Why all the bad press for What HI-FI?

[admin_exported]

Hey

I have been reading on hot uk deals and other other forums and it seems to have the general consensus that What HIFI sells there ratings, so you get an amazing rating for paying for advertising ect? Is this true?

I have no complaints and you guys have helped so much, I was just wondering why people are saying that the reviews sold out to advertisers years ago?

Are the reviews biased?

Don't consider this as me being rude, I take everything with a pinch of salt, just want to know why a lot of people bad mouth this site?

Thanks

 

[Andrew Everard]

canada16:Hey

Hey yourself.

canada16:I have been reading on hot uk deals and other other forums and it seems
to have the general consensus that What HIFI sells there ratings, so
you get an amazing rating for paying for advertising ect? Is this true?

No, there is no truth in that whatsoever.

canada16:I have no complaints and you guys have helped so much, I was just
wondering why people are saying that the reviews sold out to
advertisers years ago?

You'd have to ask them that.

canada16:Are the reviews biased?

Again. no.

canada16:Don't consider this as me being rude, I take everything with a pinch
of salt, just want to know why a lot of people bad mouth this site?

Not a clue. Brightly-lit target, maybe?

 

[Anonymous]

Yea Andrew, green eyed monster i think

 

[Anonymous]

When I look at reviews made by WHFI and a mag made in my own country they seem to pretty much agree on products that are reviewed with only a handful of 5 star objects beeing slaughtered in the local mag and vice versa. I really doubt WHFI are on the take.

 

[Andrew Everard]

joestone:I really doubt WHFI are on the take.

It's not really a matter of discussion. We're not.

 

[Anonymous]

Like I said, just wanted to know why lots of people slate this site.

Like you said, people get green eyed when someone is the best at something.

And I am sure if they were on the take, andrew could afford a new shirt, he has been wearing that one for ages

 

[Andy Clough]

To re-affirm what Andrew said, we're not "on the take", whatever you may hear elsewhere. If anyone on the editorial team was, they'd be fired, simple as that. Don't listen to people who have absolutely no idea what they're talking about, don't work with us and can't possibly know how we operate.

 

[Dougal1331]

To do so would completely undermine the aim and purpose of the magazine. I've seen plenty of disappointing reviews of big-name products over the years, including a full-page ad for a speaker, facing its review where it garnered a mere three stars... I have been a reader since the early 90s, and have always used it to help with upgrades- and never been disappointed.

I do not see or feel that the outlook has changed recently. I believe that WHF are honest and impartial. To show such huge mistrust for the staff, reviewers and production team by inferring otherwise is really quite unfair and insulting, in my opinion. WHF and Haymarket are nowhere near stupid enough to base their entire ethos on a lie.

As usual, if you doubt the outcome of a review, try the kit yourself and see what you think...

 

[Anonymous]

Typical case of sour grapes, I would say..................

I wonder how there is no company always getting 5 stars.............. Figures no one is selling anything.

All 5 star products I have tried gave me 5 stars results, like me many others.

Great job Guys, just keep it up

 

[Dougal1331]

Dougal1331:WHF and Haymarket are nowhere near stupid enough to base their entire ethos on a lie.

Sorry- I'm not insinuating that you are at all stupid! I phrased that sentence pretty badly, my apologies...

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Dougal1331:Dougal1331:WHF and Haymarket are nowhere near stupid enough to base their entire ethos on a lie.

Sorry- I'm not insinuating that you are at all stupid! I phrased that sentence pretty badly, my apologies...

 

[Andrew Everard]

canada16:And I am sure if they were on the take, andrew could afford a new shirt, he has been wearing that one for ages

Or maybe just a new picture...

 

[John Duncan]

Andrew Everard:
canada16:And I am sure if they were on the take, andrew could afford a new shirt, he has been wearing that one for ages

Or maybe just a new picture...

Sorry, we can't do that on the current version of the site. Maybe when we get a new one...

 

[Andrew Everard]

JohnDuncan:Maybe when we get a new one...

Blessed be the name of

 

[John Duncan]

Andrew Everard:
JohnDuncan:Maybe when we get a new one...

Blessed be the name of

Not today it's not. I could take it out and shoot it.

 

[Anonymous]

Live in the USA for a while. All the magazines, whether they be hifi, motorcycles, cars, whatever, are so scared of lawsuits they'll never call a product that is rubbish, rubbish.

 

[Peter Larsen]

I have been reading What HiFi for many many years, I have never ever found any reason to question WH's integrity. On the other hand I have always used their reviews as a guideline whenever I wanted to buy some new HiFi, and in my opinion they have always been spot on in their reviews. A truly great magazine, and a truly great way to narrow down a few pieces of equipment to give a listen.

 

[idc]

All that the internet mischief makers need to do is correlate review stars with adverts posted in WHF. If they did they would find no correlation. But they will not do that as mischief making is fun for them.

 

[John Duncan]

I think the website's great as well.

 

[Andrew Everard]

JohnDuncan:Not today it's not. I could take it out and shoot it.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't for one second believe that advertising has an impact on reviews. I've been reading the magazine since the late 90's and I've seen plenty of bad reviews for heavy advertisers. I do believe that one of the reasons for a lot of four star + reviews is that due to the level of competition and and information available on the 'net as well as advances in manufacturing, there are genuinely a lot of high performing products out there today. Major companies who spend a lot on advertising also have economies of scale on production that allows them to deliver superior products at good prices.

Off topic somewhat, my main gripe with the UK based magazines (I primarily read What Hi-Fi and HCC) is the limited nature of a lot of the reviews. I have subscriptions to Stereophile and Home Theater from the US and their reviews in particular are far more detailed using smaller headlines/ fonts, thinner paper and fewer pictures. Stereophile is actually OTT with a lot of creative writing and verbal diarrohea in many of it's columns and reviews. Home Theater would be my favourite for the format, length and balance of their reviews and opinion pieces.

 

[Anonymous]

This ridiculous idea keeps cropping up every so often. Over a period of 30-odd years not one single disgruntled reviewer has ever been found to say that in their time with the mag they were 'on the take', or that the mag itself generally was. In the fifteen years of 'net life, not one single person associated with the mag has ever posted such a contention anywhere on the web, under any circumstance. The idea that in 30 years, with the best will in the world, not one single person has had an axe to grind such that they've blown the whistle, however anonymously, on any dodgy goings-on behind the scenes, anywhere at all, should tell you everything you might need to know about the worth of WHF's integrity.

WHF is the mag you can trust, and employs people you can trust. I'd love to work for it myself, in all honesty.

 

[Anonymous]

That's the same theory people give for the lone gunman scenario of Lee Harvey Oswald killing Kennedy. If there was a conspiracy, somebody would have blabbed by now. Oliver Stone could do a movie on this, "WHF". Any suggestions on who could play Claire, Andy and the rest of the team ?

 

[Anonymous]

whfi is a household name , thats why others knock it , cos theirs aint , one thing i would say , when the reviews of the new 3d tvs are being compiled , please guys , detail detail and more details , we wanna know ...

 

[Andrew Everard]

Two-page test coming up in the new issue, on sale tomorrow...