Reviews...

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jsalk

Reviews...
« on: 19 Sep 2014, 03:04 pm »
In an effort to reduce the number of "stickies," here is a list of some reviews...

John Grandberg Innerfidelity WOW1 mini-monitor review...

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/beauty-sight-and-sound-salk-wow1-mini-monitor

Dave Upton's Home Theater Forum review of the Veracity HT2-TL's and the Veracity HT2C center channel... 

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/articles.html/_/equipment-reviews/salk-signature-sound-h2tl-ht2c-review-r252

AvGuide has posted the AbsoluteSound review of the SongTower QWT...

http://www.avguide.com/review/audio-van-alstine-ultravalve-power-amplifier-salk-sound-songtower-qwt-loudspeaker-tas-204

Enjoy The Music Veracity HT1-TL review...

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0710/salk_sound_veracity_ht1_tl.htm

Tom Andry's Audioholics review of the Veracity HT2-TL...

http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/salk-sound-veracity-ht2-tl

Nels Ferre's Enjoy The Music review of the SongTower QWT's...

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0408/stalk_signature_songtower.htm



Joe Frances

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Re: Reviews...
« Reply #1 on: 2 Oct 2018, 10:26 pm »
Jim:

About the Silk Monitors: there's the "review" on Audio Amici which seems to be a moribund blog;  and the references in Audioholics, but have there been any "professional" type reviews of the Silks that talk about all the parameters that a full "Stereophile" type review would entail? I can't find anything.  Is that one of the challenges of an exclusively on-line direct sales arrangement?  You don't get that much industry coverage?

Joe

jsalk

Re: Reviews...
« Reply #2 on: 3 Oct 2018, 11:16 am »
Jim:

About the Silk Monitors: there's the "review" on Audio Amici which seems to be a moribund blog;  and the references in Audioholics, but have there been any "professional" type reviews of the Silks that talk about all the parameters that a full "Stereophile" type review would entail? I can't find anything.  Is that one of the challenges of an exclusively on-line direct sales arrangement?  You don't get that much industry coverage?

Joe

Joe -

Web sites and magazines tend to cover larger companies with large ad budgets. I don't blame them since they are in business to make money as well. 

I noticed Frank Van Alstine had reviews in a popular audio magazine after I was told by their editor that they only covered products sold at retail.  Of course, Frank's products aren't.  He told me that the reason they reviewed his products is that he advertised with them.

We could do that as well.  But we would have to drastically increase our prices to do that.  And that would kind of defeat what we set out to do - sell direct at the lowest possible prices.

I once had a reviewer write an extremely positive review of one of our more expensive models.  He sent me a copy to review before submitting it.  When it was eventually published on the web site, the editor changed much of it and it was no longer a useful review for us.  I asked why the changes were made and the answer was that they didn't want to give us a better review than their paying manufacturer customers, as those customers would not be happy.  And so it goes...

That is one down-side of being a small manufacturer.

I have often wondered if our approach was correct.  But our customers seem to be very happy.

- Jim
« Last Edit: 4 Oct 2018, 02:43 pm by jsalk »

NHSkier

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Re: Reviews...
« Reply #3 on: 3 Oct 2018, 11:59 am »
It's a shame that that's how the industry works, but your cult following would be the envy of many brands in other industries. You've done a great job. Keep up the good work!

avahifi

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Re: Reviews...
« Reply #4 on: 3 Oct 2018, 02:12 pm »
The first time in a long time that we (along with Jim Salk) were reviewed in The Absolute Sound was when their senior editor heard our Ultravalve tube amp and Jim's Songtowers running at a RMAF room several years ago.  This was before we were doing any significant advertising at all.  We got a great unequivocal review stating as its final thought that "this combination is the best value in audio you will find in a lifetime."

Both of these products are still in successful production.  At that time we were more known that Jim was and the review helped both of us a lot.  We had a nearly 40 year history back then while Jim was a relative newcomer.

Since then we have advertised a few times a year but never at $20,000.  Actually in the last year we have cut back advertising nearly completely to put all our money into product development.  The recent review of the Vision SET 400 amp in Audiophilia was achieved with no advertising at all, and the reviewer liked this new and unusual amplifier so much that he purchased the amp himself, making it a really positive process.

Yes, most of our reviews say essentially that our electronics are "great for the money" and we know that most magazines don't want to hurt the feelings of their ultra expensive vendors.

We have a review coming up one of these days on our SET 120 and our Transcendence 10 RB preamp in TAS.  We will see if not spending any advertising money there in quite a while will have any effect.  Hopefully not.

Frank

jtwrace

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Re: Reviews...
« Reply #5 on: 3 Oct 2018, 03:04 pm »
Joe -

Web sites and magazines tend to cover larger companies with large ad budgets. I don't blame them since they are in business to make money as well. 

I noticed Frank Van Alstine had reviews in The Absolute Sound after I was told by their editor that they only covered products sold at retail.  Of course, Frank's products aren't.  He told me that the reason they reviewed his products is that he spent $20,000 a year with them.

We could do that as well.  But we would have to drastically increase our prices to do that.  And that would kind of defeat what we set out to do - sell direct at the lowest possible prices.

I once had a reviewer write an extremely positive review of one of our more expensive models.  He sent me a copy to review before submitting it.  When it was eventually published on the web site, the editor changed much of it and it was no longer a useful review for us.  I asked why the changes were made and the answer was that they didn't want to give us a better review than their paying manufacturer customers, as those customers would not be happy.  And so it goes...

That is one down-side of being a small manufacturer.

I have often wondered if our approach was correct.  But our customers seem to be very happy.

- Jim
Do what others do...build a "statement" product that costs $300k to pay for the advertising.  Win-Win.   ;)

OzarkTom

Re: Reviews...
« Reply #6 on: 3 Oct 2018, 03:35 pm »
Still going on, the good guys loses. Tom Goetz had the same problem in the 80's. His speakers was quite a bit better than anything else in the price range, and he never received a review. These mags always keep their favorites at the top of the pecking order, and heck with everyone else.

Vedder323

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Re: Reviews...
« Reply #7 on: 3 Oct 2018, 04:04 pm »

jsalk

Re: Reviews...
« Reply #8 on: 3 Oct 2018, 05:28 pm »
Frank -

Sorry for misunderstanding you.  I just recall asking you how you got a review since we had a reviewer ask about doing a review but the editor said it ass against policy to review a speaker that was not sold at retail. I thought you indicated you had an annual contract with them.  Perhaps I mis-heard.

At any rate, we recognize that this is the way things work.  It is not a huge problem for us.

- Jim

tmhaudio

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Re: Reviews...
« Reply #9 on: 8 Jul 2022, 01:57 pm »
Re: John Grandberg Innerfidelity WOW1 mini-monitor review.....

The link no longer works - Innerfidelity no longer exists.

Is there a link to a PDF of this review?

TIA...