Forums and Manufacturers: Are they here to help?

Sometimes it's damage control, and sometimes it's an opportunity for free promotion and advertising. which (inexplicably to me), the membership doesn't seem to mind apparently.

Sometimes the perps identifies themselves and sometimes not, even after being outed.

Manufacturers/promoters/distributors/retailers etc. need to identify themselves thoroughly whenever "contributing".

Sure - they're here to help - it could happen.

The manufacturers are just protecting their interests ... good, bad, or otherwise. As long as the maunfacturer discloses his/her identity in the thread, there is no harm or foul done. The reader can determine the rest for himself. It's not that difficult.

Regards, Rich

Consumers do an amazing job of promoting audiophool products that have little value in improving audible sound -I see manufacturers and sales people need do nothing here but enjoy the chic-ching of the cash register.

Sadly more manufacturers do not speak out against someone of the wildest and most ridiculous claims made on some of these forums. The manufacturers probably recognize a bogus claim from a bonafide one very easily but I expect that they dare not speak out even moderately as in most cases they are vindictively attacked...

The answer to your question is the same as the answer to almost every other question posed here, "It depends."

Many manufacturers and dealers who answer are genuinely concerned with helping people, regardless of whether that means selling their own products or not. Some, on the other hand, are relentless self-promoters and sneaky, besides.

It's just like all the rest of life, the one most important skill you can develop is to recognize bullshit when you hear it.