Did you Know?
As you may know, my dad is a reviewer for a web magazine that reviews HiFi audiophile equipment called Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity. Like presumable many reviewers, they do their reviewing by placing the review sample into their everyday listening set-up, and evaluate based on how it sounds compared to their own, taking into consideration the price point and audience. The review sample in question, depends on the specialty and what the reviewer can handle. In terms of my dad, he handles pretty much almost everything. The only things he doesn’t probably do is headphones because he doesn’t know how to evaluate them, as he doesn’t have his own HiFi pair. Other than that, he pretty much takes what is given to him.
As his son, I get the privilege to actually try out some of the things he reviews, and I’ll actually review them on my own as practice, so I can maybe get to doing this when I’ve settled down and stuff. This blog/site’s purpose is partially this as well, other than the reaching out, trying to possibly get to know other people my age that are into this kind of thing as well. Since this is a rather unique position I’m in, I thought it’d be interesting to share my point of view on how it feels to switch back from those review samples I get to try in my own system. That also includes what I experience after a review. I usually experience three types of aftereffects from a review (both when I was “helping” my dad and from my own reviews). Enjoy!
1: Ah, it’s good to be back.
This happens when the review product in question is, let’s just say something I don’t fundamentally like. Take for example, a soundbar (I’m not going to name names for this). Before I started the blog, I was helping my dad out, and one day we got a soundbar to review. Really, since I was so used to listening to my dad’s stereo/multi-channel home theater system, the soundbar really paled in comparison, not matter how good it is in other ways. It’s a physical limitation that it can’t generate the experience a stereo gets in comparison. Although many “normal” people like the fact that it’s simpler and the market is there, it’s just something I wouldn’t get for my own system. It’s just one of those samples that made me want to get over it. Luckily, you didn’t have to read a review like that from me.
2: Well, I have to admit that was better than I thought!
This happens quite a lot for me, as someone who doesn’t have as much background knowledge as my head of the house (*ahem* dad). For these times, I have doubts about the product that comes in, and in this cases I tend to take to the negatives. But later in the review, because of several points that arise as he points out, I start to appreciate it. In terms of street basketball type of mentality, I’m hostile to anyone/anything I’m not familiar with, but as I gain respect for them/it, I warm up to them. If you want it in terms of friends, I’m the type that when I warm up to people, I tend to be crazy comfortable with them and show them crazy s**t (trying to be family friendly). But not to the extreme extent.
3: How am I going to handle parting with this?! … (oh well)
Lately, this is something that happens to me, and you will find this in my recent reviews. Mainly (I’m going to name names these this time), the Bel Canto S300 (pictured) and the Auralic Polaris (& the Altair but the Polaris is basically that + an amplifier worth as much) that you can find I’ve reviewed under projects. The Polaris review is combined with the Altair, but I’ve decided to do a separate review for the Polaris for later. But anyway, these are like REALLY expensive components that I can’t afford and sound out of this world. Totally worth the price they are offered at. Greater if used (just saying because, depreciation). In terms of sound. They pale anything that I’ll be using daily, so it’s really a bummer to switch back. It can backfire as well because I’ll be thinking in exact words as the title for this, and I can’t think of anything else during the listening session. That probably only happens about a fourth of the time, and I still get it done anyway. I have no deadline for my reviews. When I actually switch back, it’s just like breaking in a new component. I eventually get used to it. It’s just hard to handle mentally, that I have to let it go. If I got a choice, I’d never let it go. NEVER.
HIFI Sound Enthusiast 