[sokolov91]

So, I might not be the first to make a thread like this, but I did check. I apologize if I am not the first.
 
As much as I appreciate all the work that has gone into the site, and all the new features, I think the Head Gear part is just as bad as it is good.
 
It is great in the sense that we have a local database of reviews and products, but bad in the sense that seems to be nothing other than 5 star reviews... hardly streamlined. I apologize again to all in advance. I know a lot of these reviews are hard work, lots of thinking and comparing and time, and a gift to the community, but when everything is 5 starts, what good is it? The reviews that are lengthy are worth more than the stars as we get a glimps of why, but the short ones well... 
 
While I might be beating a dead horse, because everything here is subjective, I just think that it is just as useless as it is useful, and unless there are perhaps some more rigid rules and guidelines in place it will be as helpful as reading the reviews on amazing.com -_-.... where people plug E8's into ipods and whine about performance .
 
 
Call me  pessimist, call me a jerk, but thats just my two cents.

 

[Vergex2]

I think your post is well thought out and the point is well stated. I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, this may convince me to make a few non-5 star contributions..

 

[Superpredator]

Yeah, this seems like a problem, since experienced members probably aren't going to retrace their steps and post realistic, "perspectived" reviews of equipment they've long since parted with.  The content of the reviews should be useful, but the ratings may well be doomed to meaninglessness.

 

[cegras]

I'd say this is great proof that no single claim is trustable in audio except for your own ears, viz all these so-called reviewers with golden ears and makers of audio equipment.

 

[Landis]

As much as I love any of my headphones, I couldn't possibly give them a five. A perfect score would mean that the headphone you're reviewing is absolutely perfect in your opinion, which I'm sure some can justify as a few out there have found their grails, but too many hype up headphones that they probably couldn't really work out to be perfect if they listened objectively... Ignorance is bliss is the truth in many cases. I try to rate my reviews based on price range and direct competition comparisons if I'm able to.
 
Reviews are all about opinion. We can take them for what they are or try to over analyze them and end up running down the streets of Moscow naked with a bag full of bull willies screaming about aliens abducting our dogs cosmetic research.

 

[Currawong]

I'm sure as more people add their own reviews in this will change, but of course people will be more likely to post about stuff they love or hate, rather than what's in-between.  I've already started seeing stuff with 3.5 or 4 stars in the sidebar actually.

 

[racer_x124]

I give this post ***** (5 stars, not a dirty word)
 
The only thing I have looked at are the text reviews which seem to be more acurate because you can compare all the reviews and get a good baseline. I think that the star system will eventually even itself out as more people use it.

 

[Slaughter]

Who would buy something based on stars? You need to read the review and decide for yourself how many stars they are worth. Stars are meaningless with headphones. Look at Amazon. Because the site is so mainstream, anyone noob who buys some phones there rates them a 4 or 5.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Who would buy something based on stars? You need to read the review and decide for yourself how many stars they are worth. Stars are meaningless with headphones. Look at Amazon. Because the site is so mainstream, anyone noob who buys some phones there rates them a 4 or 5.

People do based on stars, whether you like it or not. Reviews like that on the side are great but eliminate the stars tbh.

 

[Ypoknons]

I didn't expect the average rating to be meaningful (at least at face value), but I'm sure there's valuable information inside some of the reviews. 
 
That said, I've always preferred a simpler rating scheme with just recommended, average and not recommended on it. Everyone approaches the numeric scales a bit differently and plus, it's a bit artificial, what's really the difference between 4.5 and 5 stars? 2.5 and 3 stars? 

 

[Kees]

Any review useless unless you know the reviewer.
That's why star ratings are useless in the first place: you don't know the reviewers.
Unless your criteria happen to coincide with the average of all reviewers, the average star rating is useless for you.
Ratings are also useless because, unless everybody has agreed on the criteria (and their relative weight) and is familiar with them, they are the average of apples, oranges, pears, grapes......

 

[JeckyllAndHyde]

some headphoens ARE perfect - for the stated price or couldn't be much better.
if you find headphones, that are the best sounding compared to other under 100$ - aren't they perfect?
 
 
Edit: arent Koss PortaPro worth 5*? some headphones can be perfect for reviewer - thats why imo stars without longer review arent very useful.

 

[Acix]

 
Sokolov, I'll be glad to read your 5 star review, I know it's hard but this is the only way to get out of bonanza.

 

[haloxt]

If people describe pros and cons in detail, and reply to reviews, it'll work out just fine.
 
My opinion on how people use the star rating:
 
5 stars: I am perfectly happy with my purchase, and I don't feel ripped off in any way
4 stars: I am quite happy, some minor issues, price/performance still acceptable
3 stars: It does its job fine, but with some obvious shortcomings that should be fixed
2 stars: Surprised this junk actually works, or doesn't work and Amazon refunded, or highly unrecommended
1 star: Grr so angry. Utter crap, broken, counterfeit, physical pain, or no explanation.

 

[eucariote]

Agreed.  I think one problem is the huge variation in the breadth of perspective of the reviewers.  People can't help but to confuse 'the best I've heard' with 'the best there is'.   For that reason I almost never read enthusiastic reviews of any single piece of gear (and prefer comparisons because they have at least some perspective).  From my own experience, I found that my standards of good sound changed every time I heard a headphone that surpassed what I previously thought was good - to the point that now I cannot help but notice qualities that fall short of what I've heard in other headphones, etc.