...stating that the review of a defective component will be published, to be eventually followed-up by a review of a working sample?

How can we readers know that the first sample was faulty and not just badly engineered, and that the manufacturer would then send a working sample and not a modified one?

John Atkinson wrote:

Several readers have emailed Michael and/or me to ask where was Michael's "Analog Corner" column in the July issue of Stereophile. Michael's column in this issue was intended to be devoted to a review of the ViV Labs underhung tonearm. However, when he received the preprint, the distributor felt there must have been a fault with the review sample. Michael didn't receive the replacement in time for this issue, so a longer "Analog Corner" in the August issue will

be devoted his experience of both samples.

Michael's next full review for Stereophile will be of the Dan D'Agostino Momentum preamplifier in the August issue.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

I think all manufacturers would say the same, wouldn't you ?

It so happens that I spent the better part of this day at the medical clinic. Once again finding myself with copious amounts of ‘me’ time between testing, consultation & check writing. Due to far too much experience over the past few years immersed in the current state of healthcare (oxymoron?) as it exists in the US, I was well-armed with hardcopy of Stereophile & took opportunity to make lemonade from sour circumstance. I was catching up on reading some of my back-issues. Don’t dance yet, prognosis is I will live till next week.

OT, but inescapably noticeable to me was the lack the of reading material in the room, & the overabundance of flatscreen TV’s strategically mounted so as to be within eye-shot regardless of one’s location. All simultaneously tuned to shows of Judge Him-or-Her blaring like Chinese Water Torture while the majority of patients glared mindlessly, thumbs dancing, at their cellphones. The older (and closer to death) I get, the less respect for humanity I am able muster.

But to the topic at hand, I was reading AD’s May issue review of the Raven tube amp.

http://forum.stereophile.com/content/raven-audio-spirit-300b-reference-stereo-power-amplifier

Amps, actually. It seems the first two mono-blocks provided to him experienced an episode of spontaneous combustion the moment he ‘lit’ them up. All events were well documented to my satisfaction along with a review of the sister stereo rendition amp since no other monoblocks were available from the company at the time. The ensuing report & manufacturer’s response was explicit to my satisfaction.

Skepticism is the protector of truth. And much criticism can be made of audiophile journalism today. Just as product placements in movies & TV, along with consumer profiling via your smart phone’s constant pinging for wi-fi telling retailers your exact location within their brick & mortar establishments along with monitoring of online browsing & spending habits causes the leery consumer to be cautious of any and all proffering, unsolicited or otherwise.

So one must use judgment based on one’s own knowledge & learned ability to sort the chaff from the wheat. After a while, it becomes fairly easy to spot the charlatans & barkers. And so to, based on experience & sound (pun not intended) judgment, one can grant a comfortable level of trust to those, who through years of consistency in method, give both objective AND subjective view on the product under scrutiny.

I have a V close friend who is an audio reviewer. And, yes, he acquires review samples at a deep discount on occasion. Does such opportunity influence his written judgments? Well, I often get to spend much time with his review equipment. In all honesty, some of the stuff he has been quite enamored with I could gladly drop off at the Goodwill store. But what he writes about is what HE hears. Now I realize this one example says nothing to the general audio journalistic world in general. But I have been reading for many, many years. I have yet to find anything that would lead me to believe shilling or unethical journalism is at play in the pages of Stereophile.

Which in turn leads me to another observation. With all the good that can come from the nearly unlimited access of information & viewpoints the internet allows today, the curse is it also can be used to provide support & ‘evidence’ for any opinion one may wish to mine.

So now your reprieve has finally arrived.
An end to the rant & rave of a tried old curmudgeon.
It seems it is time for my medication.

Bill - on the Hill
Practicing Curmudgeon & Audio Snob
- just an “ON” switch, Please -

His review will be glowing and gushing with praise. You gonna put that thing in the recommended components Class A++