The Audio Cynic·Heritage & Industry·Issue 01

A Review Begins Before the Equipment Is Turned On

By Bill Leebens · 2026-09-15 · 5 min read

Product claims, setup choices, and the conditions of a listening test shape what a review can honestly tell you.

Illustration for A Review Begins Before the Equipment Is Turned On
Illustration · generated locally by Tomasetti Tech

The first review decision is often made before anyone presses play.

A product arrives carrying a story: its price position, its claimed breakthrough, its intended customer, and the language chosen to explain it. By the time the listening begins, that frame is already doing work.

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