Does anybody read reviews?

Definitely agree with the previous posts, but at the same time I'm grateful that AgoN is putting so much effort into this site and our beloved hobby. I think so far, the best reviews have been contained in the forum discussions.

I hate to be critical in this forum - but I read three reviews and now pointedly ignore them. Each review read like a very poor ripoff of a trade magazine review, and each one stated that the piece of equipment in question was definitively the best that each of the "reviewers" had ever heard. I have no interest in a review that includes only glowing commentary. Every piece of equipment available has limitations and trade offs - so include them in the review, or be prepared to be taken less than seriously. Too often, these reviews are just somebody's way of advertising that they have bought a new piece of equipment.

I hate to sound bitter, but I really wish that the 'Gon would create a format for reviews and keep them separate from the discussion threads.

The topic of the influx of reviews came up a couple of weeks ago. I suggested at that time that A'gon should place the reviews in a seperate category or, indeed an entirely seperate forum for reviews which could then be broken down by category (much like the classified section).

I'm pleased to see that so many of you are in agreement. Although this will not resolve the associated problems as noted above (i.e., advertising one's recent purchases; including only glowing comments; not providing system details, etc) it will most certinly provide a better sense of structure and will ease the navigation chore considerably.

What is with the attitudes lately?
First off the reviews are in there own category, secondly no one is forced to read them. How is it that your acting like they are infringing on your forums?
As far as the quality, well some have been good, some not so. I don't believe the people (including myself) who have taken the time and effort to write reviews in the hope of helping people thinking about new equipment deserve the comments above. First it takes a lot to try and write an honest review. Secondly if it some how bothers you that people love there equipment I'm sorry for you. I have tried in my reviews to explain the selection process and the equipment I tried while making the selection. I have praise for the equipment I selected because it was the best of what I tried. So should I say it's bad just to get your approval?
Frankly I'm sickened by the feeling expressed above and can only pray that you're a very small few who have such a problems with the others on this site and there desire to share there systems with others.
Please I beg of the above posters, DO NOT READ REVIEWS. You may learn something, God forbid that happens, and you get exposed to systems you would otherwise never have experience with.

Jadem6, I fear that you misapprehend the thrust of these reservations. Let me say right away (and as I have posted in the past about your contributions) that if all the work contributed to the A'gon reviews was as thorough, thoughtful, and well-written as for instance your own article about your Plinius amp was, I don't for a moment think that I or the others would be spending our time on a thread like this one right now.

Unfortunately, many of the "reviews" I have read can literally teach the reader *nothing* at all. No one here is suggesting that a positive review is automatically invalid. What we are saying is that "reviews" that contain no critical commentary whatsoever - or no context, no specific examples, no comparisions, no detailed descriptions, or are just not communicative or interesting - do not make for particularly worthwhile bedtime reading; no effort and/or ability = no value. No one is making blanket statements about *all* of the reviews; I am surprised that you would even suspect that your own writing might be lumped in with the lackadaisical toss-offs that you undoubtedly must have also seen littering the reviews as of late. You have no reason to take ummbrage, believe me.

Frankly, it seems to me that it is precisely the folks such as yourself who will suffer the most from such "reviews" diluting the overall quality of the work archived, because your obvious hard work will become overlooked, swamped in a sea of mediocrity that discourages interested parties from digging further. I just *know* that you don't mean to defend those quickie slobs who simply submit a scribble stating that their Symphonic Bombast Mega-Sonic X-15 Rev. 2 is absolutely the greatest thing they've ever heard, and how much they really, really love it the most, period the end! I for one hope that you will truly stand up for yourself, not by taking offense where none is intended, but by joining us in trying to offer some much-needed constructive criticism on the subject, in an attempt to protect the integrity and usefulness of the genuinely valuable reviews like yours. I can only try my best to ensure that when I submit my first formal review under the new format (I've done similar posts in the past, before the catagory existed), my own work will be up to the standards set by your excellent example, but in the meantime, let's all encourage everybody to try their absolute best when they post a review. IMHO, to give any less is insulting to the readers, and damaging to the whole enterprise.