KVR Audio

original flipper · Post by **original flipper** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:19 pm

HI

Who reads the reviews here?

I guess those of us who follow the development, perhaps even Beta or produce pre-sets for software
probably don't rely on them to give us any informed view of a product, but I would hazzard a guess that newcomers or those who don't frequent or get too involved in things here DO look at reviews for an informed overview.

Well my point is that the quality of some reviews I have read (out of sheer interest) recently border on pathetic and I wonder why views that should be in a forum are rearing there heads in product reviews.

I think what people want to know is pertinent things like stability, conflicts, cpu usage, GUI, quality of sound, user interface, amount and quality of Pre-Sets, user friendliness, tweakability, wish list, SENSIBLE comparissons with other competing products - but I oftern don't see any more than perhaps one or two of these areas covered and you end up reading two paragraphs of - "Good synth, jones's comments in his review sucked, this is a killer and go buy it"; WTF kind of review is that, does anyone think that is usefull to US or a newbi?

I am not inoccent either, I responded to a review on Podium with a counter - my point was that the review in question was written by someone who had obviously had no intention of giving the product a chance and basically lambasted it, well I DON'T USE PODIUM but what I do know is that some people LOVE IT and I have heard some very good things about it - so I responded by checking out the demo for a couple of days and coming to the conclusion that PODIUM appeared to have potential, I was never going to use it long term but it was obvious that the original reviewer was putting down a product based on a total lack of knowledge and experience - for me this kind of review is DANGEROUS and unforgiving, we have a responsibility to provide balanced reviews as best we can because PEOPLE BASE PURCHASING CHOICES ON THEM, who are we to influence an individuals choice or a companies reputation or livelihood on a shite review?

I think you get my drift, now go look up my few reviews and come back and tell me how uninformative they were, at least I will try to be more informative next time.

No, seriously I think people should be thoughtfull when writing reviews, I do think they have an impact and it is worth looking beyond your own selfish needs when looking at a programs features and usefullness - you should review within the context that people have different needs and that yours are not the only perspective for a review.

End of rant.

Flipper.

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:22 pm

Get the demos and try them for yourself – form your own opinions – read the real content in the threads on the forum. Anyhow its a limited amount of words on the reviews.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

original flipper · Post by **original flipper** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:34 pm

HI

You missed the point!

There are 20,000 members here; the MAJORITY only drop in infrequently and (sensibly) don't want to spend thier lives here - my argument is that for these people a REVIEW might be the only chance they will get beyond a demo - as I stated demoe's are great but some products need TIME - this is where an informative review can help.

It is easy to download a demo and have an initial impression like 'SHIT THIS LOOKS COMPLEXXXXX!' - uninstall NOW - but having read an informative review they might remember the bit that said "I initially thought OH NO, but an hour later (after reading several pages of the manual) it all became clearer" this is my point - this site makes people VERY INSULAR and experienced, but at the same time there are thousands of people that just don't want to stick around - they drop in look around, read a review and GO, these are the people that are getting a poor service from some of the minimal/sub-standard reviews that appear.

Saying that I don't think the issue is MEGA and merely wanted to remind myself and others that it bears thinking about come 'your' next review.

Flipper.

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 4:38 pm

http://www.kvr-vst.com/user_review/600.html

http://www.kvr-vst.com/user_review/306.html

http://www.kvr-vst.com/user_review/143.html

You cannot write a review here without upsetting someone. Its all subjective.

Check the demos

I did not miss the point you make - I have mentioned this in the past but now just poodle along

Don't forget these are 'user reviews'

not a pro mag (editors idea of a review = (balance between paying advertisers to reader loyalty))

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 5:07 pm

What you are really asking for is:

A special selection of users to form a K-v-R review team – that is insular from the company forums here and the balances user opinion against their own – to come up with the K-v-R official reviews on selected synths each month. – in fact I am quite surprised its not already in force (you would only need a handful of people (who are willing and able to give a bit of time each month towards the official reviews) give them a bit more writing space (plus the ability to post a few piccys in the article) I reckon it could work.

If an area could not be set up – then in the user reviews mark those who are official k-v-r reviewers (volunteers to the cause as it were)

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

original flipper · Post by **original flipper** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 5:25 pm

HI

Ultimately its not life and death, is it.

I agree it's only a forum with a free for all policy - anyone can pretty well write what they want and to be fair they don't even have to be writing about the bloody app either - I mean (and I am getting cynical here) if some one wrote a review on let's say ZETA but went into a retoric about spud's - would anyone say anything?

I suggested a while back a KVR magazine of sorts, basically a nice little area with reviews, screenshots, tutorials, news and whatever - but served up in a more atractive way.

I think it would become even more of an old boys club if KVR gave over things like reviews to a select few, my thoughts throughout are that we all have a degree of automony but some people can't be given such independence, but then again it's a democracy.

I never UNDERESTIMATE the other guy's level of DYSFUNCTION!

We don't really know each other (not you and me - anyone here) so let's be honest there are some pretty unusual folk out there and as we see in the forums on a daily basis some pretty eskewed chains of thought going on, I supposse all thing considered the reviews could be worse!

Flipper.

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:57 pm

Hi! Flipper,

Bit of a bad day I take it?! only kidding

Nar there is no easy solution to it really - as you say we are part of a diverse and growing crowd – one thing is to latch onto a reviewer who you can share the similar taste with, on a previous review they have done, on an instrument you are familiar with – then hunt down other reviews by that same person – just in case there is something there, that might be worth checking the demo out for.

Also I think demo tunes from instruments is a good idea too.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

Let's get serious - reviews need content!