TAS and POY

Charles Calkins · « **on:** 13 May 2010, 04:48 pm »

I'm wondering how TAS gives their POY(product of the year)to audio gear they have reviewed.

Does the piece of audio gear get that rating based on the opinion of the reviewer?

Does more than one reviewer listen to the audio gear and then all of them get together and share opinions?

Something I was just thinking about.

Cheers
Charlie

jtwrace · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 May 2010, 05:00 pm »

From another site he visits he posted this

Hate to make you feel not so special, but every single product that was reviewed in TAS last year got an editors choice award, golden ear award or product of the year award.
__________________
Jeff Dorgay - Publisher
TONE Audio Magazine
www.tonepublications.com

post #3 here http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10930

macrojack · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 May 2010, 05:01 pm »

There is a complicated formula involving advertising dollars, dollars spent on advertising and number of full page ads placed per issue. These figures are summed, averaged and assigned a letter rating.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 May 2010, 06:05 pm »

It's really not that complicated at all. Seriously. As much as I try not to bag on my competitors, I think if you go and look at the last year of TAS and look at their three awards issues (Product of the Year) (Golden Ear)(Editor's choice) every product that got reviewed in the magazine got some kind of award.

I've always bristled at the award thing, and we do it too, but out of almost 120 products reviewed last year, we gave out 22 awards.

Here's my criterion for ours...

The 10 or so products that got the Exceptional Value Award, were products that we felt truly offered performance and functionality that was a cut above other products in the same price category, and we tend
to keep these products in the more reasonable price category. (500-5000 per box)

If memory serves me correctly, we did 7 products of the year in various classes with one overall winner. These had no price restrictions. Products were chosen from the pool of gear reviewed during the year.

The four "Publishers Choice" awards were strictly my choice of the four things I thought were really cool. Strictly my personal choice, nothing more.

We always try to keep the mix of reviews and advertisers to be about 60% advertisers products vs. about 40% non advertisers products. It used to be closer to 50/50 when we began, but many people who said they would never advertise with us, sold product from our reviews and decided to become advertisers. As we expand our reviews in the gear section of our website, we might even be able to bring that to a 50/50 balance again. It's certainly a goal.

But my question remains, if you give every product you review an award or you only give awards to advertisers products, how are they truly meaningful to the reader and how does that help them make a purchase decision?

jtwrace · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 May 2010, 06:07 pm »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 13 May 2010, 06:05 pm

But my question remains, if you give every product you review an award or you only give awards to advertisers products, how are they truly meaningful to the reader and how does that help them make a purchase decision?

exactly.

jtwrace · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 May 2010, 06:19 pm »

Then you have post #9 here http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=81186.msg779647;topicseen#new

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 May 2010, 02:27 am »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 13 May 2010, 06:05 pm

But my question remains, if you give every product you review an award or you only give awards to advertisers products, how are they truly meaningful to the reader and how does that help them make a purchase decision?

A review or award or anything else anyone says shouldn't really help anyone make a 'purchase decision.' It should make them track the piece down for an audition if they're in the market for that type of component and its within their price range. Reviews can also be used to scratch a product off a must audition list.

Yeah, I know some people don't have access to much stuff. That doesn't mean they should by what TAS, Stereophile, et al tell them is the best. If they have to order it, they should be able to return it for a full refund.

I'm sure others will disagree.

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 May 2010, 02:29 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 13 May 2010, 06:19 pm

Then you have post #9 here http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=81186.msg779647;topicseen#new

What do you have, a loop going on here? It should say For endless fun, click this link!

Steven Stone · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 May 2010, 03:37 pm »

Not every product I reviewed for TAS got an award.

So, Jeff, you are wrong.

Steven Stone · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 May 2010, 03:40 pm »

Also, I've nominated, and they've received, Golden Ear Awards to products that have not been reviewed in TAS (Genesis 6.1 speaker system).

In my world facts matter. Obviously this not universal.

jtwrace · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 May 2010, 03:49 pm »

Quote from: Steven Stone on 14 May 2010, 03:37 pm

Not every product I reviewed for TAS got an award.

So, Jeff, you are wrong.

Quote from: Steven Stone on 14 May 2010, 03:40 pm

Also, I've nominated, and they've received, Golden Ear Awards to products that have not been reviewed in TAS (Genesis 6.1 speaker system).

In my world facts matter. Obviously this not universal.

The response to your posts should be interesting...

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 May 2010, 04:33 pm »

I totally agree with Steve Stone that not every product reviewed for TAS has gotten an award. That would be a real stretch!! TAS must listen to hundreds of products a year. I'm sure many of them do not make it into the magazine. There is only so much they can do.

There is a lot of info. on the net that is available if looking for a piece of audio gear. Before I commit to buy something I try to do a lot of research. Besides TAS there are other sources. Often I can find a review of what I'm looking for on other sites besides TAS. Some say it's great. Some say it's good.

Anyhow I'm a subscriber to TAS and I enjoy the reading the magazine. THey are doing a very good job.
HEY!!! You guys remember Stereo Review or High Fidelity. Great mags. in their day.

Cheers
Charlie

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 May 2010, 04:49 pm »

Quote from: Charles Calkins on 14 May 2010, 04:33 pm

HEY!!! You guys remember Stereo Review or High Fidelity. Great mags. in their day.

Cheers
Charlie

Thanks for reminding me how old I am! Had ongoing subscriptions to both.

Mariusz · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 May 2010, 04:58 pm »

Speaking of FACTS.
I (we) would love to see the statistics/paterns/trends of major publications (newsstand or Internet) in today's wobbling state of economy.

P.S
it is not true that sponsors/advertising companies get exclusive rights for prestigues awards and publication bragging privilege.
If that was the case, Makita and Dewalt would have to be recognized and awarded ......... something like....? Gold Finger Award.

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 May 2010, 05:11 pm »

Big Red Machine:

OLD??? I'm old enough to be your PaPa.

Cheers
Charlie

boead · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 May 2010, 05:47 pm »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 13 May 2010, 06:05 pm

It's really not that complicated at all. Seriously. As much as I try not to bag on my competitors, I think if you go and look at the last year of TAS and look at their three awards issues (Product of the Year) (Golden Ear)(Editor's choice) every product that got reviewed in the magazine got some kind of award.

The publication I work for also has an industry awards issue and ceremony. Votes are gathered from industry professionals through ballots. Once the editor knows who is nominated, then afterwards who has won they notify the sales department and the sales people who then contact the manufacturer and/or dealership and tell them so to see if they are interested in advertising or at the very least give them an awards graphic so they can use it on their website or print ads. We see OUR awards nomination and winners icon on ads in competitor’s magazines all the time. Most of the time the nominee or winner is anxious to take advantage of the marketing opportunity and buy an ad if they aren’t already an advertising client. We don’t expect them too nor do we necessarily care if they don’t. Its really not about selling ads for awards, its about servicing the readership which in turn helps the manufacturer and helps sells the ads.

Since the Audiophile industry is SO small, considering, I’m not surprised that they buy an ad. I mean manufacturers are anxious to get press and they are also appreciative and WANT to support media that reaches their potential customers. One hand washes the other. In NO WAY do WE EVER sell an ad or nomination, in fact behind the scenes lots of current clients will question their salesman as to why THEY did t get nominated or simply ask how well (or poorly) they did – they are always anxious to gain information.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 May 2010, 03:40 pm »

Ok, so let's say 80-90% of the stuff reviewed in TAS gets some kind of award. But I think if we go back issue by issue, count the reviews and see the ratio of what's given awards to what isn't the percentage is well beyond half.

And again, giving a component like the Genesis 6.1 a golden ear award for a product that's discontinued seems rather pointless. It's not something a customer can buy and enjoy in their home. It's time to start a new awards issue and do a series of "vintage product" awards, or "golden heroes" awards. You can even tell Robert it's your idea. That would be more meaningful, to salute outstanding products for products we've all known and loved.

In this current issue, nearly a third of the products given awards either haven't been reviewed yet or haven't been reviewed at all.

Who cares? It's your editorial philosophy. We all know awards sell a certain amount of product and everyone's got to keep their writers paid.

However, my question remains, if the majority of what ANY consumer magazine covers receives awards, which the average person perceives as having some special value, does this truly help the reader at the end of the day to make a purchase decision?

I think Boead made some excellent points. We all know the game, but does it help THE READER? I know I've certainly resisted the pressure to hand out more awards because I question the validity of it at all. But if it truly helps the reader, then it can't be all bad. We're all different channels on the cable box, and we all have different editorial policies.

So how about some user feedback here. Doesn't matter if it's TAS, Us or anyone else. Are you more inclined to BUY an "award winning" component as opposed to a garden variety component?

Steven Stone · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 May 2010, 03:52 pm »

You could have just said "I stand corrected. Not all products reviewed at TAS get awards." That would have been sorta classy...

You have your own publication. Do what YOU think the public wants. Spending your time dwelling on other publication's policies seems like something you do AFTER you've devoted as much time to your own pub as it needs.

macrojack · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 May 2010, 04:09 pm »

I'm very unlikely to be influenced by magazine reviews or awards. You are just another opinion to be considered. I find more benefit in the objective information provided. It's nice to know how many inputs or whether there is a remote included.
Every manufacturer of anything in America is clamoring for my money like so many begging orphans in an overpopulated third world cesspool. The clamor is relentless and there is little moral or ethical restraint in evidence. I am very cynical about the review process and the potential for collusion therein. It's all just advertising to me so I avoid it. So glad you asked.

George Orwell, the frighteningly prescient predictor of our burgeoning plight, described advertising as "the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket". Do you want fries with that?

Steven Stone - You handled that nicely. Sorta classy!

TONEPUB · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 May 2010, 05:52 pm »

Quote from: Steven Stone on 15 May 2010, 03:52 pm

You could have just said "I stand corrected. Not all products reviewed at TAS get awards." That would have been sorta classy...

You have your own publication. Do what YOU think the public wants. Spending your time dwelling on other publication's policies seems like something you do AFTER you've devoted as much time to your own pub as it needs.

I think this is the first comment I've made directly about TAS and I've made a comment or two about Stereophile in the last five years. I would hardly call that "dwelling" on other publications policies.

But I do think I am going to go back and look at the last year just for laughs. While I have a pretty funny feeling that that percentage is incredibly high, who cares? It's your channel on the cable box to do what you please. As Macrojack pointed out, many people are skeptical about the review process anyway, which is why we've spent so much time on music.

But I believe the OP was inquiring into the thought process behind how the awards are deployed. I still maintain that when the percentage of awards to products reviewed in a given year is that high, precious little critical thought is required.

You could have been equally classy by saying, "Yeah, you're right we do hand out an awful lot of awards." You're not offending me either way.

And please, don't take the holier than thou perspective when referring about us vs. any of the other pubs. I know what your ad reps say about us. We all keep an eye on what each other are up to on a regular. That's business.