Latest Guttenberg Video talks about measurements

[Vacceo]

However, it does get my attention when Amir rates a speaker highly and Gutenberg also rates the same speaker highly.

Gutenberg's preferences are as good as yours or mine. Amir's recommendations are predictable and do not depend on the source listened. That's no small difference.

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

However, it does get my attention when Amir rates a speaker highly and Gutenberg also rates the same speaker highly.

well...when it comes to Gutenberg (and other subjective audiophile reviewers) I think the old saying "even a broken clock is right twice a day" comes into play. When your assessments are based on essentially guess-work and imagination you're sure to get it right by accident occasionally. Let's face it, most reasonably well-engineered speakers sound pretty good, and if properly placed in the right room (even if just by lucky chance) they can sound very good so judging them simply based on fairly brief subjective auditions is likely to lead to reasonably positive results much of the time...especially if they also happen to be really sharp-looking speakers in an aesthetic sense too (and of course a high price tag might also influence perception).

 

[fpitas]

Steve likes a lot of speakers that frighten me. For example:

 

[EJ3]

well...when it comes to Gutenberg (and other subjective audiophile reviewers) I think the old saying "even a broken clock is right twice a day" comes into play. When your assessments are based on essentially guess-work and imagination you're sure to get it right by accident occasionally. Let's face it, most reasonably well-engineered speakers sound pretty good, and if properly placed in the right room (even if just by lucky chance) they can sound very good so judging them simply based on fairly brief subjective auditions is likely to lead to reasonably positive results much of the time...especially if they also happen to be really sharp-looking speakers in an aesthetic sense too.

I am just saying that if it does well by our measured standards & Gutenberg likes it, I consider watching that video by him as it could possibly be entertaining. (not enlightening).
As to would I go by ANY audio recommendation of his? Ahh, no!
It's simply happenstance when it happens that these things align.

 

[bodhi]

Steve likes a lot of speakers that frighten me. For example:

There was a nice comment on the video:

Steve, you make me want to buy every speaker and amp you get excited about! Love these reviews from you.

Well, imagine that.

 

[fpitas]

There was a nice comment on the video:

Steve, you make me want to buy every speaker and amp you get excited about! Love these reviews from you.

Well, imagine that.

Marketing works. Some people are very easily swayed.

It's humorous in a sad way when a salesman tries that approach on engineers. We tend to throw away all the beautiful glossy pictures they give us and ask for a link to the product datasheet.

 

[MattHooper]

well...when it comes to Gutenberg (and other subjective audiophile reviewers) I think the old saying "even a broken clock is right twice a day" comes into play. When your assessments are based on essentially guess-work and imagination you're sure to get it right by accident occasionally.

While that may be satisfying to write, I find it somewhat...wanting...as an analysis ;-)

The idea that subjective reviewer descriptions of speakers would be utterly "random" (or even close to it) is more than a tad overboard.
I read subjective reviews of speakers and look for measurements whenever they are available (often from Stereophile) and I find the subjective reviews very often track characteristics that show up in the measurements.

Even when it comes to Gutenberg, how many of his reviews have you correlated to measurements to determine he has so often been wrong in his descriptions?

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

While that may be satisfying to write, I find it somewhat...wanting...as an analysis ;-)

The idea that subjective reviewer descriptions of speakers would be utterly "random" (or even close to it) is more than a tad overboard.
I read subjective reviews of speakers and look for measurements whenever they are available (often from Stereophile) and I find the subjective reviews very often track characteristics that show up in the measurements.

Even when it comes to Gutenberg, how many of his reviews have you correlated to measurements to determine he has so often been wrong in his descriptions?

no, they aren't random exactly, but in a real sense, they almost are as far as what anyone other than that reviewer in his specific room can do with the information. It's nothing more than "that guy thinks they sound real good in his room."

I wouldn't necessarily expect a subjective reviewer's impressions to not correlate fairly well with good measured speakers - since the measurements are connected to tested human tonal preferences and speakers in general - being designed by humans with human ears - have a tendency to fit within a somewhat narrow range of tonal characteristics.

 

[Purité Audio]

I haven’t watched any of his videos but is there any equipment Steve doesn’t like?
Keith

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

I haven’t watched any of his videos but is there any equipment Steve doesn’t like?
Keith

yeah I believe he's one of those nice fellows who only posts reviews of stuff he likes.

 

[MattHooper]

no, they aren't random exactly, but in a real sense, they almost are as far as what anyone other than that reviewer in his specific room can do with the information. It's nothing more than "that guy thinks they sound real good in his room."

I still find that a stretch.

Someone can get a good idea of the characteristics of a speaker - in their room, a dealer's room, etc. Reviewers tend to try different set ups to explore how the speaker interacts with the room and listening position as well. Not only have I very often found a reviewer's take on a speaker to be accurate when I hear that speaker at a show room or my room or whatever, but tons of audiophiles have had that experience. That's why you often see Steve's (and other subjective reviewers) comment sections often express appreciation for reviews that have led to happy purchases.

(I know my lack of cynicism in this regard doesn't quite fit the tenor of this forum...but...I can live with that ).

 

[Purité Audio]

i.e everything
Keith

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

I still find that a stretch.

Someone can get a good idea of the characteristics of a speaker - in their room, a dealer's room, etc. Reviewers tend to try different set ups to explore how the speaker interacts with the room and listening position as well. Not only have I very often found a reviewer's take on a speaker to be accurate when I hear that speaker at a show room or my room or whatever, but tons of audiophiles have had that experience. That's why you often see Steve's (and other subjective reviewers) comment sections often express appreciation for reviews that have led to happy purchases.

(I know my lack of cynicism in this regard doesn't quite fit the tenor of this forum...but...I can live with that ).

Well, fair enough. I think you over-estimate the value of the reviews (as well as the value of happy testimonials in his comments section) but we can agree to disagree. I mean...nobody around here is saying subjective audiophiles aren't often very happy with their purchases - for a while at least, lol...

 

[fpitas]

I haven’t watched any of his videos but is there any equipment Steve doesn’t like?
Keith

I think he loves the limelight, and realizes that in his business, negative reviews are a non-starter.

 

[Purité Audio]

Once you take the money everything is good.
Keith

 

[computer-audiophile]

On the surface, the good man in the video looks pale. Is he not well? I don't sense any charisma or persuasiveness (sorry, those were my rash thoughts. I hope this translates correctly and doesn't come across as too rude).

 

[Jmudrick]

Once you take the money everything is good.
Keith

Steve has addressed this thus

 

[bodhi]

On the surface, the good man in the video looks pale. Is he not well? I don't sense any charisma or persuasiveness (sorry, those were my rash thoughts. I hope this translates correctly and doesn't come across as too rude).

There are many versions of a good salesman.

You have that charismatic showman that is often depicted in movies, he's the one who charms people. Expensive watch, drives 100k car. They might be selling downtown apartments for example.

Then you have the straight, simple and honest grassroots kind of guy. He's just telling things as they are, maybe even doesn't recommend the most expensive item but one slightly cheaper "I'm doing myself a disfavor here but I really thing that X is just that good value". These guys often sell cars.

And we have the Guttenberg: nice, quiet, believably positive guy who is in this only for the love of music. He's not selling anything for profit, he just wants everybody to experience the joy he gets from product Y. When not selling hifi you might find them in art galleries or design furniture shops.

 

[Purité Audio]

Steve has addressed this thus

Is one of the reasons if he says anything even remotely negative he won’t get sent any more equipment from that distributor?
Keith

 

[mhardy6647]

What we need is to have some molecular biologists* clone or reanimate... Julian Hirsch.


He didn't really say: "Of all of the amplifiers I've ever tested, this is certainly one of them."
... but you know he was thinkin' it.

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* I mean, I know some...