Industry Participants

Can't understand why industry participants have to be compiled in discussion forum or you may want to explain further your design idea.

For me personally on other forums where they have the designation attached to their moniker i either think i will pay attention to what they are saying because of the knowledge they have in a particular field . On the opposite side if all they are doing is promoting a brand  i lose interest in reading what they habitually post. Would be nice to know that here as i spend most of my time watching on Audiogon forums.

Yes, it might be convenient even for dealer or manufacturer itself because no disclosure should be necessary. I believe that new audiogon development team takes advises and implements them in most of cases.
That's the best I can offer. Under all users information we may see the number of posts and as well we may also see the affiliation...

Audiogon policy appears to be to let vendors go unidentified.    I guess that's what's best for business. 

I was kinda thinking they would want to post here . Let us know who they are . Must not be good business . Mapmans post the other day about Geoffkaitt being in the audio business was a shock to me . I had no idea . Wondering who else posts here that i am unaware of ?

I don't blame vendors.  They are just using the system to their advantage.  Just like Donald Trump openly admits to doing.  

It took me a while to come to that realization here as well. 

Need for an expose ? Any detectives here ?

The best thing is to just ask someone if in doubt.  If they wont say stay in doubt.   Many here are forthcoming and knowledgeable though of course always biased.   They are not entitled to not disclose if asked.  

+1Maplegrovemusic. I think full disclosure makes sense. 

Who cares!

Who cares? I do and I always participate on improvement and design of this site. At least someone does. Face the fact it's even to the benefit of vendors to be identified as such. 

I think some are taking this forum a little too seriously, and giving to much weight to the opinions expressed here. We all have preferences on the products we use and recommend. Should every participant state their favorite products next to their screen name to expose any hidden bias? Am I going to cross-check every statement here to determine whether the comment was made by an industry participant? Not me! Opinions are like...well, you know...and everyone is entitled to one. That's just my opinion.

I think everyone has different reasons for posting here . I will give you mine . To hopefully assist a newcomer or someone still trying after years from making the mistakes i have . Took five full years just to get a system free of distortion . Now from there there is still all the other attributes of sound that can be tweaked as well . What are your reasons for posting here ? 

tonykay +1

There is a difference between opinions offered by a vendor and others.

Vendors stand to gain financially from the opinions expressed. Others do not. if anything, they tend to be the losers if they act on bad or biased inforamtion from a vendor with a vested interest in selling particular products.

So its different but all fine as long as one realizes what the situation is.

I do think it reflects negatively on AUdiogon over the long term to let this go on this way, but I have no problem with their business decision to do so.  High end audio is full of grey areas, although this is one that could be addressed if desired.    Its just another fact to consider in the decision making process as a buyer.

I agree that industry participants have a potential for placing economic self interest first. I agree that having the "Industry Participant" designation would be a good thing.

having the designation certainly seems simple enough

i myself have based buying decisions from info gathered here and other forums . I hate to think i might have unknowingly been swayed by a salesmen's post . Looking for transparency as i am sure everyone else is too .

I appreciate most industry members' opinions and knowledge on all matters in audio.  There are some good ones here, there are also ones trying to sell ones wares.  I have no problem with that as long as I know they are in the business and  it gives me a better chance to put their feedback and opinion into perspective.  

Whats the difference between that and layman posters recommending only what they use, many of which have only tried an extremely small percentage of brands and combos of brands available?  

Whats the difference between that and layman posters recommending only what they use, many of which have only tried an extremely small percentage of brands and combos of brands available?

ZERO!  Another Opinion!

Agon is a free internet site with anonymity.   Members are free to play designers, dealers, CEOs ... so why would anyone gullible to make buying decisions based on members identify themselves as "industry participants".