Received Product to Review: How to Proceed?

[watchnerd]

A manufacturer has sent me a product, for free, to review and post online. It's worth a couple of hundred bucks.

Any reviews I've written before were for things I've purchased, and therefore, I felt no constraints on what I wrote.

However, this is the first time I've received free product with the expectation of writing about it online.

Has anyone else dealt with this situation before?

Or have suggestions?

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

A manufacturer has sent me a product, for free, to review and post online. It's worth a couple of hundred bucks.

Any reviews I've written before were for things I've purchased, and therefore, I felt no constraints on what I wrote.

However, this is the first time I've received free product with the expectation of writing about it online.

Has anyone else dealt with this situation before?

Or have suggestions?

Don't do it. I figure this guy must be totally desperate to be sending stuff out like this. Why did he choose you?

It may feel like an honor, but, trust me, there is much more in it for him potentially than there is for you. And, please, unless this is a product of some interest here, do not publish here.

 

[watchnerd]

Don't do it. I figure this guy must be totally desperate to be sending stuff out like this. Why did he choose you?

It may feel like an honor, but, trust me, there is much more in it for him potentially than there is for you. And, please, unless this is a product of some interest here, do not publish here.

I wouldn't publish it here -- the request came from a vendor on Head Fi. They would like it to published over there.

It's a fairly decent sized manufacturer, actually, with a line of electronics.

 

[Sal1950]

Any reviews I've written before were for things I've purchased, and therefore, I felt no constraints on what I wrote.
However, this is the first time I've received free product with the expectation of writing about it online.

What would be the difference. The method of how you acquired it should have zero effect on the review.
100% unbiased reporting should always be the order of the day.
Sadly that slippery slope is one the audiophile media went off course on a long time ago.

 

[watchnerd]

What would be the difference. The method of how you acquired it should have zero effect on the review.
100% unbiased reporting should always be the order of the day.
Sadly that slippery slope is one the audiophile media went off course on a long time ago.

Yes, ideally it shouldn't matter.

But there is the peril of unintentional bias.

 

[Thomas savage]

I would send it back with a note forwarding your apologies..

Such a simple task should not cause you a dilemma , that fact it does is reason enough not to do it.

 

[iridium]

I wouldn't publish it here -- the request came from a vendor on Head Fi. They would like it to published over there.

It's a fairly decent sized manufacturer, actually, with a line of electronics.

You should explain to them that it would only be fair & balanced for the evaluation to have their complete line in your listening room.
Anything less than that would not be fair to their product.
And please remind them about the heavy brief case; random numbers only.

iridium.

 

[astr0b0y]

Can the review just be measurements and explanation of these?

 

[tomelex]

I think it's all in how you present your review. The facts presented right out front, about what you intend to do in the review, and that the results are a culmination of your ears and your preferences and your system, at that point in time. Honestly, the only thing I ever look for in a review are the technical details and pictures and specs. Nobody has a room, gear, ears and preferences that I do, and most of us on this site know to much to be swayed by fairy pairy words. Write a review we can be proud of here on this technical site. We listen, we express how things sound to us, objectivists do that too. If OK with Amir, post it here, I would like to see how you handle yourself

 

[dallasjustice]

Bias is inevitable. Science has proven you can't control your bias even if you've been trained and are aware of it. Fuck it. Just do the review. Nobody with any sense will believe you anyway.

 

[tomelex]

Bias is inevitable. Science has proven you can't control your bias even if you've been trained and are away of it. Fuck it. Just do the review. Nobody with any sense will believe you anyway.

 

[Sal1950]

Just do the review. Nobody with any sense will believe you anyway.

Yep, that was a hoot, good one dallas.
I give you 5 VTVM's up for that.

 

[watchnerd]

Can the review just be measurements and explanation of these?

I'm thinking of doing that. Plus pics.

And a music review of my favorite recordings. I can describe what I like about them.

That's about 90% of what subjective reviewers do, anyway.

 

[watchnerd]

Bias is inevitable. Science has proven you can't control your bias even if you've been trained and are aware of it.

Zactly.