[Philimon]

A professional reviewers profits are dependent on the successes of the industry. They tend to have a parasitic or symbiotic relationship that biases their reviews in a certain way that is against the interests of readers looking for info helpful to purchasing decisions. There are exceptions to the rule.

A MOT is a member of the trade whose profits are also dependent on the successes of the industry. They tend to also not share the customers best interests. There are exceptions to the rule.

Amateur reviewers can be similarly biased or influenced in scenarios where they are loaned or gifted a piece of gear or are friends with a particular MOT.

This forum is a major MOT and any scrutiny or obstacle to their profits is highly unwelcomed and is the main motivation for moderation. MOTs who share mutually beneficial relationships with the forum of course are treated differently at potentially a certain sponsored price.

MOT tag or no is a grey area. Readers be wary.

 

[Ryokan]

'Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I’m convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, the nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin to shift from a thing oriented society to a person oriented society'
N. Chomsky.

 

[Somafunk]

For the reviewers who make a living from the hobby I’d like to see a professionally carried out hearing test and verified results posted, I understand there are various types of testing available and some are more accurate in the higher frequencies.

 

[chesebert]

Absolutely. But what's the point. If you trash any product there will be enough people defending that product and your post will get deleted for disturbing the harmonious nature of the discussion.

A big problem with these self-proclaimed "reviewer" is that they are basing their experience on their prior experience, which is often quite limited. For example May may be the best thing since slice bread to them because they have not heard anything better. If they are used to high-end sound, like Wadia, APL, dCS Rossini and better, MSB, Emm Labs or PBD I can guarantee they won't be so excited about May. I was like this when I first got into this hobby - kind of silly looking back.

 

[miketlse]

For the reviewers who make a living from the hobby I’d like to see a professionally carried out hearing test and verified results posted, I understand there are various types of testing available and some are more accurate in the higher frequencies.

Beware the Law of Unintended Consequences.

Firstly tests like you propose will probably discriminate against older reviewers, as they lose their higher frequencies.
It is easy to imagine some reviewers could view the tests as ageist, and a restraint of trade. In the US it would be almost certain that a lawyer would be happy to fight the case.

Secondly if those tests act to eliminate many older reviewers, then the reviewers/influencers will become predominantly younger.
If these reviewers/influencers use young persons music genres to test the gear, then I expect some manufacturers will complain that the reviewers/influencers are alienating the older half of their customer bases.
Manufacturers could then become very selective which reviewers/influencers they supply with gear.

 

[Philimon]

Shoutout to moderation for not immediately deleting thread. Member’s Lounge is a less trafficked sub-forum but appreciate the compromise to allow for some freedom of discussion.

Shoutout to @Resolve of headphones.com for the few video reviews Ive watched. They were informing and low on bs and filler. Also appreciate his highlighting of relevant scientific research to a wider audience including myself. Shoutout again to moderation for obscuring inconvenient truths in less trafficked sound-science sub-forum.