What are the "Audio Science Review"s of other industries?

[Rotiv]

Sneakers, shoes, boots...

https://youtube.com/@RoseAnvil

 

[Randyman...]

There's a few for Massage joints (with an international reach) - but not likely "proper" to post here

 

[Triliza]

What about the fellow from https://www.eevblog.com/? He has a store and all in the website, but he seems ok to me on a few videos I have watched.

Someone posted this video of him about audio cables awhile back.

 

[Martin Takamine]

AnandTech for PCs, laptops, PC components.
https://www.anandtech.com/

 

[Prana Ferox]

AnandTech for PCs, laptops, PC components.
https://www.anandtech.com/

AnandTech's historical content has been great. They got bought out not too long ago and let go pretty much all the recognizable names, and since then their content has been almost entirely the standard fare of thinly veiled press releases and sale advertisements.

Ian Cutress has a new Youtube channel. I'm not sure where the rest of the testers/reviewers have landed.

Youtube in general seems to have a monetization model that is more viable for this sort of work, which sucks, I vastly prefer written articles.

I'm curious what's going to happen to DPReview, they have a new owner and I understand there's been a period of turmoil but they also lost a lot of key people and their output has also dropped off to near nothing.

 

[ehabheikal]

rtings for tvs, soundbars and iem/headphones

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

Wirecutter: New Product Reviews, Deals, and Buying Advice

Wirecutter tests and reviews the best tech, appliances, gear, and more. You can trust our veteran journalists, scientists, and experts to find the best stuff.

www.nytimes.com

Not exactly the ASR of anything but Wirecutter (is it ridiculous to mention this? does everybody know of it?) is in most regards, a useful successor to Consumer Reports.

They don't review new products in isolation. They do product category roundups and refresh them occasionally.

There are some conflicts of interrest. Chiefly, they make money through affiliate links. They are also owned by the NYTimes which relies on advertising revenue. That said... I have always found their recommendations to be excellent.

Their audio coverage is pretty good as well. The subwoofer reviews are data-driven and done by Brent Butterworth. The speaker reviews are subjective but are double-blind single-blind and "In addition to our subjective panel testing, we measure each system to get an unbiased 'second opinion' and to detect any anomalies." While not something that will satisfy ASR readers I think they are grounded in reality and not fooled by snake oil. They do a good job for Average Joe.

Anyway, I've always had great success with their recommendations in general.

edit: clarified their audio testing procedure, added link

In general I like their reviews. They state their criteria up front so you get an idea of what they care about. I don't always agree with their choices but that's usually because I disagree with their criteria.

 

[JohnBooty]

In general I like their reviews. They state their criteria up front so you get an idea of what they care about. I don't always agree with their choices but that's usually because I disagree with their criteria.

Yeah. They state their criteria, give some background on the product category, and in most instances will also talk about the reviewers' qualifications.

I don't think they're perfect but I don't think any mainstream review source is even close to their level of quality and usefulness.

 

[617]

Lab Muffin Beauty Science:

Top Sunscreen Recommendations 2022 | Lab Muffin Beauty Science

It's time for an updated sunscreen recommendations list! This is also available as a video here – the video also shows the texture and packaging of each sunscreen, but if you prefer reading the text…

labmuffin.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/LabMuffinBeautyScience

 

[Anton D]

As an almost lifelong audio lover and wino, perhaps only wine forums can turn the hobby’s minutia into acrimony as intense as our own.

Maybe Less Wrong, as well?

I don’t belong to any politics websites, but I would imagine they can be as divisive as we are with subjectivists versus Objectivists!

Oh, man. I bet religion forums can really get rocking, too!

 

[Rja4000]

As an almost lifelong audio lover and wino, perhaps only wine forums can turn the hobby’s minutia into acrimony as intense as our own.

Maybe Less Wrong, as well?

I don’t belong to any politics websites, but I would imagine they can be as divisive as we are with subjectivists versus Objectivists!

Oh, man. I bet religion forums can really get rocking, too!

I guess you can find the same in every passionate debate, so in any hobby.

I've been participating to photographer forums, and you see the same there.
Same for musicians, I think.
And scientifics debates are all by quiet, sometimes.

I guess it's just human nature.

 

[egellings]

Maybe Consumer Reports? It's not free but you can sign-up for one month and I think you can access all of the historical reviews reports.

I was never a subscriber/member but I used to see the magazine when it was in print. It was geared more more toward "average consumer" than to the enthusiast... If you were into cars you'd read car magazines and if you were into audio you'd read the audio magazines.

P.S.
Consumer Reports is still in-print. ...The magazine never seemed that practical to me because they may not have a current review of whatever you're interested in at the moment.

I get the magazine (CR), and it publishes automotive reviews, and has a well-regarded test track for testing them and the magazine employs knowledgeable automotive engineering staff as well to perform tests and evaluate results. Car makers read them and use the test track to test new car models. CR also does well for household appliances and other products. As for audio, those components are tested in a similar household use sort of way, and are not aimed at high end audiophile sensibilities, or lack thereof. Tests involve equipment functionality, reliability and overall performance. Sonic subtleties are not discussed.

 

[MZKM]

These go really in-depth:

Power tools:
Torque Test Channel
Project Farm

Mobile devices, laptops, charging:
Chargerlab
notebookcheck
Geekerwan
The Phawx

Board repair:
iPad Rehab
NorthridgeFix

Circuit design:
Marco Reps

Multimeters, USB chargers, Power banks, Battery cells, Battery chargers:
lygte-info.dk

PC hardware:
Gamers Nexus
Actually Hardcore Overclocking

PC monitors, peripherals:
Monitors Unboxed
Optimum Tech

Video game graphics:
Digital Foundry

TVs:
HDTVTest

Wearables (with focus on biometrics):
The Quantified Scientist

Cleaning appliances:
Vacuum Wars

Bicycle tires:
bicyclerollingresistance

Bicycle engineering:
Hambini

3d printing:
247printing
CNC Kitchen

Cameras and camera lenses:
Christopher Frost
Huygens Optics
CineD
Philip Bloom
Tony & Chelsea Northrup
Gerald Undone

EVs:
Bjørn Nyland

PA:
Dave Rat

Automotive engineering:
driving 4 answers
Engineering Explained
KYLE.ENGINEERS
B Sport
Tyre Reviews

Small arms:
Forgotten Weapons

Locks:
LockPickingLawyer

and lastly, ASR alternatives:
L7Audiolab
Erin's Audio Corner
0DiBi
Archimago
GoldenSound
AREGINA
ReferenceAudioAnalyzer

The Hook Up is one of the other insanely impressive/thorough reviewers on YouTube (and other videos, like setting up permanent Christmas lights).

Some examples from just the past few months:

 

[staticV3]

The Hook Up is one of the other insanely impressive/thorough reviewers on YouTube (and other videos, like setting up permanent Christmas lights).

Some examples from just the past few months:

I discovered him just a few weeks ago. I agree he does awesome work!

 

[EJ3]

.

Youtube in general seems to have a monetization model that is more viable for this sort of work, which sucks, I vastly prefer written articles.

I can read way faster than I can watch a video, just say'in.

 

[antcollinet]

I can read way faster than I can watch a video, just say'in.

Don't you just hate it when people post 5 or 10 minute videos - complete with sponsor messages - to say something like

Open app
Open settings
Change this setting.
Close settings
Problem solved.

Come the revolution brother...

 

[sgent]

I haven't seen https://crinacle.com/ mentioned yet for IEM''s and headphones. He isn't quite as objective only as some here, but has the equipment, knowledge, and has done the tests.

 

[esm]

Computer keyboards: https://geekhack.org/

 

[Anton D]

I'm not sure there is - at least not in the same way or to the same magnitude.

Audio industry is rife with sales of products that do absolutely nothing (cable risers, crystals, quantum dots, etc.) Plus a whole raft of other stuff that perform their core functions (fuses, cables, amps, dacs, streamers etc) but that are sold at vastly over priced levels - sometimes 1000's of times over priced - on the basis of delivering audible improvements compared to reasonably priced well engineered alternatives - that they cannot possibly deliver based on all the laws of physics.

I am not aware of any other industry (even cosmetics) that performs to this level of malignancy.

Supplements.

Car dealers.

Medicare Advantage programs.

Time shares.

Oil companies?