Honest Reviewers ?

I have read many reviews from stereophile and absolute sound. All I can say is this. Do not buy based on what they say. After reading thier reviews (I won't mention the reviewer's name here) I was disgusted in thier review of cables, amps and many other front ends. I know this because I personally have owned most of these ultra expensive high ends and have found the hard way that synergies do matter and that most of the reviews (based on their associated equipments) are complete waste of readers time. A person who is looking to purchase a $20,000 amp is most likely not going to use with $100 cables, or some low front end that costs $1000. These reviewers at Stereophile should get real. Where do they get these goofs anyway. Their reviews are off and by a big margin in most cases. Hopefully you can befriend someone who has personally owned the equipments you are looking to buy and ask for honest opinion. Because these reviews are half nit-wits. There are however few good one's as well in both magazines, but even they do not have the courage to say, this product is not worth the cost, or even state honestly on the product performance. It is interesting that there are reviewers out there who are writers, with bad hearing, and lack of experience in high end. Having been n the audio industry since 1983 and seeing the evolution of high end, it is comical to see some of these jokers writing reviews. They should be transcribers and reviewers.

Well, as a musician once said, "writing about music is like dancing about architechture." There comes a point where searching the lexicon yields diminishing returns and futility, especially when trying to describe the elusive properties of sound and music. But I would agree there is a suspicious plethora of glowing reviews. I'm new to the audiophile world, but as a professional pianist and studio musician, one exception I've found are the reviews found at Mix Magazine's Field Test Archive, http://www.mixonline.com/resources/ftesttoc.cfm. While the reviews are on professional recording equipment (and you guys should consider Genelec 1029A's, Westlake Audio or Meyer Sound Labs for loudspeaker alternatives), most are objectively reported in real-world applications, and many are accompanied by lab bench tests to support the conclusions. Another exception is Keyboard Magazine, which is far more objective and willing to call an overpriced heap what it is. Wish I could have found the same objective comments online or in mags, but ended up talking to Albert Von Schweikert on the phone before purchasing a used set of VM-2's, and am quite happy with them.

GENTLEMAN,let your ears be the judge,we are in a hobby where money and profit levels dictate the sonic quality of a product.just read the first few pages of the hi-end audio magazines,it's mainly discouraged audiophiles who's had it with HI-END.NOW some companies are thinking of offering warranties on second hand equipment,does that come with a 136 point inspection?PERHAPS of YOUR WALLET.

A wide range of opinion is expressed in the previous responses, however, the question of honesty is never really addressed. The question of the relationship on advertising dollars on editorial content is addressed. The question of whether reviews are being sold for money or equipment is never quite covered. Possibly Carl_Eber comment in a different thread is applicable, let your ears make their own judgements. Trust your ears, reviewers are only a crude guide at best. Some are better than others, some have no context at all, however, better yet, if you are going to spend megabucks on equipment, develop your own context to evaluate equipment and then use reviewers whose observations are verified by your experience as a starting point in your search for the ultimate.

Thanks for the positive comment, "underdressed". Lately, I've been spending too much time talking to women in forums, and wouldn't you know it, I wind up arguing with them too!