A Question for All You Followers of HomeTheaterHiFi (1 Viewer)

[Chu Gai]

Look, I know this is the wrong place to post this, but I just don't know where to stick it. So, admins, feel free to do the usual.

A couple of years ago, Secrets published a review by Jason Serinus on the Bedini UltraClarifier. The review garnered a few responses and based on the responses, the review was edited. Due to the strong umbrage that was taken, the publication (JJ?) wrote the following in http://128.121.62.219/qa/qa2002/qa279.html


Does anyone know if this was ever done and what the results were?

 

[PaulT]

No I have not seen any follow up.

Based on a few recent reviews again by Jason Serinus and mudslinging going on at the new forum at Secrets about them (including one started by myself), I think JEJ needs to rethink the products and/or reviewers he has on that site.

Based on previous Technical Reviews, I had formed a very high opinion of Secrets. Based on recent changes, however, I find it laughable and it therefore taints all the other reviewers/products.

It's really unfortunate.

The also recent kerfuffle () over the Seismic-12 review has obviously got JEJ's attention as he has been trying to put out fires in every Hi Fi Forum on the net lately, including this one as you know.

 

[Chu Gai]

Yup, that I know. Myself, I really don't care if someone likes a bit of distortion in their product but what got me were the levels that were being talked about. I believe TN tests to around 10% because that's the point that driver is going big time non-linear in an exponential fashion. A couple of more dB and I'd think your running serious risk damage to the driver due to excursion issues. The way I looked at the review is that the sub was essentially farting rather loudly. Now we all know, that there are people who will go into a room and inhale deeply at the smell of a fart, savoring its unique character. What more can be said? The reviewer likes farts, eh?

Part of the reason I ask Paul has to do that there's supposed to be a Powercord test done at Serinus' digs under the oversight, if that's the right word, of JJ. On an off note, I got a little curious and did some google searching after looking at his 'equipment vitae' and couldn't help but notice a striking coincidence between things that are reviewed and things that he now has. In fact, as you go back in time, you'll see that stuff he used to own was also reviewed by him. As to whether he was so impressed by the equipment that he bought it, or that he received special accomodations like enormous discounts or free in some cases comes to mind. Thoughts?

 

[PaulT]

That might suggest that there was some unscrupulous manufacturers out there that tried to sway a review by giving equipment away or discounting it..... Nahhh couldn't happen.

I wouldn't tell anyone I used Shakti Stones to improve the sound of my music even if they were 'given' to me.

 

[Chu Gai]

No, he bought those used (see USENET postings). One has to assemble the appearance of a tweaked system in order to get the faithful to pay homage.

 

[Brian L]

A couple issues ago in either Perfect Vision or Absolute Sound (sorry, I can't tell Charmin from White Cloud either), Robert Harley wrote an editorial on the subject of reviewer bias due to getting favorable equipment deals, extended gear loans etc.

It basically said that no such thing happens because he said no such thing happens.

Well, that settles the issue for me.

BGL

 

[Chu Gai]

Well you may find this USENET posting of interest as Tom Nousaine answers a few questions along these lines. There was a posting some time back (I can't put my finger on it now) about someone in Australia I believe who had sent a reviewer a speaker. This reviewer liked the speaker and wanted a very very special deal on it. A substantial discount was offered which wasn't good enough and it was strongly intimated that a good deal would garner a good review. Even cost wasn't good enough so when the review came out, it listed various deficiencies in the unit. Go figure.

 

[BrianAe]

The totally wimped out on the power cord test. JJ ended up going over to Serinus's place and did some listening with the different cords and heard, surprise surprise, slight improvements with the most expensive cords. It was NOT a blind test as was promised. He says the next step is to do a blind test but it doesn't look like it will be happening any time soon.

Jason's reviews and many other recent secret's reviews are terrible. They have two negative impacts on the public at large:

1) when he pumps thousand dollar power cables and Shikta stones he is helping con the public out of hard earned money. I want to say hear that not everyone who buys high fi is rich. Some people could really use to save the dough that they might be spening on cables.

2) When he reviews equipment that does have merit, he has no credibility, so he deprives us from reading a good review from someone with credibility. An example of this would be parasound amplifier review that he did or the recent headphone amp review. If he says that he didn't like it after 40 hours of break in but loved it after 150, are we really supposed to believe anything he says about what it sounds like?

 

[Edward J M]

You're killin' me over here.

Anyone who thinks the difference between 10% THD and 100% THD isn't EASILY audible can stop by my place any time. Last night we were messing around with sines on a few subwoofers currently being evaluated and at high THD, the doubling and tripling is quite audible, particularly at the lowest frequencies where the fundamental is at/near the threshhold of hearing.

Try (for example) a 17 Hz organ note at high THD playback levels - the harmonics at 35 and 50 Hz are immediately identifiable - lots of farting. Whereas the low THD sub stays clean and pressurizes the room with only a hint of audible harmonics - no gas mask required. Big difference in SQ.

 

[BrianAe]

Well, there have been a couple more reviews posted on Secret's site since this thread started. The review of the Edge amplifier goes from not liking the unit after 40 hours of break in, to liking it and recommending it after 150 (or so) hourse of break in. Note that we are talking solid state here.

The review of the Athena speakers recommends setting your receiver cross-over as high as possible since the cross-over of the sub is fixed and unknown.

Impressive.

 

[paul clipsel]

I used to read and really trust some of those early reviews.But after more than a few dubious reviews lately they have lost my readership.Their early dvd stuff was really good and in-depth, they called it as it was not glossing over faults.No more reviews over there for me.

PC

 

[Andrew*L]

Nothing damages credibility like flakiness, and tardiness. If Secrets announced they would do a retest of this product, they should have done so immediately and with full transparency. I still follow their benchmark results on equipment, but discount the reviews heavily.

 

[PaulT]

New update on the power cord Double Blind Test



from a thread at Secrets Forum
http://hometheaterhifi.com/forum/sho...=7532#post7532

 

[Chu Gai]

In this week's Randi.org column, he writes...


Now does it get any better than this? Secrets can abandon the PC test and call upon the Healing Whistler, Jason Serinus, aka Jay Guy Nassberg, their resident Golden Ear to rise to the challenge. A million dollars. What credibility this would bring and even if you didn't need the money, what a generous gesture it would be to donate it to a worthy charity.