Just Tested
Soundbars
Otone Sonora AV-Lance
A decent, affordable effort from Otone but sound quality is tainted by a distracting brightness
Read
DACs
Chord Electronics QBD76 HDSD
Chord’s QBD76 HDSD is a top-class converter that delivers a brilliant sound from a well-built package. It has plenty of visual appeal, too
Read
Hi-fi speakers
B&W 685
There are more talented rivals on the scene, but the veterans are enduring greats
Read
In this month's mag
July 2013
SUPERTEST: Soundbar solutions £250-£450
GROUP TEST: 46-47in smart TVs
GROUP TEST: Standmount speakers £350-£450
© 2013 Haymarket Publishing
Comments
James, under the terms of the House Rules can you please add your position and company name to your signature so it's clear who you are and who you work for.
The speakers were supplied by you and we had no reason to believe there was any manufacturing fault with the review sample supplied.
Mr Roth, sorry to jump in on your converstaion but...Mr Clough I take it your 'House Rules' only apply to your website and not the people who actually review the products!? Seems like one rule for WHF and one for others. If you want any real credibility you should publish the reviewers name and their credentials or is it only you who gets to play the 'House Rules' card??
Mr Clough are you afraid to publish the reviewers names and credentials for fear of being outed? Surely they deserve their place within WHF Towers and have substantial qualifications to prove that there opinion is valued..
For the record Mr Roth this post will probably be taken down as my last 'opinion' opposed the review on the OLi50 and it was swifly removed by WHF.
AudioTruth
No, I'm not going to take this post down, but I will reply to it. It has long been our editorial policy that we review as a team, not as individuals. So every product is tested in our listening rooms, and listened to/viewed by several people on the test team, including the technical editor. That way, one individual's opinion does not outweigh that of the group. The names of the reviewers are all clearly listed in the magazine - no secrets there - so I don't think there's any danger of them being 'outed'.
Mr Clough, if this is your policy to review as a team how do you all come to the same opinion?? Is it a case of who shouts the loudest wins? Surely a group of people all can't be of the same opinion? This leads me to think that the review process that WHF use is flawed.
Although i do not see how this process works it still does not stop you from putting the names of the reviewers in the magazine along with their credentials. Mr Clough would you take my word for it that I was a fully qualified doctor, or a pilot or even a Astronaut? No I don't think so, this is 2012 lets not hide behind the title and stand up and be counted...
Hi Andy,
Weird - I changed my signature a few months ago to include the company name, etc., but they've 'dropped off' and I have no idea why....I'll change my profile and save again. Apologies for this.
On the review (for want of a better word) - utter twaddle - one day WHF might actually acknowledge they've made a mistake, but as they haven't done so for the 10 years or so I've known the magazine, I won't hold my breath.
I just noticed this 'review' - I thought it had been removed as I stated previously that I thought it was totally unfair and inaccurate.
However, it's still available for all to see - so here is my opinion:
1. I do not believe that this is a fair review.
2. There are now over 700 happy Oli50 owners in the UK alone, so the speakers would seem to be performing rather well and providing rather good value for money.
3. Your review is completely at odds with the reviews published by every other hifi magazine in the world, including the UK.
I would therefore respectfully suggest that something has gone wrong during the review process - maybe a fault occurred within the speakers themselves - who knows.
James A. Roth