How To Use Product Reviews, Part I.
When you shop for audio video equipment, do you read product reviews? Online or in magazines, reviews by credible sources are but one data point among many in making a product choice. But how useful are professional product reviews, and what's the best way for you to use them when you're making your buying decisions? The answer depends upon several factors.
Bias
In an ideal world, products would be
evaluated with all logos removed. You
should remember that reviews are written
by human beings who bring their own
preferences and prejudices to the review
process. No matter how hard you try
to keep them out, preconceptions creep
in to every product evaluation. I'm guilty
of this, too, so this is no knock on reviewers.
It's simply an observation of human
behavior. Professional reviewers with
experience are generally better at
"listening past" their prejudices than
less experienced reviewers.
How do you tell when a reviewer brings
undue bias to a review? Sometimes, they'll
tell you straight out: "I've never been a
fan of dome tweeters," etc. Other times,
the clues may be subtler. I recently read
a product review that began with a discussion
of the brand's dealer network.
It was written in a way that made it clear
that the writer did not approve of the
brand's strategy. The product review that
followed was not terribly complimentary;
but because of the tenor of the reviewer's
opening statements, I knew to
take the reviewer's opinion with
a grain of salt.
Consider your source.
Well-established
magazines and web
sites tend to use qualified
and experienced
writers. Be especially wary
of on-line review sites. The
beauty of the Internet is also
its curse. It gives a voice to just
about anyone with a few bucks to
rent some server space, and there
are a plethora of review sites staffed
by people who have minimal experience
and fewer qualifications. Search the site
for reviewer bios and read their past
reviews. Look for poor grammar and
amateurish writing-it's a sure sign of
an unqualified source. (Unless it's mine.
Then it's Micah's fault for not catching
my minor slip-ups.)
Getting To Know You…
Get to know the reviewers. Read their
past reviews whether or not they are
about products you're interested in.
After a while, you'll start to get a feel for
their styles and points of view. Some writers
are laconic and dry. Others will gush
over just about anything that comes
their way. A "this speaker is a competent
performer" comment from writer "A"
might be equivalent to an "oh my god
this speaker is unbelievable" comment
from writer "B."
United We Stand
Read many reviews. Look for unanimity of
opinion on a given item. If several writers
have reviewed the same product and
come to similar conclusions, you're safe
in giving those opinions greater weight in
your buying decision. For example, Polk
LSi Series speakers received excellent
reviews from just about every major audio
magazine and web site. What smart
reviewers! You should drop everything
and go buy some LSi right now!
What if you can't find any reviews about
an item you're considering? I wouldn't
read too much into it. Given the limited
number of credible audio publications
and the hundreds of thousands of speaker
models available worldwide, there's just
not enough room (or enough reviewers)
to review every single product.
Plus, the review process can
take months from the date
a product is submitted
to the date of publication.
Reviews of similar products from
the same brand may be helpful.
So, To Review
Reviews can be helpful. They
can expose you to new products
and clue you in to what to
look for-or look out for-in a
product's performance and functionality.
They are most useful in validating your
own experiences with a given product.
Ultimately it is you who must be satisfied
with the performance, cosmetics and
practicality of the product;
you are the ultimate reviewer. Rely most
heavily on your own listening and use
experiences when making audio equipment
choices. You have to go out into
the real world and touch, see, and most
of all listen to the AV products you are
considering. Trust your own judgement
most of all.
