Yep. I just opened my issue for the first time this morning and was surprised to read manufacturers comments in the letters section. What's up with that? I have my suspicions but will refrain as the powers to be seemed to be in a 'delete' mode around here lately!

RG

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Yep. I just opened my issue for the first time this morning and was surprised to read manufacturers comments in the letters section. What's up with that?

As the section is still clearly labeled "Manufacturers' Comments," I didn't feel there would be a problem with this placement. We had just 2/3page of Mancoms, and I had no other odd 1/3 page to match it with when the magazine was being mapped.

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I have my suspicions but will refrain as the powers to be seemed to be in a 'delete' mode around here lately!

Yes, we have been deleting CES blog comments from "DUP," who is banned from this forum and for the same reason. We also deleted a grossly offensive photograph. Do you have a problem with that?

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

John,
This is not correct or accurate. You deleted one of rgilbran's comments, and a comment I made in the CES blogs, and neither one of us is DUP, and I do have a problem with that. Such a reply is disingenuous when you know for a fact that you deleted our posts, too. The reason I surmise that you pulled my post was because because the manufacturer, Blue Smoke, wanted to make posts effectively advertising their product, and my post was pulled because it's presence in that thread might set the manufacturer's product in a somewhat questionable light now that a possible source of advertising revenue decided it wanted to post it's own comments. The fact that you deleted my post indicates very clearly to me (and to others) that you have a conflict of interest regarding your real customers (that is, your readership) and the manufacturers whose products you cover (aka your ad revenue customers).

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we have been deleting CES blog comments from "DUP," who is banned from this forum and for the same reason.

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This is not correct or accurate. You deleted one of rgilbran's comments, and a comment I made in the CES blogs, and neither one of us is DUP, and I do have a problem with that.

My apologies but I don't remember why those specific comments were deleted. Perhaps Stephen Mejias will remember. (Stephen actually does the physical deleting.) But by far the majority of deleted comments were from Carl, posting as DUP and cleo, and they were deleted for the same reason he was banned from this forum. While he is passionate about the music he loves, he is also a loudmouthed bully intolerant of anyone whose values regarding audio reproduction do not coincide with his own.

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The reason I surmise that you pulled my post was because because the manufacturer, Blue Smoke, wanted to make posts effectively advertising their product, and my post was pulled because it's presence in that thread might set the manufacturer's product in a somewhat questionable light now that a possible source of advertising revenue decided it wanted to post it's own comments.

I am sorry, Stephen, but your paranoia is showing here. Potential advertising has nothing to do with our deletion of comments. Rather, it was the uninformed, abusive, hectoring nature of the comments from people who appear to have agendas at odds with those of audiophiles in general.

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The fact that you deleted my post indicates very clearly to me (and to others) that you have a conflict of interest regarding your real customers (that is, your readership) and the manufacturers whose products you cover (aka your ad revenue customers).

Sigh...if you really believe that to be the case, Stephen, then I suggest you stop reading the magazine and stop supporting its ventures, such as this forum and website.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

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You deleted one of rgilbran's comments, and a comment I made in the CES blogs, and neither one of us is DUP, and I do have a problem with that.

As I said in my earlier response, we have been deleting comments from our blog coverage of CES when they are abusive, defamatory, or just plain inappropriate. _This_ is the place where people should post such comments. For example, following is a comment we deleted this morning from the Show blog, which has nothing to do with CES:

"Hey John Atkinson, don

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This is not correct or accurate. You deleted one of rgilbran's comments, and a comment I made in the CES blogs, and neither one of us is DUP, and I do have a problem with that.

Do you mean this post, Stephen? I see comments there from both you and "rgibran." Did you make additional comments that were deleted?

I don't recall deleting any comments from that particular post, but if comments were deleted, it is simply because we judged them to be inappropriate.

god john, looking at that list of equipment, even at a courtesy price, how could you have saved any money for a house? or do they pay you a very high salary? where do you keep all that gear anyway?

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god john, looking at that list of equipment, even at a courtesy price, how could you have saved any money for a house?

It may look like a lot, but remember this was what I have bought over the past 25 years. Averaged over that time, my expenditure probably only comes to $2000-3000/year. And other than music and audio, I spend very little on things others deem important, like having a new car every few years. Even so, let's hope my long-suffering wife doesn't read this forum. :-)

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or do they pay you a very high salary?

I can't complain. :-)

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where do you keep all that gear anyway?

The older pieces I keep in an air-conditioned storage unit. The rest in closets adjacent to my listening room when it is not actually in use.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

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50-70% of the retail price.

That does explain a lot of comments about 'budget'. 'value' and 'moderate' pricing...$4K is a lot more budget than $7K not to mention $30K more 'moderate' than $60K

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50-70% of the retail price.

That does explain a lot of comments about 'budget'. 'value' and 'moderate' pricing...$4K is a lot more budget than $7K not to mention $30K more 'moderate' than $60K

We reference any comments on a product's value or competitiveness to its retail price, not the wholesale price.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

I was being broadly ironic

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I hope this answer puts snarky questions like this to rest.

John, you're too open. The majority of us don't expect you reveal your personal assets, income and expenses. If the inquisitive malcontents have a problem, it is their concern; it is not our concern.

This issue surfaces at regular intervals, occasioned, I believe, mainly by envy. I thought that if I published this list of all the equipment I have bought, it might result in silence, at least for a while.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Forgot to list the Z-Systems RDP1 digital preamplifier/equalizer I bought in 1999 following Kal Rubinson's review. I have subsequently has this updated to handle 88.2kHz and 96kHz-sampled data and to apply POWR-1 and POWR-2 redithering algorithms.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

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As the section is still clearly labeled "Manufacturers' Comments," I didn't feel there would be a problem with this placement. We had just 2/3page of Mancoms, and I had no other odd 1/3 page to match it with when the magazine was being mapped.

I got my copy and believe I understand the problem. I admit I did not see the change in the letters. That was not my problem but reading the manufacturers praise or condemnation before reading the reviewer is not how I like to read the magazine. Please, put the comments after the review.