Testing Facilities

[the record spot]

Do WHFS&V have their own in-house testing facilities? I know there are purpose built rooms however, a little line in a competitor mag stated they are the only UK hi-fi mag to have in-house testing facilities and no other mag has access to such advanced tests across all types of equipment.

Overall it makes no difference IMO - that final test comes down to my ears ultimately - but assume setting up a room to WHF spec wouldn't be cheap and would the publisher take this outlay on independently? Or is the testing approach different from one magazine to the next?

 

[Andrew Everard]

I think the review emphasis varies from magazine to magazine.

We chose to spend a very hefty six-figure sum on the design and build of six listening/viewing rooms, as you can read here, just to ensure consistent results when auditioning products.

Other magazines use freelance reviewers who tend to review at home, while others place a lot of emphasis on lab-testing equipment, and have a close relationship with manufacturers of test equipment such as this.

I spend quite a bit of time in the WHFSV rooms, but I also tend to take equipment home when I am testing it for Gramophone, as I find 'living with it' helps no end in writing the longer reviews we run in that magazine.

I guess it's a case of different strokes for different folks, and indicative of the different emphasis of each magazine.

 

[the record spot]

Thanks for the detailed reply Andrew - much appreciated.

Do you go in with a different perspective between the two publications you write/edit for? Apart from the obvious difference between the target audiences, I'd imagine your typical "Gramophone" reader has a different set of priorities than their WHFS&V counterpart. Does this change your approach to the equipment under test, or is that fundamentally the same regardless of the final destination of your piece?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Well, the music is obviously very different, and there's much less emphasis on 'sound per pound'.

But otherwise much the same, other than the fact that - with only room for two products a month - the duff stuff doesn't get a look-in.

 

[John Duncan]

(checks Gramophone for Arcam reviews)

 

[Andrew Everard]

Now that's just mischievous, JD. Obviously there are also many very good products I just don't have toom for, too.

 

[John Duncan]

It was, yes.

 

[Cofnchtr]

Andrew Everard:Now that's just mischievous, JD. Obviously there are also many very good products I just don't have toom for, too.

Hi,

If you want to make some toom in your house for more equipment, I'll take care of some freebies!?

I have loads of toom.

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[Andrew Everard]

In your living toom or your dining toom?

 

[Cofnchtr]

Hi,

My living toom definitely. My dining toom is non existant.
Cheers,

Cofnchtr.