Echo Chambers and Audio Myths: The Hidden Dangers of Relying on Forums for High-End Turntable Advice

By George Moraitis

In the golden age of information, it’s never been easier to access opinions — and never harder to separate fact from fiction. For audiophiles exploring the world of high-end turntables, online forums can seem like a natural first step. After all, where better to find authentic feedback than from fellow enthusiasts?

But this assumption hides a dangerous truth.

Forums are not impartial databases of knowledge. They are social ecosystems, shaped by human psychology, cultural bias, and self-reinforcing narratives. And when the stakes are high — as they are with multi-thousand-dollar audio investments — misinformation can be costly.

A Personal Note

The decision to write this piece was slightly uncomfortable for me because I really have no intention of criticizing one of the only ways people that have a passion for music and audio reproduction can form meaningful communities. We need to communicate and share ideas.

Forums are a great way to do this and I’m acutely aware that Dohmann Audio may be mentioned in a forum somewhere and we may even possibly benefit from that post (?) but to be honest, I am much more interested in stimulating a discussion that can help fellow enthusiasts rather than in self-benefit.

I meet so many people with great intentions and open minds who become frustrated, angry, or form convictions that are based on non-facts. Many express an overwhelming feeling of regret about decisions they have made involving a serious investment in equipment.

So before I share my thoughts with you, please note that I am NOT saying that you should avoid forums. I’m simply saying be careful and be informed about the ‘nature of the beast’.

A True Story

Back in the days when we were running Nirvana Sound in Melbourne, a gentleman reached out to us and expressed interest in purchasing his dream ‘final’ speaker system. He was fortunate to have a significant budget which opened up many wonderful options to him.

He visited our showroom a number of times, each time spending the whole day there and on a couple of occasions, he also bought his wife along as it was important for him to share this journey with her. We took him through a comprehensive audition process, exposing him to many types and brands of speaker systems, allowing him the time and space to experience which sonic presentation connected him most powerfully, most emotionally to the music. He experienced panel, omni-directional, ortho-acoustic, horn and various styles of dynamic-driver speakers and eventually, he found his dream speaker.

During the time that the speakers needed to be manufactured, freighted and eventually delivered to his property, we helped him build his music room and finish off the acoustic treatment. Finally, the day of installation came around… how exciting!

As we were installing the speakers and optimizing his system, I noticed that he was sitting on his sofa gazing at his laptop & looking sad. I approached him and asked if he was OK. He said that he was distracted and feeling upset because a number of people on this forum he was involved with were telling him that the speakers he purchased were terrible and he had wasted his money.

The speakers sitting in his room were only the sixth pair that the manufacturer had ever made. There are very few people in the world who had even heard them so how can so many people be advising against them?

I asked him to ask the forum guys “Have you had direct personal experience listening to these speakers before and if so, with what equipment and in what type of room?”. As the answers came in, he looked shocked and eventually snapped his laptop shut – not one of those people had actually heard the speakers!

On a day that should have been such a happy experience, an actualization of a life-long dream, he was engaging with negative comments from people that had no clue. I reminded him that since there are so few of these speakers in existence and he had a pair making wonderful music in his room…. he was in fact the expert, not them! 😊

The Illusion of Collective Expertise

At first glance, a forum thread discussing turntables might look like a rich tapestry of opinions, experience, and insider knowledge. In reality, these discussions are often dominated by a vocal minority. The loudest voices get the most visibility, not necessarily the most accurate ones.

• The Dunning-Kruger Effect: This psychological bias explains how individuals with limited knowledge overestimate their expertise. In forums, confident but uninformed users often drive discussions — confidently misguiding others.

• Reputation ≠ Qualification: Just because a user has thousands of posts or “likes” doesn’t mean they’re technically competent or experienced with the specific equipment in question.

In a field as nuanced as high-end analog audio, where subtle differences in materials, engineering and design create real acoustic variation, second-hand opinion simply isn’t a substitute for direct experience or professional insight.

Groupthink and Echo Chambers

Online communities naturally evolve into echo chambers — spaces where dissenting views are subtly or overtly discouraged and dominant opinions are repeated until they appear as objective truth.

• Conformity Pressure: Even well-informed users may soften or abandon their opinions to avoid conflict or backlash. This leads to homogenized discussions that lack depth or balance.

• Narrative Reinforcement: Certain brands or technologies gain a “cult” status not necessarily because they outperform others, but because they’ve become part of the shared mythology of the forum.

In the audiophile world, this creates dangerous distortions. Excellent but lesser-known turntable brands might be overlooked simply because they haven’t been “blessed” by the community consensus.

Confirmation Bias in Action

Forum users often arrive with preconceived notions, seeking validation rather than truth. If someone has already purchased a particular turntable, they’re likely to support positive opinions about it — not out of malice, but as a defence mechanism to reduce cognitive dissonance.

• Post-Purchase Justification: People don’t like to admit they might have made a poor choice — especially when their pride (and wallet) is on the line. It is difficult for people to be truly objective when they have made an emotional investment in their purchasing decision.

• Cherry-Picking Evidence: Users tend to latch onto posts and anecdotes that confirm what they already believe or hope to be true.

This bias can create a distorted marketplace of ideas, where objective performance is less important than collective reassurance.

The Myth of Objectivity

Audiophilia blends science with subjectivity. Measurements matter, but so do personal listening experiences, musical preferences, room acoustics and even mood. Forums often treat opinions as objective facts — “Turntable X is better than Turntable Y” — without acknowledging that preferences are deeply personal.

Moreover, many posts don’t account for controlled conditions, comparative testing, or system synergy (how the turntable interacts with the rest of the audio chain). As a result, sweeping judgments can be made on the basis of limited, biased, or non-representative experiences.

The Risk to Buyers and Brands

For consumers, the danger is obvious – relying on unverified, emotionally charged commentary can lead to poor purchasing decisions and missed opportunities.

But there’s a broader cost too — to the industry itself!

• Innovation Suppression: New or unconventional products may be unfairly dismissed before they’re understood.

• Brand Damage: A single negative thread can harm a company’s reputation, even if it’s factually incorrect or rooted in misunderstanding.

• Customer Frustration: Buyers who follow bad advice may blame the product — or worse, the entire category — rather than the source of misinformation.

A Better Path: Informed, Independent Evaluation

So, where should audiophiles turn for trustworthy guidance?

You probably know what I’m about to advise here – no surprises.

1. Reputable Dealers and Experts – Unlike anonymous forum users, dealers stake their reputation on product knowledge, support and long-term customer relationships.

2. Direct Experience – Nothing replaces listening for yourself. Demo opportunities, showroom visits, and even in-home trials (where available) offer unmatched value. Personally, I would happily spend the money to fly to another city to directly experience the component than making an expensive mistake.

3. Professional Reviews with Context – While definitely not perfect, professional reviewers often test products under more controlled and consistent conditions, providing context that forums lack. Try to find a reputable reviewer who shares your sonic preferences.

4. Critical Listening and Openness – Stay curious. Be willing to challenge your own preferences and assumptions.

Forums have their place — they can connect people, foster enthusiasm, and sometimes surface useful insights. But they are not neutral arbiters of truth. When it comes to high-end audio, where detail, nuance, and precision matter, relying on forums alone is like navigating a forest with a compass made of emotion and ego.

Choose wisely.

Listen critically.

And remember: the best sound comes not from consensus, but from clarity.