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Re: "The bottom line is that good hifi stores don't sell crap."


> > > "My point is most hifi stores sell equipment from manufacturers who volunteerily market their equipment through the magazines. It's almost guaranteed that any manufacturer that plays ball with the magazine will get a favorable review." < < <

Please clarify. Point to the review or reviews where this happened? Can you legitimately say that a crap component got a good review? Which? When? Oh, it's your subjective opinion regarding the nature of a review or events?

Your characterization of "most Hifi stores" is ludicrous. Most that have been at it long term are exceptional and doing the best they can with a diminishing 2ch market. I travel and visit the country's top dealers _weekly_. Where have you derived your experinece from? A fair question, no? Be specific.

IME, Top US Dealers are aware of RC but more importantly, they consider performance, market penetratrtion, custom application potential, production/application consistency, product delivery and system integration issues to be way ahead of magazine opinion.

> > > "Most hifi shops sell equipment expressly marketed through and recommended by the magazines* - and this is why they are most likely not good shops" < < <

Oy, you're kidding, right? What market are you following? Yes there is _some correllation_ at dealers to RC lists because of the broad range of the list! Are you suggesting good dealers adhere to the list despite their preferences and passions? I vehemently disagree. Those dealers are long since out of biz. The best 2Ch dealers are passionate, organized, directed and specific regarding the products they support, and none I am aware of base their stock on Rc lists, though certianly there is crossover.

No sane person views the RC list, or any other, as an absolute buying guide. People with a reasonable understanding of HE or those that seek great performance will inform themselves. They will seek direct experience, read reviews, even 'net opinion' before shortening their list of possibles. Then, they will seek direct experience through an authorized _dealer_-- or am I way off, here?

You seem to decry mags as mere marketing tools for Mfgrs. That we'd all be better off without them and their insipid, conniving ways? I couldn't disagree more. Well run magazines keep our hobby active and informed, and allow Manufacturers a venue to advertise (or is that evil?). The more venues for information, discussion, argument and derision the better. A great print or net magazine can keep the hobby going and the dialogue up to date. They offer informed opinion with historical background, stated bias, preferences and past opinions and reviews. Let's weigh that with a internet review opinion from someone named, um, "Gunther". No context, no system description, no idea whether he's the second cousin of the manufacturer, but because it's --net-- it's more credible? I _know_ this self-marketing nonsense goes on daily on the net.

Like I said in another post, a company's quality dealer base, reputation and position in the market place has a lot more to do with qualifying for a review than purchased ad space--pure and simple.

Sometimes, successful companies tend to advertise in industry magazines--I know that tantalizes your conspiracy Jones, but there it is. Everyone can be the judge and Jury.

> > > "Most hifi shops sell equipment expressly marketed through and recommended by the magazines* - and this is why they are most likely not good shops < < <

That is patently ridiculous based on my expereience and _requires_ you to state specifics- stores, salesman etc. There are extremely few top HE shops in the US I haven't been to, so I am interested in comparing notes? Name names, Don. You seem an astute audio explorer, I'm interested in your informed opinions. Who are the magazine sycophants and successful RC panderers that are ravaging unsuspecting consumers?

> > > "*And further if 90% of all equipment gets favorable or good reviews one has to conclude that the reviewed equipment could be barely medicre at best - as surely being better than 10% of reviewed equipment could hardly be considered exceptional. Yet dealers will stock this equipment and thus displace lesser known but considered "better" unreviewed brands from the dealer shelves."

I can only assume you are making what you say out of whole cloth because you back _none_ of it with even anecdotal support or experience.

Given thee breadth of the RC list, it's hard to be a dealer and represent _none_ of those products, which dilutes your opinions and conspiracy theories to their element--IMO.

What great products missed a review for lack of ads? You offer tons of opinion, but no specifics? Name names and we can get to specifics,

Regards,

Grant




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