Could Reviews Be Killing Your HiFi System?

Could Reviews Be Killing Your HiFi System?
While reviews can be a great starting point, they don’t always reflect your personal needs, preferences, or listening environment.
Mark shares two real-world examples:
Ian, a client who spent £60k based solely on glowing reviews, only to find that his system lacked synergy.
A blind listening test we held at our showroom, where every component received a vote-proving that each listener had a different "best" sound.
The truth is, HiFi systems are highly personal, and reviews alone can’t capture that. I’ll explain why working with a trusted dealer who understands your individual preferences is essential for building a system that truly satisfies you.
Watch to learn why trusting your ears over reviews is the key to HiFi happiness.
Key Points in this Video:
The dangers of building a system based on reviews alone
Why system synergy is more important than individual component reviews
How blind tests show that everyone hears differently
The importance of working with a dealer to curate a system tailored to your specific needs
Why personal listening experience is crucial to making the right HiFi choices
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[@michaelmityok1001]

Excellent video spot on. System synergy is not achieved via simply buying highly rated components.

[@EliteAudioUK]

Hi Michael, exactly right! Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Mark :)

[@MJD659]

I’ve had a number of occasions when I have chosen a What hifi four star product over five star rated products after auditioning them for myself and allowing myself to trust my own ears. Experiences like this are what make you realise how important the auditioning process really is.

[@CinemaDemocratica]

Friendly amendment: The auditioning process is as important as it can be -- and definitely more important than the reviews -- but even auditioning is highly problematic because it's not the same system and it's not the same room. About six weeks ago I bought a pair of PSB Alpha T20 minitowers that sounded gob-smackingly spectacular in the store and G-d-awful in my living room. That's on me: I was so smitten that I didn't stop to consider the room-size difference, which was much too significant to ignore like that, but it makes the point. You can do your own first-person homework and still end up with stuff that doesn't sound good.

[@mikesault9973]

Having a knowledgable dealer who understands what you are trying to achieve makes a huge difference. Mark really does ask a lot of questions and the resulting recommendation of equipment from a less well known brand rather than the much reviewed products I initially enquired about has delivered everything I wanted.

[@EliteAudioUK]

Good afternoon Mike, many thanks indeed for your comments and feedback. I am delighted you are enjoying your new system and really appreciate the business. Cheers, Mark :)

[@titntin5178]

Well said - it's quite clear that that you need to choose a system based on your needs and not simply based on what some magazines or youtube videos tell you. This is why any decent shop offers a 30 days or more exchange option as you clearly need to judge it in your home and in the context of your system. However, reviews are also very handy to get your potential list down to a few likely candidates but you must know the reviewer and know what they are describing and how they align with your own tastes. Typically this means having had them rate and describe a bit of kit you know pretty welI, so this gets easier the longer you are in this game. I still miss Alvin Gold, but there are many reviewers who's opinion I rate and I know if they are enthused by an item, that it would be worth a listen. There are others who perhaps, for example, love horn speakers - I might be interested in what they have to say, but I also know that style of presentation is absolutely not what I want for a Hifi. It took me a long time to realise that once you reach a certain level of fidelity, your search becomes more about going for the sound you enjoy and getting components that work well together. For me, that includes tubes in the pre-amp and slightly warm romantic sound which I can listen to and enjoy all day, with speakers that have a huge sound stage across the plane of the speakers and huge depth. That's what I love and enjoy - I would not use my system to master any studio work of course, but after playing this game for 40 years I'm finally at a place I consider end game for me. Learning that I wasn't chasing any 'ultimate truth' was the game changer for me. Thanks again for your piece!

[@BobbyBass-x6i]

Good topic. Reinforces my belief to start with separate components if you can depending on your budget. You can then tweak and upgrade over time as your budget allows. It’s a fun part of this hobby. And most importantly buy where the seller allows you to try in your own listening space and return if it doesn’t sound good. Rock on!

[@garymayes4881]

Really good, informative video Mark. I have just cancelled my What HiFi subscription after quite a few years, as it is set with it’s glossy full page ads for KEF, Fyne Audio etc. They never highlight the smaller, lesser known brands such as Buchardt, who are making a big impact in the market. Ultimately anyone can become a reviewer, all you need is a camera, a microphone, a light and the ability to waffle on… it doesn’t make his/her opinion inffluence my choices.. it just makes it an opinion. The key is to be happy with what you have, upgrade sensibly when you can and don’t fall into the ‘fomo’ trap.. that becomes very expensive and not always better. Anyhoo, keep up the good work. Ps… smart remarks from warriors needn’t give their opinion. We all have one. 🤘

[@jondu-sud274]

Fully Agree, I have also given up on what hifi - same manufacturers kit recommended year on year on year

[@jondu-sud274]

@Finn-FrenchGaming and of course Chord, Chord, Chord, even though their kit has not changed for Donkey's years

[@garymayes4881]

@@jondu-sud274 I have just noticed that too. Also, The ‘Best Buys’ section hasn’t changed for years.

[@mikemcguinness1304]

What hifi stopped being a hidi mag in the mid 90s . It's a joke magazine. What hi fi in the 80s was a serious thing, excellent reviews, articles, listening test and lab tests were by pros in the industry ( blind tests ) Hi fi news is the best in uk .

[@dirtharris]

Elite Audio customer service is, hands down, the best I have ever encountered in the UK. Wonderful people that really do care that their customers get the absolute best service.

[@EliteAudioUK]

Good morning and thank you very much for the feedback. Its really appreciated. Mark :)

[@dirtharris]

@@EliteAudioUK You are most welcome Mark! (From Neil Curtis, down in sunny Stoke-on-Trent :)

[@davidprice-oh2ji]

Excellent video Mark, thank you. Good to put into perspective how reviews can be helpful, but that ultimately the best decisions are when you trust not what you read, but what you hear, and back your own opinion.

[@lamarw9901]

All true, I am a Magnepan owner and for discussion I'll center on that, which in some hifi circles aren't great speakers becaise of the bass. I love them, so I don't over value reviews and go with what I like. I'm happy, could my eyes or ears be opened to a new path? Absolutely. I'd encrouage people to get involved, get to know your local hifi dealer, join social media groups especially for more niche offerings, watch multiple reviewers and get an idea of their taste vs yours. The more you network the less likely IMO you are less likely to make major mistakes. The Maggies have synergy with some amps others not so much. If many people on social media have the same pairings and listen to the same music, chances are better it works. Also identify the type of music, you listen to most, every system has some compromise. Also in my opinion for the budget mentioned for your customer, I'd likely put together 2 systems and focus them on music genres.

[@EliteAudioUK]

Thank you for your opinion - its a great viewpoint and for the record, I really like Magnepan speakers (despite the low frequnecy limitations). Cheers, Mark :)

[@CarlVanDoren61]

Good advice 👍 auditioned JansZen Valentina P8's 😮 Like an oversized bookshelf

[@johnh539]

Another aspect of reviews I have become increasingly aware of is that just because a product has features or advantages it does not meen you need them. I was listening to a reviewer talking about a Speaker cable he was one of those ones that likes to talk about the theory of Electricity mentioning all the technical frases like Inductance and skin effect etc etc. Though I am in fact waiting for a modest priced Speaker cable to arrive I have in spent more than £10.5 K on my system including Audiophile interlink cables etc but my speaker cables are still of the 99p/ft variety and I still think my System is the best I have ever heard. As it happens just this morning I have bought a ticket to the Scottish Hify show so I look forward to hearing some serios competition Yum!😍

[@davidspendlove5900]

Reviews should be taken with a pinch of salt , use your own ears , we all have different preferences.Yes synergy is key.

[@CinemaDemocratica]

I'm troubled by the video and its title, yes, but for something approaching the opposite reason of the one we were promised at the beginning: I think the assertion that reviews are and will continue to be important, at all, is increasingly suspect. I've just completed a long search for my own newest system, including some pretty painful twists and turns, and what I take away from that experience is that reviews are across-the-board unreliable at best, and at their worst they're an outright grift. One of the most beloved and respected YT reviewers once even admitted -- on the record -- that his reviews were often paid performances by manufacturers who'd approved the scripts. He took the video down after I called it out in the comments of another reviewer's next upload, but the horse is out of the barn. TL;DR: If a reviewer has affiliate links, you're not watching a review, folks; you're watching a commercial.

[@jimsregaturntableshifijukebox]

100% with you on this Mark. I am the owner of a few parts of pre-loved gear from you: Mk1 Remton Audio tube phono stage, and 2×9m Rega Duet speaker cable ect. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you to anyone, especially the fact you go above and beyond with your twelve month guarantee! Happy listening from just along the coast in Levenmouth. Jim🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🙂

[@EliteAudioUK]

Good afternoon Jim, thank you very much and I really appreciate your loyalty over the years. Cheers, Mark :)

[@robinmcintyre8364]

An interesting and enjoyable video Mark, personally there are a number of factors involved before I purchase any new equipment. Firstly do I actually need it?, Up until about 10 years ago I would always visit the hifi dealer and listen in their premises, but that has changed for a number of reasons, I came to the conclusion that you can only judge the equipment in your home not in a shop. I have over recent years purchased pieces from Elite without actually visiting Fife, all through conversation with Mark and the team, safe in the knowledge that I was not happy, changes could be made. After a house move last year I am lucky enough to have a dedicated listening room now which has made a huge difference to my enjoyment of my music. Will I be making further purchases and upgrades to my system probably once I have replenished the hifi fund , which has taking a bit of a hit over the last year, I am very pleased with the various purchases all from Elite, I have never experienced a heavy sales approach from them and have found their advice invaluable, which has also included advising against a purchase of a higher value item. Many thanks and please keep up the good work.

[@EliteAudioUK]

Hi Robin, thank you very much indeed for your comments and feedback, it is very much appreciated. Cheers, Mark :)

[@gryphongryph]

I think forums are a much better way of assessing audio gear, although also there you get a lot of hype and biases, but the user pool is bigger.

[@Jezza-m5k]

I think it's about perception and expectations. Many hi-fi enthusiasts think spending mega-bucks on components will buy them the ultimate in sonics. But the law of diminishing returns takes no prisoners - it is brutal. Back in the Eighties, I sat in on mamy hi-fi demonstrations and more often than not "affordable" hi-fi components would outperform uber-epensive components. No names, no pack drill! And synergy is everything when it comes to hi-fi...

[@triumphlover7455]

Love your content bud but what killed le was that electrostatic intro on my home stereo.

[@EliteAudioUK]

Good morning and my apologies...... We'll make a change for the next video :) Cheers, Mark

[@analogueman5364]

An excellent video, well said and long overdue. The demise of bricks and mortar hifi shops is in direct relation to the rise of online reviewers. Whilst some are good, far too many are non professional personal opinions based on limited experience. Add to that the rise of cheap Chifi products regularly being lauded as 'giant killers' and you can see how money gets wasted on systems that just dont work. System synergy is the magic ingredient that can't be bought off the shelf, especially with seperates, and requires the input of professional and experienced dealers.

[@EliteAudioUK]

Good monring. Thank you for the feedback. Its fascinating the whole process of matchuing compnenets to achieve a different 'flavour'. I honestly love that aspect of working in audio. Cheers, Mark :)

[@georgeheatherley3548]

Great video 👌great advice 👌

[@raykuiper4979]

How we get to our opinions about gear is for the most of us only possible ,by reading/ analysing reviews, only a few in our hobby ,do buy gear. Hear it,and go to next piece.till you found your end pieces

[@kineahora8736]

“If it’s not Scottish, it’s crap!”🤣🤣

[@marklobban5354]

Great video Mark. 👍

[@EliteAudioUK]

Thanks Mark :)

[@mikeherbert1343]

Excellent advice for free 🎉.

[@cunawarit]

Nothing was mentioned about getting used to how something sounds. Different whole systems, components, sources, etc... will sound different to you, but that doesn't mean one sounds better than the other. Different doesn't mean one is better, at times you simply have to get used to it and start enjoying it.

[@CarlVanDoren61]

Auditioned M2's ordered 20.7s 👌

[@yippie6862]

I think you are correct. As a seasoned audiophile I take reviews as information. It is only one persons opinion.The final decision are my ears. If I like a product then I like it. I don't care what any reviewer had said about it.

[@EliteAudioUK]

Good morning and great to hear....... trust what you like, no one else! Cheers, Mark :)

[@DSupremeLounge]

💯 Agree. Thanks

[@misterzero8667]

Very interesting ,too much hype and everything reviewed as fatastic ,we need more bricks and mortor stores

[@papabear1417]

A review is the reviewers opinion. Taken with a pinch of salt and what sound they like. I'm a yamaha man. Don't like Class A at all. First rule, the biggest factor in hifi is the carbon based lifeform listening.