so, if he's never participated in a forum, how is he qualified to comment on what goes on on them? the inference here is that he's just made it up for 'good' copy. does this happen with other things he writes?

i'd say your comments about bread and butter customers is true when it comes to mainstreeam brands such as pioneer, sony, etc. and even some more focussed brands such as arcam, nad and MF however i'd say that as the company gets smaller and the air more rarefied (and expensive) then people are going to do more research before they buy which means an internet search and likely as not a bit of a browse of a forum or 2. as Hi-Fi plush is catering to a 'higher end' audience i'd say there was a fair bit of overlap there.

as of overestimating our own importance, well, i think most people here realise that hi-fi is not the be all and end all of life, however it may seem to the contrary .

finally at the end of the day forums are filled with a number of people who post their opinions due to sheer enjoyment of both the hi-fi aspects as well as the community ones (when was the last time a bunch of guys got together just because they read a hi-fi mag?) the magazine guys are doing it as a job with all the baggage that brings, don't get me wrong i admire the stance that hi-fi plush takes, that they'll only review stuff that the reviewers enjoy however as it's ulimately about money doubts do tend to creep in given human nature.

cheers

julian