Never trust music rags for more than a general gist of things, they can't be brutally honest because then they would not get any more review copies in advance.

As Craig says it is lead time.  It takes weeks, if not a month, to get most print into, well, print.  And shipped.  And more lead time writing and editing.  I suppose if you want a review that says "I like it" or "it sucks" it could be delivered fairly quickly.

As for the symbiotic relationship between mags and their advertisers - yes.  But don't discount the relationship between mag and the reader.  If a mag recommends a dog the readers burned won't be back - and too many of those and the mag folds.

Two other points (I've made before).  I think I've read bad reviews in every est. magazine.  Yes, it happens.

Two:  most products today are pretty good - for the their price range (and most magazines make that distinction).  Can anyone say they've bought a product that just doesn't work, eats your homework and runs off w/ your significant other?  I have a bunch of software I don't use often, but it still works.  I just use other software for whatever reason.  And  I haven't really bought "bad" hardware in a long while - because I research it first through word of mouth and ... magazines and other reviews.  And it helps if they are a long-time source.  If Craig says something is good, you can take that to the bank.  If Hugh and some of the other boys at SOS or Electronic Musician etc. say this product does what it is supposed to do, then I would bet it does. 

BTW, I have had professional users whose opinions are more off target.  Sometimes they don't give me the thrill up the leg the source gets, but most often "bad" reviews by them are due to operator error or a simple matter of taste.

@

Kenneth


Never trust music rags for more than a general gist of things, they can't be brutally honest because then they would not get any more review copies in advance.

+1 and would add that reviewers typically dont actually do that much in any depth with the software so its difficult to write something of solid value to a potential purchaser... not to mention that any reviewer will have his own subjective bias based upon his DAW of choice that typically shows itself..

Mystic38

Kenneth


Never trust music rags for more than a general gist of things, they can't be brutally honest because then they would not get any more review copies in advance.

+1 and would add that reviewers typically dont actually do that much in any depth with the software so its difficult to write something of solid value to a potential purchaser... not to mention that any reviewer will have his own subjective bias based upon his DAW of choice that typically shows itself..

I don't know.

SOS can be - and are - pretty brutal when it come to giving an accurate portrayal of any piece of "gear" - hardware or software.

They've been pretty accurate since I started reading it in about 1996.

I guess it's a definition of what brutally honest means.

I haven't seen a review from any music mag concluding something along the lines of "save your money and buy 'competing product' instead" that really says it all.

If I were to buy or subscribe to a mag it would have to be 100% there for me, not the products they review, and that's not going to happen.

Nowadays when I research something to buy, I google as many user experiences as possible from forums and blogs,  and then take the average from that to decide if I want to spend time trying it out.

kenneth,

the blogs and forums tend to be problem children renting or someone proud as a new father w/ their new purchase.  There are a lot of slaggers - people who have a problem w/ a unit or lack of knowledge or expect one piece in the chain to make their music professional.  It is like reading the letters section of a paper to get your editorial views. I know - when Yamaha updated the firmware for the Presonus Firestation it killed my (and many others) units.  I badmouthed that everywhere I could and ended up exchanging emails and phone calls w/ both companies.  Even behemoth Yama responded.  My posts wouldn't have sold very many Firestations or Presonus gear and that was my purpose.  FYI, I ended up w/ a Presonus Firepod which I happily used for the next 4-5 years here at home.

Few mags are going to say don't buy this, buy our other advertiser's product instead for obvious reasons.  You might have to read between the lines a little before you run away from a product reviewed.  However, SOS runs an "alternative" product box, even for the products they like, which is nice.

Actually, some of the worse "reviews" have come from studio owners or successful producers.  They tend to have their likes/dislikes and gold disks on their wall to show the weight of their opinion.  I've had several dismiss Focusrite for home studios etc, and I love my ISA One.  For less than $500 you get a "what you play is what you hear" preamp w/ lots of gain.  Not like an old Neve but more like the modern Neve.  It ain't "vintage" sounding but just about perfect for a home studio that does more than vintage sound.  What is not to like?  Nothing, if you don't have a rack of old Neves or API etc.

Reviews have their place, as well as people in the business and last but not least music forums, but all those should be ways to remove choices, not make them.

@

I know a couple magazine reviewers personally. They spend a day with the product and give their (usually biased) review. If the product they are reviewing pays for ads in their mag a favorable review almost always ensues. If not often no review occurs!

x2 is reviewed in Computer Music, Cm185 December 2012.

They conclude that the Console Emulator "sounds fantastic", Breverb and TH2 "are winners", "Automation lanes at last!", "Auto Zoom is most helpful" and the Smart Tool "keeps getting smarter".

9 out of 10.

cleats


x2 is reviewed in Computer Music, Cm185 December 2012.

They conclude that the Console Emulator "sounds fantastic", Breverb and TH2 "are winners", "Automation lanes at last!", "Auto Zoom is most helpful" and the Smart Tool "keeps getting smarter".

9 out of 10.

You beat me to it. You should state that it isn't out there for general human consumption yet, it'll be out in the shops pretty soon.
(You also missed a chance to tease people with the rating....never mind .
 
Grum. 

cleats


x2 is reviewed in Computer Music, Cm185 December 2012.

They conclude that the Console Emulator "sounds fantastic", Breverb and TH2 "are winners", "Automation lanes at last!", "Auto Zoom is most helpful" and the Smart Tool "keeps getting smarter".

9 out of 10.

That's good to hear,but not only,is a latest Euro/US mag,at Least 2-3 months behind,by the time we get them in Australia,they cost not double like they used to,but significantly more,and they're like soo old.


I used to buy a lot of dirt bike mags,especially"Motocross Action Magazine",and that[still!] is one magazine "That Does Not Pander to Any manufacture",or was ever "afraid to point out,ANY short comings"...ever,anyway the local"newsagent",had 3 S.O.S,or was it Future Music issues[as a bundle] for $11 today,but I still passed,as they always seem so"apple centric",and also Logic/Albeton/Cubase oriented,so yeah,it's great to hear Computer Music,gave it smiles.......I'll just have to wait for late January/Feb at the VERY Least,and pay 60% more ha ha.
Bob