My Back Pages

In an information vacuum, people tend to make stuff up, especially on the internet. We try to remain above the fray, but sometimes it makes sense to step in and fill the information vacuum with facts. In that spirit, here are some of the most important principles that Stereophile religiously follows.

Stereophile maintains strict separation between its editorial side and its advertising side. Companies cannot buy a Stereophile review. When an advertiser signs an ad contract, what they get in return is ... an ad. Buying an ad does not guarantee editorial coverage, to the chagrin of some advertisers and former advertisers.

So, who decides which products get reviewed in Stereophile? I do. How do I decide? I talk to writers. They are the real experts. They tend to know what's new and interesting in their niche. Together, we seek out products that seem especially interesting.

There are other considerations. We prefer new products, for one thing—though we'll review an older product that has proven itself over time. It's necessary to balance the product mix: digital vs analog; sources vs amplifiers vs speakers.

To earn a review, a product must be widely available. If it is sold only through dealers, it must have an appropriately wide dealer network. On the other hand, I have relaxed Stereophile's longstanding "five-dealer rule" because online sales have become more common and the number of US dealers has dwindled.

To get a product reviewed in Stereophile, a company must demonstrate the capacity to provide excellent after-sales service through some well-established mechanism. We prefer it when the service is domestic—when it doesn't require overseas shipping.

If ads don't guarantee reviews, then why are there so many reviews of products put out by advertisers? First, every issue of Stereophile has reviews of products from advertisers and nonadvertisers alike; proportions vary from one issue to the next.

A correlation, though, is kind of inevitable, it seems to me. Most regular advertisers are established companies. They release a greater number of interesting products. They have bigger PR budgets, which means their products are more visible, including to editors and reviewers. What's more, not infrequently, a company that's aware its product is under review will take out an ad for the first time, or for the first time in a while. Are they hoping to influence the review? Trying to capitalize on the momentum a review could establish? Who knows?

Why aren't there more negative reviews? The answer, ultimately, is that space in the magazine is at a premium. Stick with me; I'll explain.

If Stereophile were in the position to review every new hi-fi product, or even most, you'd see plenty of negative reviews. But I see "not-recommended" as a missed opportunity. It's pages given over to a product readers won't enjoy. So we pre-screen. We try hard to select for review products we can recommend. Thanks to the generally high standard of today's hi-fi industry, we usually succeed.

Stereophile obtains the products we review directly from manufacturers or distributors. We do not buy samples on the secondary market or borrow from private owners. This way, we can ensure that the products we review are operating as intended—or if they aren't, it's the company's fault (or the shipper's). Review samples are provided for the review period only, usually 1–2 months. A few of our reviewers like to spend a bit more time with a product, so they'll keep the item a little longer.

When the review period is over, the product is returned to the company, unless other arrangements are made. Some of us are compelled to return equipment promptly to avoid being overwhelmed by boxes. Like sore backs, box infestation is a serious hazard of the hi-fi reviewing life.

What are these "other arrangements" I mentioned? Occasionally a reviewer arranges with the manufacturer or distributor to hold on to a product longer so that it can be used in other reviews. The period of the loan may range from a few months to a year, occasionally more. This is the "long-term loan" you have heard about.

Being chosen as a reference component by a Stereophile reviewer is a significant honor; I expect it helps sales, though I'm not in a position to say. For big items, like an expensive pair of speakers, a long-term loan constitutes a significant investment by the company. Yet you may safely assume that a company that provides a long-term loan has decided it is in its own interest. Do they do it for the exposure or to cultivate a reviewer? A bit of both, I expect—but consider that reviewers only request long-term loans of products they already admire.

Stereophile writers know, because I remind them often, that when a company asks for a product back, the reviewer must immediately comply. It should be in like-new condition, except for some dust. Occasionally we (or FedEx, or UPS) make mistakes, and products sustain damage. It's usually minor, but regrettable nonetheless.

Neither Stereophile nor its reviewers sell review samples. Ever. Selling a review sample is grounds for immediate dismissal, or would be: Fortunately it hasn't happened on my watch.

Sometimes a reviewer may decide to buy a product after reviewing it. Reviewers are usually offered a special price, the "industry-accommodation" price. As the name suggests, the price is available to everyone who works in the industry, not just reviewers. Typically it is slightly more than half of full retail. Companies may put restrictions on subsequent resale, with a handshake or a contract; reviewers are expected to comply with those terms.

A Stereophile reviewer who buys a product at a discount is forbidden to sell it at a profit. Selling review samples for profit may be standard practice for some YouTube reviewers—an obvious conflict of interest—but at Stereophile it's a firing offense.

Stereophile pays writers as generously as we can—more generously, apparently, than any other publication in the industry. Still, it's not a lot in absolute terms. Almost all our reviewers are contractors. They must maintain their own reviewing systems, at their own expense, which is not always easy on a writer's income. Discounts and long-term loans make it possible for passionate hi-fi lifers—not just moonlighting wealthy businessmen—to contribute. This, I believe, is essential for the health of the hobby and the industry.