GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: About Wilson Audio Loudspeakers

Post Subject: No Wilson bashing...Posted by Stitch on: 8/13/2009

Romy,

no, I am not one of those who bash Wilson. I respect his work, his business and his products. I listened to some of his models a few times, but this here is about reviewers...

I am a little bit frustrated. I am a customer who want to go ahead, when I read those "reviews" and I have the chance later to listen to it, most is simply untrue. It is like a paid positive advertisement. And I know no magazine which is different, probably Stereophile is an exception now.

I read TAS since 1990 and at that time it was really good. I remember a review about Magneplanar, 3 Reviewers had 3 different Models (I think, 1.6/2.7/3.5) and wrote about it.
It was a normal report with their positive sides AND their negatives (Poweramps...). I was impressed, because their description was at the point (I had one of these models at that time). Anyway, the Magneplanar sales person (Wendell??) wrote a very angry letter which was published ("...1000's of happy customers all over the world and none wrote that....")..
Harry Pearson made a response, which was in the way:"..it was a report from my reviewers trust but I will check that personally."
3 issues later HP wrote his comment about Magneplanar report from his Reviewers, it was VERY short: "I proved it and all they wrote is right"
Bang. Finish.
This impressed me. He was not the slave from industry and was writing FOR the customer. And he was very respected in this Business.
We all know, that has changed dramatically. No I read stories from Valin & Co. which are far away from being serious.
And all do that.
1997 I made a decision: I stopped "believing".
I knew at that time when I would follow their "recommendations" I can burn my money right away.
The frustrating experience: I was right.
I saved a lot of money and got better units but I was lonely.
the other "Audiophiles" around me still read those recommendations, bought them and were frustrated. Some married and they had luck, their wives killed that nonsense very fast (..."that's the 4th CD Player in 3 years and you always tell me, that one is perfect and everytime you kill 70% of the money...I want a new kitchen...")

Now we have the Internet
not bad, but the Morons discovered it for publishing their ultimate brain free nonsense too. When something is written in a Mag I think, you have to be a little bit serious, only a little bit, but now we have the "support" from "Customers" who get something cheaper and for that they support the product whenever possible. And sometimes very aggressively, a few Germans are very advanced in that. They don't need Dealer network, they do it via Internet. Simple story, super high final price, long waiting list but when you really want it, there is a chance to get it for a nice price....yes, "Audiophiles" among themselves have to "help" each other.
A sick business. I feel sorry for those who try to do it serious...I don't know, but I think, they will loose..

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