Critic's Corner

Posted by John Atkinson (R) on February 21, 2007 at 04:25:01

In Reply to: Re: DUT Return Policy posted by John Atkinson on February 21, 2007 at 04:14:14:

>If they _are_ auctioned off for charity, as has happened at the
>auctions organized by the now defunct Academy for High-End Audio at
>past Stereophile Shows, it would be with the permission of the
>manufacturers concerned.

Please note that I not referring to cables in Michael Fremer's
possession in this sentence but making a general point. For example,
at one time Stereophile had some AudioQuest cables that we were trying
to return. AudioQuest's Bill Low suggested that instead we dispose of
the cables at one of the Academy auditions. Which we did.

Another example: when Stereophile moved its office from Santa Fe to
New York, we contacted all manufacturers whose samples we had to
organize their return. Almost all samples were returned as the moving
day loomed, the exceptions being some cables from various
manufacturers. We contacted those manufacturers one final time and
asked if it would be okay to dispose of the cables if they didn't want
them back. None of them did, so the day the Santa Fe office was
vacated, the cables went into a dumpster.

Are these actions unethical, as you appear to suggest "bjh"? No,
because at all times the cables remained the manufacturers' property
and the disposal was either at their suggestion or with their approval.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile