC and McCormack do indeed make some great products, but when they come out as the best by one reviewer year after year after year, this indicates a few things: 1) are all the other designers of audio gear unable to produce "equally" musical gear? 2) is the reviewer simply having a tough time getting out of his/her little box? - almost sounds like religious devotion instead of subjective reviewing; 3) and when such "best" claims are made, what context is this? .... a brief listen of each in completely different rooms and setups? ... or was it an extended session where one amp was exchanged for the other a few times?
And is the McCormack the best SS amp to drive something like Apogee Scintillas or the MBL 101 speakers? Or was it found to the prefered amp to drive the reviewer's favorite Vandersteen or Thiel speaker? Choosing an amp has everything to do with the speaker it is to drive.
Without the reviewer listing the competitive products in the comparison, such "best" statements are of zero value. And even then, it is in the context of the reviewer's priorities that are often far different than our own.
Using the "live performance" as the definitive reference is a fine goal, but I can't get the orchestra in my room nor can I get my system into the orchestra hall. And the room is a huge factor in itself. So this ultimately does not work very well either.
John