[webbie64]

I keep reading these reviews from PC Authority and thinking "if only someone could introduce these writers, let alone their readers, to Head-Fi".

Real world testing: How do generic headphones sound compared to Apple and bigger brands? - News - PC Authority
Real world testing: Are all audio encoders created equal? - News - PC Authority
Real world testing: Do generic MP3 players sound better than iPods? - News - PC Authority
Mini roundup: 8 high-end headphones - Headphones - Portable Audio - Lifestyle - Reviews - PC Authority
Mini roundup: 4 noise-cancelling headphones - Headphones - Portable Audio - Lifestyle - Reviews - PC Authority
Mini roundup: 5 budget earbuds to replace your iPod earphones - Headphones - Portable Audio - Lifestyle - Reviews - PC Authority
Mini roundup: 7 sound-isolating in-ear headphones - Headphones - Portable Audio - Lifestyle - Reviews - PC Authority

Apart from the lack of detail on the so-called 'Real World' tests they engage in, their vague statements and their labelling of anyone wanting anything more than average sound to be a 'HiFi buff' or an 'Audiophile' causes me bemused shakes of my head (I suppose we should all stick with 34cm portable CRT TVs as well LOL).

Thank You Head-Fi for at least providing quality discussions to help us make valid decisions on what the real differences can be between encoding rate, IEMs, Headphones, etc.

As Currwaong has commented in one of the first of the threads I posted on these almost daily headphone-focussed reviews...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif PC Authority aren't an authority on jack s*** to be honest.

I just wonder why they keep reinforcing that point

 

[ForgottenxxRebel]

i'm surprised there isn't more Bose praise. judging by tv commercials and people's opinions, you'd think bose are the best headphones out there.

 

[jjinh]

Thanks for the laugh!

Quote:

The iPod headphones received a more ambivalent reception: a few judges hated their sound, but most found it merely average.

so the apple ibuds got 6.10 out of 10 for sound quality??

 

[MomijiTMO]

Excuse me but What IS THIS GRAPH.

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MomijiTMO /img/forum/go_quote.gif Excuse me but What IS THIS GRAPH.

shows the reviewers need an ear transplant...

 

[MomijiTMO]

You could graph fps on a video card, you could graph attendance percentages per grade awarded. . .. why would anyone bother to graph random ratings?

 

[Deep Funk]

Presentation, presentation and filling up pages...

 

[Ttvetjanu]

I expected something much worse, I honestly did not think it was that bad, considering it's made from a non-audiophile point of view. To be honest I sense a tad of arrogance.

 

[Currawong]

The articles aren't bad actually, though obviously aren't as detailed as you'd get a proper review. Remember kids these days have a short attention span. What gets me is the "Real World Testing" bit, unless they mean things like "People with more money than sense who'd just buy a pair of HD-800s and plug them into an iPod." real-world.

It's funny to think though that a few years ago, I might have read such a review and gotten a shock at the idea of buying a pair of $500 IEMs. The idea of sticking anything in my ears at the time was insane to me, let alone anything costing that much. I guess if someone told me I'd have a few hundred watts of room-heating DSP, DAC, amp and whatnot along with [size=xx-small]erm..lets not add up the total value shall we and just move on...[/size] $$ worth of headphones, well, you get the point.

 

[Solid Snake]

I guess they need to justify their paychecks somehow....

 

[james444]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ttvetjanu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I expected something much worse, I honestly did not thing it was that bad, considering it's made from a non-audiophile point of view. To be honest I sense a tad of arrogance.

x2. They even rated the Soundmagic PL30 best bang for buck. Not that bad IMO.

 

[apatN]

Haha I like how all of their "hi-end headphones" score 6/6.

 

[Deep Funk]

True, they wrote some nice stuff. CNET is sometimes un-understandably badly, incompletely and un-informed reviewing stuff big time.

 

[acidbasement]

What I find funny is the tendency for many people on head-fi to ridicule those elsewhere for their lack of enlightenment in the world of sound reproduction. There's some perspective lacking here, methinks.

 

[FallenAngel]

"The conclusion is obvious: for everyday use 128Kbits/sec is sufficient."

It's a sad, sad world we live in.