Hi-Fi Magazine Ethics

[Barry]

Agree that magazines have no right to pass readers questions on to a dealer for advice. Regardless of the fact of the dealer advertising in the magazine, the dealer only pays for the advertisment for a period of time and that is all the magazine need offer.

A magazine cannot be seen as being impartial if it feels it has to promote a particular product or dealer. I’m sure those who know more about these things, would say that all review items are on loan – but I don’t believe that. Suspect that more often or not, if the review is favourable, the review item will not be collected after the review has been made. May be a cliché, but look at the quality of the gear many reviewers possess.

For this reason, I have stopped reading the audio press – I’m sick of reading gushing reviews of mega-expensive equipment. As a case in point, the latest HFN has a ‘review’ of the latest Wilson speakers at £200,000 a pair (yes, you did read that correctly). They were powered by a pair of darTzeel monobocks, themselves available for a mere £150,000. So what was the outcome? – well the reviewers claimed it was the biggest raising of the bar for over 50 years (since the introduction of the Quad ’57). Well surprise, surprise. At that amount, it bloody well should be!

But my biggest complaint is that at these levels of performance and price, reviewers should be even more critical – it seems to me the quality of review and scrutiny is in inverse proportion to the cost, hence gushing reviews.

[bobbasrah]

Oddly enough Barry, I remember a time when the magazines were promoting a variety of best value combinations for all comers budget to high brow, now gone in favour of the $xm shop window as I guess they subsidise....

One can only hope that it does not further invade the forums, as that is where commerce has gone hunting, internet prostitution....

[Marco]

Hi Dave,

Ummm, I didn't think SME gives a huge margin, despite their high prices, but you may know better since I was never a huge dealer for them..

They don't, normally, but if you sell large amounts of product (as DC claims he does - and in that respect, I don't doubt him), then apparently you get very favourable terms. There's bugger all wrong with that of course; indeed I applaud it, but not when it's misused by DC to promote the sale of items from SME, in order to secure his favourable profit margin, at the expense of what's ultimately best for the customer

I know of instances, for example, where he has sold people an SME 309 and AT-OC9, when what they'd initially wanted (and indeed had contacted him about in the first place) was a DL-103 and a Jelco 750!

Now, 'talking up a sale' is absolutely fine, and standard business practice, if it's prompted by a desire to look after the best long-term interests of the customer, rather than simply to secure the sale of items with a bigger profit margin, but the customers I'm referring to, of DC, have ended up being dissatisfied with the sonic results obtained from their purchases and consequently have now ended up going back to buying what they wanted in the first place...!!

Let's face it, both arm/cartridge combinations in question could hardly sound more different! And folk wonder why people are wary of buying from dealers??

Before anyone asks, the people concerned don't post on AoS, although they read the forum. These are people who've contacted me in private, after having dealt with Cawley, and have read what I've written about him here (incidentally, all of which is true, based on my direct experience, provable and therefore not libellous), and are sorry that they hadn't read it first, before having bought from him. Those are the sentiments that have been genuinely expressed to me.

Chris,

I'd prefer this thread to move back to the question of ethical integrity of magazines - I never intended it to be a vehicle to discuss the dealer in question.

It's kind of difficult when the role of the dealer in question, and the advice he's giving to the readership of HFW, is central to the discussion...

However, point taken and noted. It just annoys me when I see the kind of stunts this guy pulls, in order to line his pockets. 'Nuff said!

Marco.

[Mr Kipling]

Thought such skullduggery only went on in Dallas! If the individual should meet with an "accident" in the next day or two, I hope you will all have a good alibi.

Has anyone mentioned that at the end of the reply "Sound Hi - Fi" comes after his name? So surely any reader is going to take it that he's something other than just an audio journalist.

OK, what I mentioned previously regarding two dealers was different, it has to be said though that many, many, many moons previously, on the odd, rare occassion, you did get the likes of Paul Green or Howard Popeck (there was one other, but I just can't think of his name. Tended to recommend Thorens decks.) that would give a reply to a query. Looking back, I cannot say how biased their advice may or may not have been.

[Marco]

Thought such skullduggery only went on in Dallas! If the individual should meet with an "accident" in the next day or two, I hope you will all have a good alibi.

Marco.

[awkwardbydesign]

For this reason, I have stopped reading the audio press – I’m sick of reading gushing reviews of mega-expensive equipment.

I resubscribed to HFN this year; got a nice digital IC "free". But I also lament the old departed mags, and I include HFN. I am still using the Ben Duncan designed active crossover published in HFN in 1981; as pointed out, it all seems to be consumer orientated now.

[PLINIUS]

Most people are more susceptible to advertising & reviews today than they would care to admit, & unfortunately both advertising & journalistic standards have continued to deteriorate to the point where the line between the two has almost disapeared.
"Hi Fi magazine Ethics" is an oxymoron.

[The Grand Wazoo]

I'm waiting, but not holding my breath, for a reply to my email to HFW.

[Audioman]

I'm waiting, but not holding my breath, for a reply to my email to HFW.

Well having read the said question and answer I am tempted to join you. My main objection is Cawley just doesn't answer the question. Writer says he is considering Mitchel, OL, NA etc. Cawley goes on about his 12" adaptor for Jelco on Gyro and then dismisses with comment about too wobbly when having a few drinks. Then lists all the products he NOW sells - he doesn't sell the Jelco now after promoting it strongly a few years back ! I wonder why ? - cause he can sell you an SME309 for more on one of his modded Techies. This ignores the fact SME is probably better suited to the decks the questioner mentioned especialy the Gyro

[anthonyTD]

Hi All,
I wouldnt normaly comment on threads like this [for obvious reasons] however, i too think its a sad day for any HI FI mag when they resort to handing over their entrusted readers questions to the very people the reader was trying to avoid!
I grew up with HI FI world magazine, [my father purchased it without fail for many years] and thus felt that it was the magazine for the everyday man in the street, its views and opinions were trusted by many, also it always had interesting articles for the DIYers, and featured in my opinion' some of the best un-biased reviews of any of the top mags.
A...