What Hi*fi? and their review of JM Lab 816s (part 2)

Posted by: Steve Toy on 01 September 2001

Andy Clough, editor: Can I have a quick word, Roookie?
Rookie reviewer, recently promoted from the Sun: Yeah, sure, wassa matter?
Mr. Clough: That review of 816s that went into last months issue...
Rookie: And....? You told me you wanted me to say the complete opposite of what is actually true.
Mr. Clough: Yes, yes! You did a damn fine job of it too my son, but I've been thinking...
Rookie: [with baited breath...] What?
Mr. Clough: It wasn't wrong enough!
Rookie: What d'ya mean it wasn't wrong enough?!
Mr. Clough: Simple, I want you to do another review of it in this month's Supertest No. 303, only even more wrong than last month's First Test!
Rookie: OK, I'll give it a whirl!

---Ten minutes later, and the entire Superdoopertest duly completed...---

Rookie: What do you reckon now?
Mr. Clough: Let's have a look...
"For: Smooth and refined presentation" Spot on there son, couldn't be further from the truth, just what I wanted!
"Not the most exciting performers around." Nicely put, mate!!! smile
"Smooth treble and rich tonal balance" Hahahahaha!!!! [falling off his swivel chair with mirth and merriment]
"The low frequencies could do with more drive too..."
I tell ya, ya really got me there; this is f*cking brilliant mate!
"While timing isn't as precise as it should be."
Bloody hell, Rookie, you haven't missed a trick have you - they time like the proverbial metronome!!!!!"
Rookie: Well, it was what you asked for. Only one thing though, why write a review which is the total opposite to the real description of the performance of a loudspeaker? ....just wondering, that's all.
Mr. Clough: Because I'm sick and tired of people buying hi-fi gear purely on the strength of our reviews. If they don't audition stuff themselves first, they deserve to be misled. Now you know we tell people to go and listen for themslves! If they miss out on a great speaker like this one, 'cos they only read our comic, then that's their look out, that's what I say!!!
Rookie: But some people buy our magazine simply because they haven't got time to go round dealers doing exhaustive and exhausting dems. Also, has it not got anything to do with being nice to our advertisers?
Mr. Clough: How DARE you say that!!!! Or even suggest it... just as I was about to promote you to Deputy Assistant Editor an' all... frown

It's always a nice day for it, have a good one wink
Steve

[This message was edited by Steven Toy on SATURDAY 01 September 2001 at 17:52.] wink

[This message was edited by Steven Toy on SUNDAY 02 September 2001 at 03:46.]

Posted on: 01 September 2001 by wal riley
The rumour that I heard was that What Hi-Fi decided to branch into reviewing home theatre equipment full-time, even incorporating this fact into the mag's title. Consequently, this got the ire up of one of the specialist A/V mags, who just happened to have given a positive review of the very same JM Lab's speakers referred to in the previous posting. As a result, due to the competion between the two mags, it appears that the same speakers got a slating in WHF more for political, rather than acoustical reasons, (but don't quote me on this - it is a rumour, albeit from a reasonably informed source!)
Posted on: 01 September 2001 by Steve Toy
We could rely on you to be the pedant. I meant part II, or part 2. I stand corrected, as you'll see above!

It's always a nice day for it, have a good one wink
Steve red face

Posted on: 01 September 2001 by Steve Toy
I don't have insomnia at all - at the moment, that is...
I finished my taxi shift at 3:45 this morning, and I'm routinely unwinding with a couple of Russian vodkas and two or three bottles of Czech beer I brought back from the CZ earlier this week - before retiring at about 6 this morning, getting up again to listen to my system at about 1 in the afternoon, followed by a stint on this forum (sad existence I lead big grin ) before starting my next taxi shift at about 5pm (or when I feel like it) later today.
I hope that clears things up a bit. smile

It's always a nice day for it, have a good one wink
Steve

[This message was edited by Steven Toy on SUNDAY 02 September 2001 at 06:22.]