Do we need magazine equipment reviews?

This post was first published in Sept 2014 at projectstudiohandbook.com/PSHforum

There was a time when we relied on print magazine equipment product reviews written by self appointed 'expert' reviewers. Today, print magazine circulations are in terminal decline and the publishers have been unable to replace sales with digital subscriptions. Why is this?

Like the record companies, their power and control over what we get to hear about is a thing of the past. But is this a good thing? Do we need expert opinion or can we find everything we need to know for free on the web?

When considering a new equipment purchase the primary questions we ask are ..

How does the product sound?
What are it's features?
How much does it cost?
How well is it built?
Is it any good?
So where can we go to get answers? Our primary sources are .. 

Product information on a manufacturers website
Retailer YouTube video
Third party YouTube demonstrations
Product reviews on retail sites
Forum discussions
Print and digital 'magazine' reviews
Let's evaluate these sources ..

1) Manufacturer information

Pros: Every manufacturer, or software publisher, worth their salt will have comprehensive technical information on a new product. They should also have a manual, hi-res images and video demonstrations. Sometimes they use a 'name' demonstrator, often a virtuoso musician.

Cons: What you won't get is an impartial evaluation, or problems and quality issues highlighted. You certainly won't hear about any missing features, and you can never be entirely sure that audio demonstrations aren't being augmented by some additional unseen technologies. If they don't have video it may be because they are a small outfit and lack expertise, but you may ask yourself why not, when hi-quality low cost video is so easy to produce. All it requires is carefully planning.

2) Retailer YouTube video

Pros: Often very well produced giving comprehensive and clear overviews of product features.

Cons: Same problem as manufacturer info, you won't hear about the downside.

3) Third party YouTube demonstrations 

Pros: Plenty of amateurs reviewers (some of which are articulate and professional) often with well filmed videos comprehensively demonstrating features. You get a users perspective without the hype. If there are enough reviews you can get a balanced impression of a product.

Cons: Often the reviewers haven't prepared well and don't edit out interruptions and useless asides. Sound quality can be a problem too if they are using a webcam or a camcorders built-in mic. Reviews are rarely scripted so they can really waffle on. Some are terrible musicians or only demonstrate one style! 

4) Product reviews on retail sites

Pros: Reviews will let you know if there are quality issues with a product. If there are enough reviews you get a really useful balanced overview of a product.

Cons: If there are only 1 or 2 glowing reviews, you can never be entirely sure if the sales team or manufacturer hasn't written them.

5) Forum discussions

Pros: You can often find discussions on specific 'expert' issues not covered by other sources. Wide range of views.

Cons: Contributors are often hopelessly subjective cork-sniffers, anxious to prove their expertise and validate their views. Manufactures pose as customers to promote their products.

6) Print and digital 'magazine' reviews

Pros: If, from past experience, you trust the reviewer, you may get the most comprehensive and impartial evaluation.

Cons: Reviews are usually written word, not always augmented with video or audio. Magazines depend more than ever on their advertisers and therefore rarely highlight real issues and problems. Many magazines have reciprocal arrangements with their advertisers, "you advertise, we'll review". You're only getting a single point of view.

To sum up. 

Unless you trust a specific magazine reviewers individual opinion, it's hard to see why we need to spend money on magazines anymore. A part of us morns the passing of these publications, but given the breadth of freely available information and opinion from which we can distill our own useful view of a product, we can't see a good reason for paying the increasingly high costs. It's true that magazines contain more than reviews, but can we not find free news and how-to guides elsewhere too?

What do you think?

Thanks for reading.
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