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A Forum Observation (1 Viewer)

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ChrisWiggles

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This is not in response to any specific thread, or post, but a general observation, and a plea for perhaps more helpful posts and threads:

I don't know how many hundreds of threads I've read over the few years, which basically go like this:

"My component X is shipping!!!"
"yay, I just bought X can't wait to try it out!"
"I just ordered X!"
"Awesome, I just got a new X, going to test it out!"
"I'll be getting X in a week!"

And especially these: "I just received X!! It's so awesome! Can't beleive how awesome it is!!! Oh, yeah, and btw, I haven't plugged it in yet, I'm still waiting for the rest of the system..."
:frowning:

I am all happy for you, just as I get very excited when I order something, and have to wait for it. This part wouldn't bother me too much on its own, but it isn't particularly productive either. The next part that inevitably is included in these kinds of posts, are raves about how good product X "will be," how awesome it's "going to perform," how great it was to take the advice of the forum, yadda yadda etc. But you've not even used it yet! For all you know it could be broken! It just *might* suck! How would you know if you've not even received or used a product?

This second part is normal, but particularly baffling. If you've not gotten the product yet, then don't post raving non-reviews before you've even tried it out, or tested it, or seen what it performed like!

It's all well and good that a person can be excited about getting a new product, hoping that it is as good as everyone says, or that it sounded during an audition, or whatever. But if you've not yet received the product, these threads are somewhat useless, and they seem to be a recommendation or review for something that you have no experience with yet.

Relax, withold your excitement for a little bit, and when you've done ample testing, then you can draw your conclusions, or post a reveiw on how things turned out.

Again, not being negative, or attacking any particular type of product, but this is an observation of mine that perhaps others shared.

I've ordered my share of "hyped" products, been very excited to do so, and also been *very* well-rewarded by relying on quality information and reviews on various forums.

But I just feel that these threads are essentially raving reviews on a product that a person doesn't even have yet! Then when the product arrives, they are so excited, any objective criticism of a product seems unwarranted, and may perhaps then lead to more raves that just perpetuate regardless of what the product may really be like.

Hype is ok. Raving reviews are ok. Being excited is great! But don't hype and rave until you actually have experience with a product.

Thanks! :emoji_thumbsup:

*to be clear: this is in no way directed at any particular product. Many of the very popular shipped(or store-bought) brands and products that these types of threads entail, I've had experience with, and can speak *VERY* positively for. My above rant has nothing to do with the actual quality of the units. JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE SAYS that product X, or store X, or whatever, is the best, or a great bargain doesn't make it so. They say that about Bose too. Please withold your raves or rants until you actually have something concrete to rave about.
 

WayneO

Supporting Actor
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Nov 10, 2003
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625
I'm with you Chris and SVS buyers are just getting rediculous, flooding this and other forums with worthless "OMFG this thing shakes the foundation!" posts which aren't discussions. I'm almost embarassed to be an SVS owner sometimes. These posts do nothing to increase people's knowledge and I never see any other group of owners for any product post these rediculous threads. Here's hoping more buyers STFU and enjoy their purchase.
 

john aprile

Agent
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I concur, some SVS owners sound like screaming little girls, just having reached puberty, out on their first live boy band concert. :b

More often than not, it’s the infantile yahoo type poster raving how he’s destroying the house foundation, or how the walls are crumbling, and the couch actually moved…....immature and boring. :b
 

Steve Schaffer

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It's a fact of internet forums that a huge percentage of people will jump on a bandwagon for a product based on what they've read on the internet without ever having tried it themselves or ever trying any competing product--I call it the "juggernaut effect." Right now it's SVS subs here, in the dvd player forums it's Faroudja de-interlacers.
 

ChrisWiggles

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Guh, :frowning:

I hoped people wouldn't misconstrue my post, and think SVS. Not so! I am a proud owner of SVS, and can speak first-hand to the *outstanding* quality and performance of their subs, as I can to several other popular internet brands, and many other very popular brands. Popularity definitely has some(but it varies) correlation to budget quality on most forums.

My point was specifically with regard to a TYPE of posting that happens often. It has *nothing* to do with SVS, or any other particular product at all.
 

Allen Longcor

Supporting Actor
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Oct 21, 2001
Messages
549
I agree Chris, I'd like to see more constructive posts about the producst than the giddy pre-excitement before it comes. How does it compare to your old equipment? Is it worth the money, or should you have spent less? How is the build quality? Questions like this are what really help people reading the forum.
 

Steve Schaffer

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I should have said something similar, Chris. While I don't own SVS there are plenty of non-fanboy people like you recommending them and also plenty of posts from the guys that own the company. Having long ago learned how to "filter" forum posts and comments it's obvious that they make a topnotch product that represents very good value for money and even more importantly go way above and beyond in the realm of customer service.

I do understand that you're objecting to a type of posting rather than trying to knock a product, I was concurring in that regard. In a way that type of posting about a given product is a shame because it can lead to a backlash against the product or it's manufacturer.

I do have a Panny player with Faroudja, and it is the best de-interlacer around for a tiny percentage of badly flagged discs, but I don't consider it the be-all and end-all in that there are other aspects of performance or other features on other makes of player that to many may be more important, so I sorta resent the posts that imply that anything else is junk.
 

jephdood

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Jeff
I TOTALLY agree. WAY too many hollow comments. But, on the other hand, people just want to share their excitement with someone. And their wives probably don't give a damn that their SVS sub is on the way.

That said, I'm REALLY excited for my pizza to arrive. I ordered it almost 30 minutes ago and I just can't wait for it to come. I just *know* it will satisfy. I had lots of choices out there, but I just wanted to thank you all for your suggestions of toppings. I'll let you all know how it goes and post pictures later. ;)
 

Ben Stern

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The thing is guys, this is more than just a place to go for product reviews. It's an online community and people like to share their excitment and joy regarding a new product. Kind of like talking about your new girlfriend. Most people involved in this hobby, have no one to share their enthusiasm with in their real lives - and so they come here to share their happiness and their frustration regarding new purchases. Kindred spirits and all that.
 

steve nn

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That said, I'm REALLY excited for my pizza to arrive. I ordered it almost 30 minutes ago and I just can't wait for it to come. I just *know* it will satisfy. I had lots of choices out there, but I just wanted to thank you all for your suggestions of toppings. I'll let you all know how it goes and post pictures later.

__________________________________________________ ________

:laugh: :laugh:
 

Bill**H

Stunt Coordinator
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Maybe that's why I haven't received but 1 good answer with an offer of help to my BFD question, everybody is eating pizza...

Bill
 

ChrisBee

Stunt Coordinator
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Messages
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I'm with Ben Stern. :emoji_thumbsup:

If you want an élitist encyclopaedic discussion of a purely technical nature you could always try train spotting! I don't doubt they can hold forth for decades on their latest sighting of xyz seen at abc junction with non matching bogies and a very unusual splash of paint on the third wheel from the front! :)

A newsgroup is a community of like-minded people of all persuasions and all levels of ability and wide ranging interests within the field. Expressing your enthusiasm and excitement at the prospect of a new purchase or its recent arrival is all part of chatting to your virtual 'friends' online. ;)

It should also be held VERY clearly in mind that many enthusiasts (of countless interests) have absolutely nobody else to talk with directly about their hobbies. I have only met one fellow enthusiast in 40 years of interest in one of my more popular hobbies.(hifi) :D
Yet I am quite sure from the many newsgroups and websites online that our paths have simply never crossed. :frowning:

If you want a purely technical discussion newsgroup then you should start one immediately. How popular it would be before the in-jokes and enthusasism for a new piece of test apparatus turned up I hesitate to think.

Remember: It's supposed to be FUN ! Only the manufacturers are supposed to take it THAT seriously. :laugh:

BTW: SVS ROCKS!!!!:D

(I speak with grateful enthusiasm after 35+ years trying to achieve a tiny fraction of what they have accomplished in just one tube!) I built my own 6'6" x 24" diameter subwoofer tubes well over 35 years ago and they sucked all the bass out of the room! As did the endless infinite baffles, the sand filled reflex panels, nicely venered and braced chipboard boxes, damped PVC pipes, Voight folded horns, tapered labyrinths, bandpass, etc.etc.etc.etc.etc.etc. :thumbsdown:

ChrisBee :wink:

http://mysite.freeserve.com/svs_pci_music/index.jhtml

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D:D :D :D:
 

Wayne Ernst

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I've started such a thread once ... and feel like such a bad boy for doing so. Actually, it was under the "DIY" section and I was exstatic when I could finally order my (2) Shiva drivers. ;)

However, about the only thing that bothers me more than the posts of excitement when someone has ordered product "X" are the threads such as:

- "I have $279.88 in my piggy bank, what is the best receiver for me?"

Now, those threads drive me nuts. It seems like they appear here every few days. The history that has been built up in the forum here is so abundant and just wish people would either 1) use the search feature a bit more or 2) read through some of the valuable historical posts to collect many of their answers. Granted, everything might not be answered in the posts of the past, but certainly the receiver decisions questions could easily be answered.

Now, I'll get off my soap box. Thanks for listening. :)
 

Eric Eash

Second Unit
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Aug 3, 2003
Messages
367
no matter what forum you go to online, these same problems exist, and they will still exist years from now. i really have to agree with the part about having no one to talk to about all this stuff. i don't post these type of posts, but i should. you guys might have some difficulty finding people to share your interest with in the United States, but here in Japan, i live on a small military base where everyone thinks bose is the end all audio brand. then i turn to my wife and about 4 words come out and then i'm cut off. this forum is all i have. sure i've tried converting people, but it's hard when there isn't an audio store down the street. yes, people should also do a search prior to every post, but how many people have even read that in the guidelines, how many people have even read the guidelines, and how many people care. unless a forum admin posted this thread, isn't this thread just as pointless as a "my x just shipped" thread?
 

Allen Marshall

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
561


Yea, the chances of me finding somebody (my own age, someone who is to become a friend) that is into this stuff is pretty far out there. Xbox Live on the other hand, that would all depend on my gamertag/nickname but even then it's polluted with 90% Bose setups who think there reciever master volume tells you the decibel level.

Which was me about a year ago!

I've got one friend who has an HT, about 10yr old speakers, knows nothing about HT or wants to, but loves surround sound. I got another friend who's tv room is like a 9x9 box with the tv on an angle who loves music and playing instruments therefore pays attention to sound specifics, but will never get speakers unless there in his car, which will probably be bose :) But will still listen to me and absorb what im saying to expand his knowledge.
:emoji_thumbsup:

I will admit seein the same threads, different day, slighty different title does make one abit nacious (and i havent even been on the forum that long) but eh.

I dont think i'll ever get sick of the "I just got X" threads, i love readin those, specially when its SVS!

And your damn right im gonna make one when i get mine! Havent even had a subwoofer before, i cant even phathom what an SVS sounds like. I deserve the right!

Is it even possible to relay a sound in your head if you've never heard it before? in real life or in tv?
 

Stephen M

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Sep 16, 2000
Messages
169
I agree intellectually with what the main post said and agree that everyone should stop these non-info rave reviews. OTOH, many of us are in a situation in which NO ONE we personally know gives a damn about this hobby. My wife could care less other than the hemmorraging of money out of our accounts;) . Friends at work think of this hobby as an odd obsession. The only guys I have to talk to about this hobby are the the guys on the forums. I guess we can all hope for a little less heat and a bit more light regarding posts, but this is an emotional hobby which has a substantial impact on our daily life. I think guys are gonna want to praise to the moon or damn to the depths the products they buy or are waiting(seemingly forever:) ) for. In conclusion, while I agree that more information is ideal, I do not want to lose the excitement and enthusiasm that is an integral part of music and movie reproduction.
 
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