Flawed ratings system

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Blacksabbath25

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chebby said:
Blacksabbath25 said:
To be honest I always thought that this 5 star ratings were paid for by the company's that always seem to getting a 5 star ratings all the time like arcam , monitor audio , roskin the top brands as the magazine is full of adds with this companies that get graded 5 stars so who's to say they pay for 5 stars it's in theses companies interests as the world revolves around money I think it's fixed . But if I am wrong I am sorry

So why aren't you deeply uncomfortable to be a regular contributor on a forum hosted by such an unethical company?

How do I know you aren't paid by the companies who made the kit in your system? I don't, but I do realise that I might need a darned good lawyer if I persisted in saying so (and rock solid evidence).

You are relying on the staff being (mostly) absent most of the time (and non-existent moderation) to make such lazy, half-a###d, 'drive-by' style allegations.

Get some balls - and some evidence - and say which companies were paying for which reviews (and when) or admit you have nothing.
your right i do have nothing ! and i have been buying the magazine for years and did not mean it to be half cocked like i put it but we do see the same old company brands getting 5 stars and like i said if i am out of order i am sorry *sorry2*
 

Vladimir

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spiny norman said:
Vladimir said:
If you could buy ratings directly no one can outbid Sony, Yamaha and Harman.

Apart from Samsung, LG, Apple, Google...

LG audiophile mono blocks! I love it!

20081117-LG-N-Mark-Levinson.jpg
 
K

keeper of the quays

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Andrewjvt said:
Buying a car based on a 5 star review with knowing whats under the hood?
I'm sure people do..most modern cars engines are covered up..all one can do is put water in windscreen washer and put oil in? As long as car owner knows what fuel car uses..i should think reviews figure highly re car purchase...same with hifi...i don't know or really want to know technical spec..all I require is...will it sound ok? Think what hi fi reviews do this....they don't use tech gobbledygook! I have no issue with what hifi reviews...
 

Blacksabbath25

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keeper of the quays said:
Andrewjvt said:
Buying a car based on a 5 star review with knowing whats under the hood?
I'm sure people do..most modern cars engines are covered up..all one can do is put water in windscreen washer and put oil in? As long as car owner knows what fuel car uses..i should think reviews figure highly re car purchase...same with hifi...i don't know or really want to know technical spec..all I require is...will it sound ok? Think what hi fi reviews do this....they don't use tech gobbledygook! I have no issue with what hifi reviews...
car 5 star ratings are useful as you get to know how and what its going to cost you to run the car and its good points as well as bad points very useful as you need a car to get to work so it matters but as hifi is something you can live with out
 
K

keeper of the quays

Guest
Blacksabbath25 said:
keeper of the quays said:
Andrewjvt said:
Buying a car based on a 5 star review with knowing whats under the hood?
I'm sure people do..most modern cars engines are covered up..all one can do is put water in windscreen washer and put oil in? As long as car owner knows what fuel car uses..i should think reviews figure highly re car purchase...same with hifi...i don't know or really want to know technical spec..all I require is...will it sound ok? Think what hi fi reviews do this....they don't use tech gobbledygook! I have no issue with what hifi reviews...
car 5 star ratings are useful as you get to know how and what its going to cost you to run the car and its good points as well as bad points very useful as you need a car to get to work so it matters but as hifi is something you can live with out
What! Live without my hifi? Never....lol
 

Blacksabbath25

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Sep 20, 2015
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keeper of the quays said:
Blacksabbath25 said:
keeper of the quays said:
Andrewjvt said:
Buying a car based on a 5 star review with knowing whats under the hood?
I'm sure people do..most modern cars engines are covered up..all one can do is put water in windscreen washer and put oil in? As long as car owner knows what fuel car uses..i should think reviews figure highly re car purchase...same with hifi...i don't know or really want to know technical spec..all I require is...will it sound ok? Think what hi fi reviews do this....they don't use tech gobbledygook! I have no issue with what hifi reviews...
car 5 star ratings are useful as you get to know how and what its going to cost you to run the car and its good points as well as bad points very useful as you need a car to get to work so it matters but as hifi is something you can live with out
What! Live without my hifi? Never....lol
nor me lol i spend more on hifi i could of had a top car by now how much i spend on hifi *wacko*
 

Jota180

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The issue as I see it with the 5 star system is I can't help percentagising it. 5 stars is 100%, 4 is 80% and so the difference between a 4 and 5 star review is night and day. Also, with this limited clunky system, many products achieve the top mark which in anyones books means perfection and we all know there's no perfect products out there. It's beyond parody that something gets 5 stars then it's next generation version is described as better in every way and also gets 5 stars. It's surely a fact that a newer product could be better than the old one and yet get less stars.

I think the people who will like this rough system the most are the manufacturers. If they can pull off a 'perfect 5' they've got their marketing done for them.
 

Andrewjvt

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Jota180 said:
The issue as I see it with the 5 star system is I can't help percentagising it.  5 stars is 100%, 4 is 80% and so the difference between a 4 and 5 star review is night and day.  Also, with this limited clunky system, many products achieve the top mark which in anyones books means perfection and we all know there's no perfect products out there.  It's beyond parody that something gets 5 stars then it's next generation version is described as better in every way and also gets 5 stars. It's surely a fact that a newer product could be better than the old one and yet get less stars.

I think the people who will like this rough system the most are the manufacturers. If they can pull off a 'perfect 5' they've got their marketing done for them.

In hifi in order to achieve a slight sound quality increase youll need to possibly double
Your buget and we have all talked about deminishing returns so if a 5 star is 100% and 4 star 80% what is that saying to the unaware reader? A 5 star is 20% better sq than a 4 star? Its a little misleading to thise who blindly believe the review also.
 

DCC

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Right between the HI and the FI.

From one fairly new to WHF -

Like many followers I reckon, I spent my first serious time on WHF when putting together some gear. I was way to focused on this site/mag's ratings. I didn't apply percentage to the star rating but I sure did want 5 of them. Decisions I made while leaning on the 5star were solid and the reviews reflected my experience (preprogrammed it?) with the same gear, so no complaints. After some time here I now take less notice of the WHF editorial and focus more on this and other Forums. Forums are where the real skinny is.

I appreciate WHF Forum, has same direct no nonsense and polite vibe the mag does. Civilized folk here.
 

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