glupson,
’If we ignore speakers. do those British magazines ever do group tests of other higher-end equipment?’
No, sadly they don’t - and never have as far as I know.
For sure experienced reviewers like Ken Kessler will cover high-end products. I don’t know how well he’s known in the US, but being originally from the states he’s more likely to cover lesser known products from further afield but he’s a rarity, and doesn’t do group tests.
Other experienced reviewers like Alan Sircom will also take the occasional look at more esoteric gear but again no group tests.
In fact the UK press was so resolutely insular that many of us had no idea of what a Mackintosh amplifier was. Even a monumentally important companies such as Acoustic Research and JBL got very scarce coverage. Magnepan, Thiel, Macintosh, Wilson etc all got similarly short shrift.
For a long time 70s through to 80s the print media continuously pushed a very simple system building philosophy.
For a turntable you started with either a Dual cs505 or a Rega Planar 3 and then upgraded to a Linn LP12 when funds allowed.
For an amplifier you could start with either a Nytech / NAD 3020 and upgrade to an A&R A60 before moving on to pre/power stuff from Naim Audio.
Speakers were more complicated as there were various options ranging from AR, Heybrook, Mordaunt Short, Celestion, Gale, Goodmans, Wharfedale and many more.
Unsurprisingly many magazines still suggested Linn (who had an entire range back then) as a final loudspeaker destination. Thankfully I was never tempted to buy one. Especially so after hearing the fabled Linn Isobariks for the first time in the mid 1980s.
The feeling of being underwhelmed upon hearing such a highly vaunted (and highly priced) loudspeaker has never left me.
As I write this it becomes clear that there was a method behind the machinations of the British press, one that probably still applies today.
It seems as if they were only really interested in products which were available in the UK. That’s where their advertising came from, so it was in effect a cartel of UK manufacturers and UK dealers pushing mainly UK goods.
I think it’s fairly well known now how Linn/Naim in particular, financially pressured dealers with almost draconian measures to stock their products whilst excluding those from their rivals.
Bear in mind there was also considerable barely disguised hostility towards foreign products all in the name of misguided patriotism. In particular Japanese goods (cars, motorbikes and hi-fi) seemed to get a very bad press during the 1970s /80s.
Nevertheless they were able to eventually overcome these handicaps through mainly word of mouth and the odd helpful consumerist programme on TV such as ’That’s Life!’
It also didn’t hurt that they were giant multinationals too. Lesser companies, UK or overseas must have had a torrid time getting a look in.
I bet they still do, on both sides of the pond. I’d go further and argue that there is still a cartel in operation today comprised of manufacturers/dealers and press that renders it extremely difficult for newcomers to succeed.
In fact what are the big new audio success stories of recent times? I can only think of 2 - PMC Speakers and Zu Audio. So congrats to both!
Everyone else could do worse than carefully study them both.
’If we ignore speakers. do those British magazines ever do group tests of other higher-end equipment?’
No, sadly they don’t - and never have as far as I know.
For sure experienced reviewers like Ken Kessler will cover high-end products. I don’t know how well he’s known in the US, but being originally from the states he’s more likely to cover lesser known products from further afield but he’s a rarity, and doesn’t do group tests.
Other experienced reviewers like Alan Sircom will also take the occasional look at more esoteric gear but again no group tests.
In fact the UK press was so resolutely insular that many of us had no idea of what a Mackintosh amplifier was. Even a monumentally important companies such as Acoustic Research and JBL got very scarce coverage. Magnepan, Thiel, Macintosh, Wilson etc all got similarly short shrift.
For a long time 70s through to 80s the print media continuously pushed a very simple system building philosophy.
For a turntable you started with either a Dual cs505 or a Rega Planar 3 and then upgraded to a Linn LP12 when funds allowed.
For an amplifier you could start with either a Nytech / NAD 3020 and upgrade to an A&R A60 before moving on to pre/power stuff from Naim Audio.
Speakers were more complicated as there were various options ranging from AR, Heybrook, Mordaunt Short, Celestion, Gale, Goodmans, Wharfedale and many more.
Unsurprisingly many magazines still suggested Linn (who had an entire range back then) as a final loudspeaker destination. Thankfully I was never tempted to buy one. Especially so after hearing the fabled Linn Isobariks for the first time in the mid 1980s.
The feeling of being underwhelmed upon hearing such a highly vaunted (and highly priced) loudspeaker has never left me.
As I write this it becomes clear that there was a method behind the machinations of the British press, one that probably still applies today.
It seems as if they were only really interested in products which were available in the UK. That’s where their advertising came from, so it was in effect a cartel of UK manufacturers and UK dealers pushing mainly UK goods.
I think it’s fairly well known now how Linn/Naim in particular, financially pressured dealers with almost draconian measures to stock their products whilst excluding those from their rivals.
Bear in mind there was also considerable barely disguised hostility towards foreign products all in the name of misguided patriotism. In particular Japanese goods (cars, motorbikes and hi-fi) seemed to get a very bad press during the 1970s /80s.
Nevertheless they were able to eventually overcome these handicaps through mainly word of mouth and the odd helpful consumerist programme on TV such as ’That’s Life!’
It also didn’t hurt that they were giant multinationals too. Lesser companies, UK or overseas must have had a torrid time getting a look in.
I bet they still do, on both sides of the pond. I’d go further and argue that there is still a cartel in operation today comprised of manufacturers/dealers and press that renders it extremely difficult for newcomers to succeed.
In fact what are the big new audio success stories of recent times? I can only think of 2 - PMC Speakers and Zu Audio. So congrats to both!
Everyone else could do worse than carefully study them both.