Thread: Site upgrade - what's happening

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Post by tommwi August 2, 2015 (81 of 145)
undertone said:

To Stephen and John Broggio:

In the past ..... I expressed an interest in contributing to this site, and have done so by writing more than 20 reviews.

You have certainly written very good reviews, detailed and well structured. A bit too long, but the structure compensates for that. You can be proud of your achievement!!

Perhaps you can become a site reviewer? After all you have a proven qualification … Kind of up to you I would think. That would possibly bring back the old reviews of yours, but as a site reviewer.
Do that! You have what it takes.

Post by Adrian Cue August 2, 2015 (82 of 145)
undertone said:

To Stephen and John Broggio:

In the past I expressed an interest in contributing to this site, and have done so by writing more than 20 reviews.

I'm only one of many site users who took the trouble and expense to purchase SACDs, submit titles and write thoughtful and useful reviews.

The compensation I received was a platform to share my thoughts publicly with a community of music enthusiasts from many different countries.

I think you got a point there. Many 'useful' reviews by members have always been a bonus to the site, contributing also to the feeling of being part of a family. You have my sympathy.

Post by Chris August 2, 2015 (83 of 145)
undertone said:

To Stephen and John Broggio:



The compensation I received was a platform to share my thoughts publicly with a community of music enthusiasts from many different countries.

On the new site, in place of my review of Tijuana Moods there is a short, generic blurb. In place of my detailed review of Wanderer-Christoph Prégardien (which was the sole review of that release), are the first two paragraphs of the disc's liner notes. It is difficult to imagine that first-time visitors to the new site will find either of those reviews to be more than placeholders.

It is my sincere hope that you will consider retaining users' reviews in the new site.

Last night I watched an interesting TV documentary about "El Sistema" and its wonderful spirit spreading around the world.
Having watched it I once again had the strong feeling that what is happening here with this site and the closure of this Forum,is in the exact opposite spirit of "El Sistema!"
As you rightly say music enthusiasts could meet and discuss here not only among themselves. But also discuss with the people who actually make the recordings we were discussing in many cases.
The BIS thread will be lost among many other interesting threads where CEOs,recording engineers,producers and even conductors contributed here.
Ok I did not always get along with everybody here . And unintentionally I have hurt some people's feelings sometimes. But luckily I have also met a lot of people here who share my deep interest in both Art Music and the Art of recording it as realistically as possible. I also made some good friends among the people who are actually in the business of recording and releasing hi res recordings.
I will treasure that and hope that some of us will meet again in other forums dedicated to both music and hi res recordings.
Of course, it is not wrong to try to make money.
But I find it quite low to intentionally act in the opposite spirit of El Sistema as the two people behind this site are doing now,IMO.

Post by Rickko August 2, 2015 (84 of 145)
Adrian Cue said:

I think you got a point there. Many 'useful' reviews by members have always been a bonus to the site, contributing also to the feeling of being part of a family. You have my sympathy.

I have been following with interest the Site upgrade and did access the new Site understanding it is a work in progress. I look forward to the final version.

About 10 years ago, I found the SACD.net site and was taken by it's 'unique' character of offering information on high resolution audio. I consider myself an audiophile who has been on a 50 year voyage seeking the best available sound in music based on my preferences and played on good quality equipment. I had finally found a Site that potentially added to my musical experience.

For years I would visit the site frequently to see the the most Recent releases and more importantly, to read reviews from different contributors (Users) of the site. It is this 'useful' information (the Review) that is the best feature of the SACD.net site.

A little over a year ago, I registered as a User. I had become dissatisfied with one or two line reviews that offered no 'useful' information. I started to submit reviews hoping to share my listening experience of a specific SACD or Blu-ray with other Users or people visiting the site. I wanted to give something back to this 'unique' Site that had given me so many years of personal pleasure that exponentially added to my knowledge base.

As a User, I also started to follow the different threads in the Forum. I have participated with a few posts always with the intent of obtaining or providing 'useful' information. Sure, I came across some frivolous information (at least from my point of view). But I also found valuable information that I could not obtain through reading reviews or Discussions of a specific release.

Above all, it is the Users that form the backbone of the SACD.net site. It is a thriving community that should be nurtured in the switch to the new Site. It will be required for the success of the new Site.

For me personally, the new Site must exhibit a 'unique' quality for its Users just as SACD.net provided in the past. Just as important, in fact paramount to my expectations, the new Site must provide 'useful' information from Users that equals or exceeds SACD.net.

At the same time, I temper my expectations and try to remember all things must come to an end. I take comfort in knowing other audiophile music Sites are available that offer 'useful' information from its Users (members).

Post by fausto K August 2, 2015 (85 of 145)
Rickko said:

...

A little over a year ago, I registered as a User. I had become dissatisfied with one or two line reviews that offered no 'useful' information. I started to submit reviews hoping to share my listening experience of a specific SACD or Blu-ray with other Users or people visiting the site. I wanted to give something back to this 'unique' Site that had given me so many years of personal pleasure that exponentially added to my knowledge base.

...

it's a shame about all your reviews disappearing, but here's a tip: you might want to migrate your reviews to the comments section for the particular discs on the new site. I don't know if this is what the site owners have envisioned, but I've just done this for one of my reviews. Hopefully they agree. And perhaps this is for the better, this way they can exercise some control over quality.

Post by Rickko August 3, 2015 (86 of 145)
fausto K said:

it's a shame about all your reviews disappearing, but here's a tip: you might want to migrate your reviews to the comments section for the particular discs on the new site. I don't know if this is what the site owners have envisioned, but I've just done this for one of my reviews. Hopefully they agree. And perhaps this is for the better, this way they can exercise some control over quality.

Hi fausto K,

It is interesting about your comment on User reviews disappearing in the move to the new Site.

I note in this thread post #1 (July 7, 2015) by zeus who states in first the paragraph, last sentence "It is hoped that many here will continue to to support these formats with their reviews etc." This statement by the site owner, Stephen Best, would seem to be inconsistent with User reviews not making the transition to HRAudio.net.

Over the years, I have read many excellent User reviews that are of the same high quality as Site Reviewers. And yes, I have also read other reviews of questionable quality. So I can agree with you that quality control may be a consideration on the new Site.

I did some quick calculations. Approximately 1900 reviews by Site Reviewers are now listed on on HRAudio.net. Almost 11,000 reviews have been submitted on SACD.net. If User reviews are removed, it will represent a loss of approximately 83%. That would be a significant loss of information to say the least.

Another consideration are the type of reviews submitted by the 5 listed Site Reviewers. Virtually all these reviews are restricted to the classical music category. What about the interests of other Users for other genres? In my case, my interests are mainly pop/rock, blues and some jazz (I do have a few classical music discs). In my estimation, the key component of SACD.net has always been the Reviews. Needless to say, in the absence of reviews for other genres (particularly pop/rock) outside of classical, I would see my musical interests as being marginalized. I personally would not have any reason to visit or support such a site.

That being said, I patiently await the changes to be completed. It is only reasonable for Stephen Best to carry out the remaining changes to the new Site without conjecture from me on what the final product may look like.

Post by samayoeruorandajin August 3, 2015 (87 of 145)
In order for there to be community, as you call it, there has to be a forum. W/O a forum, there is no community, only reviews, and comments about those specific reviews. I don't call that a community.

Post by Rickko August 3, 2015 (88 of 145)
samayoeruorandajin said:

In order for there to be community, as you call it, there has to be a forum. W/O a forum, there is no community, only reviews, and comments about those specific reviews. I don't call that a community.

Try reading the section again. The reference of "community" was to a Forum.

Post by samayoeruorandajin August 4, 2015 (89 of 145)
Yes, and if you'll read what Zeus has said about this community, it is a dead issue. He doesn't want it and while you and I like the forum, for me it's not about the reviews. I hardly read the reviews of even the site reviewers as I get most recommendations from forum folk. Site reviewers here hardly ever see anything bad with what they are reviewing and their grading is terrible.

Post by diw August 4, 2015 (90 of 145)
I agree it would be a good idea for the site to have an "official" jazz and pop/rock reviewer to complement the classical reviewers.

I also agree the official reviewers are far too positive in their comments. There have been several circumstances where I purchased a real dog of a disc based on their positive review. However I think they all write well and often provide useful information in their reviews that sometimes cause me to purchase a disc I might not otherwise.

Some of the unofficial reviews are not useful, there were all those 5 word reviews for a while...But overall I do find the forum and discussions very helpful in informing my purchase decisions. For example, zeus himself recently recommended the Mahler 10 on Exton. On the Forum!!!! It turned out not to be too terribly expensive to get in the US and I am happy I purchased it.

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