HiFi Expensive in the Rip off UK

Good, solid evidence, then...

Not a clue what that means, and who are these 'they'?

Ah, so the fact we respond to very serious allegations of malpractice suggests guilt to you? That's ridiculous: I simply respond in what AC refers to as a 'robust' manner simply because I am sick of these allegations, not one of which has ever been backed up with a shred of evidence, about a magazine on which I have worked for over 20 years.

Which you haven't.

I'm disappointed. I thought someone had finally come here to accuse the magazine of iffy behaviour and really did have a very good, verifiable, source to back it up. Expecting dust, feathers, claws, desperate calls to to the legal team, the whole Haymarket edifice collapsing and it's owner going bankrupt.

What did we get instead?  It must have happened because it got rave reviews and you didn't  think it was any good. Ergo bent review.  

And failed.

...and you started it.

A piece of advice: if you make serious allegations at someone, make sure you have hard evidence to back it up. If you don't, admit that you went to far. Otherwise you'll end up looking like a fool who got carried away by his emotions...

Like, obviously. And of course, like, if you'd said nothing that would have been such an obvious sign you were guilty. Duh. 

He he. Reminds me of how we "tested" if women were witches in the dark ages here in Denmark. They were hog tied a put in a basin with water. If they floated it was a proof that they were guilty. If they sank, they were innocent...

Given the choice, I'd choose working for What HIFI...

I like how you had your hair then, you should go back to that look. 

Not sure: once one gets past the big 5-0-0, such a style might be seen to be trying too hard.

I actually used to own the A-400 and thought it was fantastic. Definitely not overrated IMO.

Hi Andrew E. I guess you can write? because due to your stupifying non-comprehension of english I'm having to write yet another post. Are you just trolling me? Wish I could PM.

"good solid evidence" I'm not giving evidence of the 80k frontpage, just something i read on another forum and i never stated it was true just something i read. Interesting to note the Facts, nice to get a response.

"Not a clue what that means, and who are these 'they'?"

Why do you take they as plural? It might be singular depending on context.

"Ah, so the fact we respond to very serious allegations of malpractice suggests guilt to you? That's ridiculous: I simply respond in what AC refers to as a 'robust' manner simply because I am sick of these allegations, not one of which has ever been backed up with a shred of evidence, about a magazine on which I have worked for over 20 years."

There you go again, introducing one of your words, "malpractice". This is what I meant when I said smoke, you are free to interpret how you like.

It's not an allegation, it's something someone told me about one of your reviews. Personally I find it strange you review the same old established brands for the last umpteen years and often find your reviews dont match up with my findings in the real world at all. Reviewing equipment objectively is possible and as such personal preference doesnt come into it. So you either have - strange synergy between your components, special review samples, non-representive listening rooms, unqualified reviewers or just ones who cant describe what they are hearing. Perhaps its me mis-hearig things time and again in different locations in different setups.

Perhaps I'm the only person to think this way though. As such one reader shouldn't be a concern to you, you could probably write it off as someone who knew no better. If potentially half the readership thinks this though (the half no longer reading), then you should wake up. Constantly look at the was you review gear and strive to improve so when you give 5 stars, people go and hear it and think, wow, this really is 5 stars glad i bought WHF. I understand a lot of people don't like real hifi though, they prefer something which just looks good. As such I hope you take this criticism in a good constructive way.

Maybe I've just missed all the issues where you review something I've never heard of from a small struggling company? Or something rediculously cheap. Perhaps you know your readership doesn't care for this and that's a marketing decision.

"Which you haven't."

I think a page or so of constant posts seems to suggest there is some feedback happening. Perhaps it's not what you were after in the way of - who said this  - but I did say somewhat qualified, im clearly not saying if you didnt realise by now. And if you are good investigative journalists then you should be able to find the 80k reference. I've wasted anough time on this thread.

Andy C

Useful reply at last, but still.. if things are objective then it's not a personal opinion. If a piece of equipment is not the reviewer preference then I would expect him to say, e.g. i dont like warm speakers but still mark them accordingly in his conclusion. An example from me is I personally dislike dynaudio (and my perception of their value) but understand they are fairly accurate and have friends that seem to love them, I probably hear/have heard a lot more live music though from organ-classical-pop-rock-acoustic-electro etc... so this influences me over another who hears mostly dance music in clubs. I guess in reviews it says - good for classical, good for rock, good for dubstep etc sometimes.

Thanks to an earlier reply about prices. Next time I'm looking for a brand I will look around europe, I notice amazon de sometimes has bargains but never really looked for hifi gear, currently mostly broke for hifi purchases. Anyhow, It's not good form to listen at a shop and buy somewhere else. I guess if it's a brilliant amazing shop then you buy there whatever and it's up to the shop to make you think about them so positively. Or just buy blind or from a review you read or advie in this forum. Dont know any hifi shops down south that I think are really passionate about thier gear/clients.

Wow it's late. Hope this was useful and someone appreciates my time, I could be reading a good book and listening to the new Foals album.

I too believe that everyone with a different opinion from me is either an idiot or corrupt.

I mean it's obvious that my opinion is correct, and I'm prepared to provide any amount of hearsay to back me up.

Now where's that troll emoticon...

Hvorfor kan du aldri finne en Trolljegeren når du trenger en?

Do Trolls come from Norway? You learn something new every day.

H2H

So all reviews are subjective opinions and no piece of equipment is better than any other. An amplifier is just wire with gain, although eq/processing has come a long way.

People should blindly accept everything if someone has like 10000 posts or is a reviewer.

Nobody exists in the world with experience, who is respect amongst their peers, and is qualified to say anything? Particularly if it might makes the reviewers / advertisers fearful.

Or

People who speak the hard truth and state their arguments clearly with feedback deserve to be bullied for fear of upsetting the status quo.

The status quo should be deaf (no pun), not accept any criticism or take anything on board from anyone.

Funny, I'm wrong not the reviewers. Only works one way. At least I'm open to discussion. I guess that's what happens when you experience a lot of average lazy people in the world. Choose friends wisely.