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More from the end of 13th Note Reviews - poor value products

72.219.87.26
Posted on August 11, 2020 at 17:10:36
13th Duke of Wymbourne
Audiophile

Posts: 2800
Location: Orange Co., Ca
Joined: September 19, 2001
 I posted recently that the reviewer Simon Price is closing down his 13th Note Review web-site because, I think, he couldn't make it pay and he had become disillusioned with the industry as a result. Since then he's posted a few self-destructive articles but I found the latest worthwhile - a list of products he's reviewed that he thinks are poor value for money. Not poor products, just poor value for money. One of his complaints about the industry is that reviewers always find a positive spin on anything to maintain a good relationship with manufacturers (and not to find them on the wrong end of litigation). Here he breaks down the fourth wall.
I've not heard any of these components but his conclusions all seem very reasonable to me.

Regards
13doW

 

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I disagree with him about the Nucleus/Nucleus+, posted on August 11, 2020 at 18:43:44
Kal Rubinson
Reviewer

Posts: 12436
Location: New York
Joined: June 5, 2002
 Everything he says about them is correct but, in essence, Roon admits all that by actually listing the specific NUC parts needed, provides links to purchasing them from Amazon as a package and provides an almost self-installing OS/application for them for free!

The Nucleus/Nucleus+ is for those who are fearful of DIY, even with all this support and hand-holding as well as those for whom their additional cost is irrelevant.

So, I do not think it is fair to label the Nucleus/Nucleus+ among "worst values." The other stuff on the list........................

 

I've got one on each of his lists!, posted on August 11, 2020 at 23:32:52
JoshT
Audiophile

Posts: 6622
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
Joined: July 4, 2000
 I have a Nucleus and I also have an Allo DigiOne as one of my Roon endpoints. I'm conflicted, LOL.
___
"If you are the owner of a new stereophonic system, this record will play with even more brilliant true-to-life fidelity. In short, you can purchase this record with no fear of its becoming obsolete in the future."

 

Seems a bit hypocritical to me., posted on August 11, 2020 at 23:39:33
JoshT
Audiophile

Posts: 6622
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
Joined: July 4, 2000
 I am mostly referring to his Swan Song in the post you linked to before. But also the timing of this list is pretty self-indulgent. If the "game" is indeed rigged, and he had real integrity, then he wouldn't have played it to begin with. If he really cared about truth for his readers, then he'd have exposed these poor values earlier. In fact, he couldn't play the game, so he's taking his ball home with him.

Funny how he starts with Chord Cables and then essentially trashes all expensive cables as making no difference. I'm not saying he's wrong or right on that, but was he making noise about cables being snake oil before?

Disclaimer: I have the basic Nucleus and love it every day, even if there's an easy argument that it's overpriced. Plus, what Kal said: Roon practically tells people not to buy the Nucleus if they aren't overpaid dumbasses like me. Even though I ignored them, at least I took their advice on not getting the Nucleus+. LOL.
___
"If you are the owner of a new stereophonic system, this record will play with even more brilliant true-to-life fidelity. In short, you can purchase this record with no fear of its becoming obsolete in the future."

 

RE: Seems a bit hypocritical to me., posted on August 12, 2020 at 00:06:49
13th Duke of Wymbourne
Audiophile

Posts: 2800
Location: Orange Co., Ca
Joined: September 19, 2001
 I never read his reviews so I can't say if he has always pointed out poor products or poor value or whether it is only now he's doing it. You'd have to go through them to be sure. I looked at his Auralic G1 review and he did make the same value points. In his review of the Chord M Scaler he was pretty positive using it with a more modest DAC (Qutest) only later did he change his mind after hearing the Chord TT DAC that he thinks much better value than Qutest + M Scaler - so a little bit of hypocrisy but equal kudos for being open about changing his mind.

 

RE: More from the end of 13th Note Reviews - poor value products, posted on August 12, 2020 at 16:46:42
nvinyl66
Audiophile

Posts: 151
Location: Canada
Joined: December 8, 2005
 His closing posts are revolting: he did not get paid for reviews that may have profited the manufacturers ....Is he an advertiser or a reviewer?


He is upset that other reviewers were paid. What a hypocrite.
Moral integrity involves the ability to look inwards, it involves the ability to critically appraise one's own motivations. Instead, this "Reviewer" is blaming others for his business failure and is concerned about the quality of existing reviews. First-rate hypocrisy. Unfortunately, it is not unlikely that this blatant self-serving rant won't actually land him a profitable gig in the audio industry.

Good riddance. I hope.

 

Follow-up, posted on August 12, 2020 at 17:13:07
13th Duke of Wymbourne
Audiophile

Posts: 2800
Location: Orange Co., Ca
Joined: September 19, 2001
 I just saw that Hi-Fi Choice called the Auralic G1 'one of, if not the best steamers for under 2k' (sterling)!

I am curious why Simon Price really likes Chord DACs but really dislikes the company?

 

RE: I disagree with him about the Nucleus/Nucleus+, posted on August 12, 2020 at 18:15:58
Doug Schneider
Reviewer

Posts: 881
Location: North America
Joined: April 16, 2005
 Hi Kal,

I didn't know they specced it out like that on their site -- and I'm glad they did that.

As a former computer guy, the first time I laid eyes on the Nucleus I thought it was a bad audiophile joke. Dropping a low-grade Intel NUC into an aluminum chassis and charging about 2X the price is hardly what I call "tech worthy." True, it may be more plug'n'play than the real NUC, but for a couple of hundred dollars, tops, you could get some young computer guy to just assemble it for you.

But if they specced out the parts, it's at least being honest about what it is and the option people have.

Doug Schneider
SoundStage!

 

Here it is., posted on August 12, 2020 at 18:38:17
Kal Rubinson
Reviewer

Posts: 12436
Location: New York
Joined: June 5, 2002
 Here's the link to the ROCK page. Scroll down to the recommendations and the links.

 

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