Audio Review websites

bushbison · « **on:** 5 Jun 2007, 11:56 pm »

Sorry about previous posted poll ..... just an inquiring mind!!!!

ted_b · « **Reply #1 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 12:18 am »

What do you mean by "easiest to use"? Navigation? Finding archived reviews? Finding categories?

To me, audio review websites are most valuable depending on content. Sites like 6moons are somewhat difficult to navigate but their perspective is fresh (sometimes obtuse fresh, but fresh nonetheless). PFO seems pretty straight forward and they review real world equipment; typically nothing over $15k. Mojo is new and needs some cleanup around the edges, but seems legit. Audioholics seems too consistently middle of the road; not opinionated enough for me. ETM is very good, etc.

bushbison · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 12:22 am »

Thanks Ted!
Easiest to navigate and find information .... especially the free sites ......

Danny Kaey · « **Reply #3 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 04:28 am »

you forgot a couple important ones...

SonicFlare
SoundStage
StereoTimes
...

bushbison · « **Reply #4 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 12:44 pm »

Thanks Danny ..... I had to abbreviate the list SOMEWHAT ... o.k., there might me a method to my madness!!

richidoo · « **Reply #5 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 02:29 pm »

I prefer the 6moons reviews, but searching for something in particular there is impossible. Stereophile has deep history and a fast search engine. When moderated heavily by other opinions and publications, their reviews are helpful also. I like Jonathan Valin's reviews best of all, giving me new respect for TAS, although I still think Harley is in a state of denial about corruption in the audio publication/advertising biz. What HiFi? has the best audio magazine format in the world, but plays to the European low powermed budget crowd, very high value stuff. They call a spade a spade and rub it in til it hurts. They stick by the same product as #1 champion until something knocks it off. No sissy PC fairness there, but still not worth to me buying a subscription in US. When I first started in audio I paid for and used avguide.com and learned a lot. It was very easy to find reviews there. But now that I know more about what brands are true high end values, I find the site much less useful. AC is a great source of reviews and opinions about high value products. Some of the guys on AC are better reviewers and writers than mag contributors.
Rich

TONEPUB · « **Reply #6 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 03:20 pm »

Me, I'm still a big stereophile fan after 35 years.

Granted, I don't agree with everything they do, but I think they
consistently offer the widest range of coverage on different
topics in the industry.

And I think Michael Fremer is pretty funny as well...

I wish the search engine on their website was a little
better though. There's stuff that I KNOW is in there
but can't find.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 03:22 pm »

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=35136.msg312365#msg312365

Lots here to peruse thru....

bushbison · « **Reply #8 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 03:24 pm »

What great learned input; thanks so much all ... please, keep it coming ....... and how about if you vote for "other" please put what that would be in these reply columns!!! Thanks!!

TONEPUB · « **Reply #9 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 04:54 pm »

I don't know about you guys, but I tend to read just about everything
I can get my hands on! Even though I spend time with this stuff all
day long, I still like to see what everyone else is doing.

And there's still a ton of gear that doesn't see the light of day, that's
where the various forums are a big help!

vinyl anachronist · « **Reply #10 on:** 6 Jun 2007, 05:35 pm »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 6 Jun 2007, 03:20 pm

Me, I'm still a big stereophile fan after 35 years.

Granted, I don't agree with everything they do, but I think they
consistently offer the widest range of coverage on different
topics in the industry.

And I think Michael Fremer is pretty funny as well...

I'm an Art Dudley fan myself. Even though I've subscribed to Stereophile since 1985, sometimes it feels like it's mostly out of habit. Art Dudley coming aboard after the demise of Listener (my favorite print magazine of all time)was the most interesting thing to happen at Stereophile since Corey Greenberg.

bushbison · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 Jun 2007, 05:14 pm »

bump!

konut · « **Reply #12 on:** 8 Jun 2007, 12:59 am »

I seldom visit review sites anymore unless they are reviewing a component that I'm interested in. Having said that, I voted for Stereophile because they offer the most extensive measurements, which help cut through all the BS on the print side. Problem is, they hardly ever review units I'm interested in. Reading reviews , to me, is all about reading between the lines, something I learned to do at the knee of Julian Hirsh of Stereo Review. Its all about what the reviewer DOESN'T say!

Audiovista · « **Reply #13 on:** 8 Jun 2007, 01:22 am »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 6 Jun 2007, 03:20 pm

And I think Michael Fremer is pretty funny as well...

MF's interview on PS Audio's DVD "Coal to Coltrane" is really, really funny.
http://www.psaudio.com/
lower left corner
or
http://www.musicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=APSCOAL2COLTRANE

Well worth spending an hour watching. (sorry about digression)

bushbison · « **Reply #14 on:** 9 Jun 2007, 06:41 pm »

bump for the last day ..... thanks!!!

rollo · « **Reply #15 on:** 9 Jun 2007, 08:52 pm »

You gotta love Sam Tellig, Mike Fremer, Art Dudley of Sterophile. How come you left out one of the best Enjoy The Music.com? Fair and well written IMO.

rollo

dado5 · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Jun 2007, 06:57 pm »

None are easy to use when compared to other web sites.

My overall fave is tnt-audio with enjoythemusic close behind.

PF is best at keeping reviews short and to the point.

Six moons is by far the most cumbersome to use (and its publisher seriously needs to read Elements of Style.).

I love Stereophile's generous posting of its print reviews (great tack that embarrasses its print competitor).

I have not been impressed by the new pdf download sites so far.

JDarby - Stereomojo.com · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Jul 2007, 02:27 pm »

If you haven't tried us (stereomojo.com) perhaps you should. Read just one review:

http://www.stereomojo.com/REVIEWS.htm#HaydnReview

and you will see why we are unique. We have also accomplished things that have never been done or even attempted before such as a blind shootout of 14 different amplifiers.

Danny Richie, who has designed some of the best and most successful speakers (at amazing prices) on the planet does our speaker measurements. John Atkinson is the greatest, but even he does not design speakers or crossovers in the real world. Jim Mcshane, one of the most knowledgeable tube guys on the planet is our Tube Guru.

Our readership is doubling every month and I believe we have the highest percentage of "World's First" reviews in our Upcoming Reviews sections.
We will even have a review of AV123's LS6 before AV123 has any to sell.

We can't please everyone, but just maybe you are missing something unique. Let me know what you think.

enjoythemusic · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Jul 2007, 08:37 pm »

Quote from: dado5 on 11 Jun 2007, 06:57 pm

None are easy to use when compared to other web sites.
My overall fave is tnt-audio with enjoythemusic close behind.

Many thanks and sad to see Enjoy the Music.com was left out of the poll. Receive many e-mails over the years how people are tired of other sites and are glad Enjoy the Music.com is so very easy to navigate. Perhaps in the future we would be added in your next poll?

Am always open to design/use suggestions so feel free to e-mail or PM me here.

BTW, the problem with Polls is that, like anything else, i could have had many friends on AC or join AC and greatly skew the results. Apologies for being a pessimist, but there are some who are playing some really dirty tricks out there.... and that's all i am going to say. It also begs the question why a few of the longest-running Internet sites like Enjoy the Music.com, TNT, and SoundStage were left out of the poll.

JohnR · « **Reply #19 on:** 1 Aug 2007, 09:28 am »

Steve, this is not an official poll. Let's give the conspiracy theories a rest please?

BTW you're free to start your own polls in this circle (Industry Talk).

Poll

What is the easiest to use Audio Review equipment website? (If "other" please list under replies)

Audio Review websites