HiFi Expensive in the Rip off UK

But you're not speaking "the hard truth", you're repeating unsubstantiated rumours.

As someone whom worked for WHF for 10+ years, and is now on 'the other side', I can tell you it is IMPOSSIBLE to buy a good WHF review, or even to guarantee any editorial coverage.

I encounter media every day where I know I can 'pay to place' - ie advertising guarantees coverage. That simply isn't the case with WHF, which enjoys editorial independence.

Long may that continue, however nerve-wracking it is waiting to see what WHF star rating you're going to get. (The last product one of our brands submitted got 3 stars, incidentally. A brand that has spent tens of thousands of pounds advertising in WHF over the past few years).

When in a hole, stop digging.  You can't / won't even back up your own baseless & source-less allegations.  No links, no names, no direct quotes. Just some vague and rambling drivel which ultimately consists of  "I got it from some bloke on the internet" and...  "I don't agree with your reviews so you must all be bent".

If I was a moderator I wouldn't hesitate to ban you for making unfounded accusations regarding advertisers paying for reviews. You should be grateful that the actual staff and moderators are a lot kinder than I am.

You are not even very good at it.  We have (and have had) some bl---y marvellous, funny and intelligent trolls on this website and you are letting the side down!

Haha, I can certainly vouch for this situation!

We (Acoustic Energy) have had our share of average reviews, 5-Stars and Awards as well, but It may surprise certain people to hear that we won WHF "Product of the Year" awards for three years running during a period we weren't even advertising - and on the flip-side got some 4-Stars a couple of years back when we'd committed to a year's worth. I've never heard anything about prices being offered for the front cover, you pay more for an inside front or back cover advert but it's certainly not £80k!

The review staff give away nothing (positive or negative) about your product and from chats I've had in the past at shows don't even seem to know the advertising department. The discussions with the reviewers are largely limited to dropping off of product and then perhaps answering a few questions via email and that's it, nothing more is let on. We found out about our latest review outcome when a shop called to congratulate us becasue they'd got their sub copy of the mag!

We may or may not always agree with the outcomes of reviews but I firmly believe that the vast majority of the Hi-Fi press that remain (at least in the UK) are fair and truthful about product which can only really be reviewed subjectively. Measurements don't always mean that much in the real world and of course the bigger names and more popular products will be promoted and mentioned more, but then that is the case in all media.

It's the reviewer's personal opinion at the end of the day, if you trust that particular person or magazine's opinion then it will matter to you, if you don't it won't.

Always try product that appeals to you for yourself regardless of what reviews say, they are a guide, not a set of rules that must be followed.

Indeed: as I explain here, the idea of 'cheap Chinese manufacture' is fading fast

Thank you Clare and AEJim for explaining the true facts. Much appreciated.

Am I the only brand to take this complete and utter rubbish as an insult ?

Seriously - the OP heard that if you spend money on advertising with WHF you'll get a good review ?  And that you can buy the front cover ?

Really....well that's my PR guy fired then (sorry Murdo but you forgot to tell me that the industry I have worked in and continue to enjoy working in is bent - it's your job to notice these things mate as it obviously passed me by), that's all the team fired because they should have known we could have taken this brilliantly conceived short cut, not dropped that quarter mill on development work and we could have guaranteed a good review for a rubbish product if we'd brown-bagged £ 5K for an ad.  

As for the front cover - only £ 80K - that's brilliant too - but hang on a minute......that's quite a bit more (like....many times more) than a full page in a magazine that I know has an ABC of 2.75 Million a week. Rather more than whatever the ABC number is for WHF. Hmm........but, whatever.....

And those buying decisions with which I was assisted by WHF's reviews (for products that we don't make, natch) were all dodgy......makes me look like a right plank, huh ?  How did that happen.  I feel such a fool. ( I think I must fall into the 'average' and 'lazy' category - my wife will be pleased). 

Bullying ?

Nope - you've written twaddle mate - and WHF and anyone reading this forum has the right of reply.

Well you have to admit he was brave to post it given the level of damages you can get for defamation.  Or maybe he simply doesn't realise how serious it could be?

Now I'm no great fan of WHFI reviews, a number of them I think are plain wrong and most of them, as I have posted elsewhere, use meaningless words (and execrable English ) but I don't think they are corrupt.

Chris

i LOVE the whf forum but in that guys defence and what hifis its sad to say that freebies and such and such does go on, maybe not here but i know it does cause ive delivered freebies for companies myself . now i actually see this as a good thing as ought for nowt is better thanall of nothing as they say but what ever what hi fi say you the reader has to audition and listen for yourself or you would be mad,the fact that the mag or website steers you towards quality products saves you time and possibly money in the outcome.

It seems as if no one really even agrees that hifi is expensive in the "Rip off UK".

Many UK brands of hifi such as Naim, Cyrus and Audiolab are 20% higher in Hong Kong than the U.K. It doesn't make sense as Hong Kong has no import tax and no VAT, Plus the dealer service and refund/exchange policies are no where near the high standards you get in the U.K.

Find this thread very damaging.

Honestly do not understand why the Consulting editor, brand editor and former Group editor of WHFI, and manufactuers have to justify/quantify company review policies. Everyone has opinions, but this poster has gone way beyond what is deemed as resonable on a public forum.

My only criticism is that WHFI have become too lenient over the past year or so as regards rogue posters. That's great - up to a point, but there has to be a line drawn. Concur with Chebby that this slanderous* idiot should be banned and the thread locked forthwith.

*Slanderous is my term, not chebby's.

I think I mentioned it before but censorship is not always the answer.

Look at this thread. It would probably fair to say the concensus is that the OP's views are questionable. He/she raised a topic, many have read it, quite a few replied and there is even some industry insider comments.

Such seemingly pointless comments can make interesting reading, raise other issues and, if nothing else, will provoke responses which usually put things into perspective.

Personally, I think this forum is a better place for it.

regards

You mean libellous. Or defamatory, then you can never get it wrong. 

I am grateful to m'learned friend...

Hmmm, well, the allegations are certainly defamatory.   Whether they are libelous, or even slanderous, hasn't really been tested, beyond an expected denial.

The point is, do they attract any credibilty, and are they harmful or beneficial in their broad concept.

I don't think they have gained much credibility, and it's probably beneficial that views are expressed in open forum, without sensorship, as drummerman suggests.  That way credibility and status falls where it's due. - probably.

JC

I actually think the thread is great as its brought back some of the great posters of eary whfi , the world is not vannila ladies and gents