Nice Letter to the Editor in Stereophile

[1KW]

I subscribe to stereophile ($6/year) and a few other magazines using the digital zinio format. While it is very nice to hold a paper magazine, the resulting clutter becomes a pain after a few years. I was holding onto a few years of Panarama magazine, which my wife threw away one day...she said " you sold your porsche what do you need the magazines for" ? So I think that over time as more people subscribe via digital the cost of printing, mailing etc will be reduced and hopefully increase the bottom end of many magazines. It is also easier to find a article with this format as you can simply type in the few key words and the article pops up.

[Haurock]

I have to concur with the young lad on two points regardless of his attitude.

Firsts, in most cases, the majority of the chosen musical choices to evaluate the gear is classical. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you listen to Rock and only Rock, that review will not help you one bit. There is no balance in reviews. There is no point of comparison. Very few reviewers or audio magazines actually do a rating scale.

Second, they do tend to provide rather glowing reviews of most products they do review. In the past 3 years I've read many reviews on many different speakers and in the end, I found the reviews of little value. They did not help me to narrow my search. All speakers were worth a listen or should be on your audition list. Very very frustrating. The same happened when I was looking to upgrade my CD player. I could not for the life of me find perspective in the reviews. If I hadn't, by chance, listened to the MCD205, it would have never been on my radar.

In closing, I have learned much much more here at AA and at AK then I have ever learned from audio magazines. I do like people who call a spade a spade. I hate wafflers. You may not like the the young lad's characterization of the reviewers, or his in your face diatribe, but in my opinion there is much truth to what he says, even if I don't appreciate how he said it.

[Alberto]

Originally Posted by 1KW

I subscribe to stereophile ($6/year) and a few other magazines using the digital zinio format. While it is very nice to hold a paper magazine, the resulting clutter becomes a pain after a few years. I was holding onto a few years of Panarama magazine, which my wife threw away one day...she said " you sold your porsche what do you need the magazines for" ? So I think that over time as more people subscribe via digital the cost of printing, mailing etc will be reduced and hopefully increase the bottom end of many magazines. It is also easier to find a article with this format as you can simply type in the few key words and the article pops up.

While I agree on the de-cluttering thing 100%. Reading - and re-reading - audio magazines on paper, while in a comfortable chair (or lying in bed) is something I find quite relaxing and, believe it or not, educational. I have a few hundred, including many vintage ones (Stereophile, TAS and a bunch of now out-of-business magazines.) I enjoy, for example, reading what was going on when CDs were first introduced, to see expensive ads for brands that no longer exist, the first reviews of products from brands that are now well established, but where at the time newcomers (e.g. Sonus Faber). It's also fun to see how some things have never changed: the letters to the editor, the glowing reviews where the latest subject is the best X under $Y, to be followed the next month by another "best X under $Y" :-).

The educational part, aside from the historical perspective, are some of the in-depth technical articles. Something that we don't see a lot of these days. For example, a multi-part series on speaker (and x-over) design.

But I will have to give zinio a try nonetheless.

Alberto

[cougit25]

Originally Posted by Stillone

I am not taking one side or another here. There are two or more sides to this debate. Your assumption that Classical, Jazz, Opera, and vocals tell the real story. If he or his friends do not listen to those genres why would he care how they are reproduced? He is saying it is important to him that it be able to reproduce Rock & RB. That is important to many of us too. I have heard far to many "audiophile systems" that can reproduce "audiophile CD's or LP's" but fall apart on rock and symphonic tunes. It is pretty easy to get a guitar or other strings to sound pretty good. Until recently I thought all of Springsteen's output was poorly recorded. My system is at the point now where some of it sounds excellent.

My comments were in reference to the writers’ first paragraph, in which he insulted the reviewers of the magazine and their choice of music to review equipment.

“Well, first off, you guys always review equipment with classical music. You really think people my age or younger listen to that shit? You hardly ever review your equipment with popular music like rock or R&B, and I know damn well you never use music like rap or techno-tronic.

It is my assumption that any system that can reproduce accurately the genres of music I listed, can also reproduce accurately any other genres of music. I also believe that the reviewers at Stereophile agree with my assumption.

Along that same line if a turntable or tube electronics can reproduce my list of genres accurately, (which many do) then they can also reproduce any other.

My McIntosh system meets these criteria and reproduces the Classical as well as the Rock, Rap and R&B music I listen to very well indeed. Highly Recomended.

[jdandy]

Rock.......I agree with you on the two points you made, but for me, the letter writer overshadowed his position with the belligerent attitude, disrespect, and use of profanity to emphasize his indignation. It was completely unnecessary, and caused me to discount his intellect.

I also agree with Alberto about the value of old audio publications. I like to go back and read old issues of Audio, Stereo Review, High Fidelity, and others. Just try to find a current review on a quality cassette deck these days.

For me, all audio publications are primarily entertainment, not technical resources. I have never purchased a single audio component based on a review, although I have to smile when a review comes along about a component I have purchased. Audio publications are fun reading, but if I am searching for a particular component, I am talking to, and visiting friends who own it, or going to a dealer showroom for a thorough audition. A reviewer's published opinion is just that, his opinion. I develope my own opinions based on personal experience, not reading entertainment publications, even ones that take themselves as seriously as Stereophile Magazine. For me, there is no other way of determining the real value of an audio component than the hands on approach, listening to music of my choice. Beyond that, published reviews might just as well be a billboard on the side of a highway. You look, and then it's gone.

[Still-One]

I prefer the hard copy of magazines. I keep some and pass on huge piles to my nephew. I like reading reviews of the higher end units so I know what to listen to when travel and can see some of less widely know nameplates. I get 4 audio magazine monthly 2 from the US and 2 from the UK, in addition Hi Fi Plus which has been the best of them all comes out about 8 times per year.

When was traveling a lot I would download MS Reader books to my Pocket PC. I thought that it was so much easier to read with one hand just changing pages with a finger or thumb. I didn't have to keep a light on when people were sleeping on overnight flights. I may try one of the readers on my iPod touch or iPhone.

[Haurock]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Rock.......I agree with you on the two points you made, but for me, the letter writer overshadowed his position with the belligerent attitude, disrespect, and use of profanity to emphasize his indignation. It was completely unnecessary, and caused me to discount his intellect.

*has to chuckle slightly*... I can't disagree with what you've wrote Dan.. there certainly does seem to be a lot of that from the younger generations nowadays. You're also quite right, I wouldn't buy a piece of audio gear based strictly on a review.

Having said that though, for some of us it is rather very difficult to gain access to the multitude of what is avialable outthere. I can assure that there are many different audio gear companies simply not represented in any audio store in Toronto, Canada's largest city. So, my alternative is to seek guidance from those who do have more knowledge and experience. It would be my expectation that audio reviews should do just that. I will acknowledge that they do do justice to the peice of gear that they review, but often leave it up to the reader to make their own conclusion about what has been written. I also know that audio magazines do have to respect their adverstisers. For me its always been the point of reference that appears to be lacking. Perhaps its my lack of experience with audio gear, I don't know.

I guess, I wouldn't put any faith in what this young lad said, except for the stark reality of his comments. Then again, maybe he was just trying to shake up the Stereophile. Who knows.

[80B]

Originally Posted by Haurock

I have to concur with the young lad on two points regardless of his attitude.

Firsts, in most cases, the majority of the chosen musical choices to evaluate the gear is classical. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you listen to Rock and only Rock, that review will not help you one bit. There is no balance in reviews. There is no point of comparison. Very few reviewers or audio magazines actually do a rating scale.

Second, they do tend to provide rather glowing reviews of most products they do review. In the past 3 years I've read many reviews on many different speakers and in the end, I found the reviews of little value. They did not help me to narrow my search. All speakers were worth a listen or should be on your audition list. Very very frustrating. The same happened when I was looking to upgrade my CD player. I could not for the life of me find perspective in the reviews. If I hadn't, by chance, listened to the MCD205, it would have never been on my radar.

In closing, I have learned much much more here at AA and at AK then I have ever learned from audio magazines. I do like people who call a spade a spade. I hate wafflers. You may not like the the young lad's characterization of the reviewers, or his in your face diatribe, but in my opinion there is much truth to what he says, even if I don't appreciate how he said it.

Not to put too much of a fine point on Dan's reply as well, but the reviewers, in their defence, usually review gear that IS good. There seems to be a good bit of competition for these guys to review gear for the obvious benefits. Comparisons that are of gear that was reviewed in the past are often mentioned, but not emphasized much because the comparisons are not a/b and reviewed 'long' ago.

So what good are the mags? They're an intro to gear, a way to learn, be entertained, and get an opinion about something in which you may be interested. There's no substitute for your own listening, and if you don't have all the brands in town you'd like (Toronto's a Mecca compared to a lot of places), it's time for a road trip!

The mags are fun to read, and help, along with AA triangulate with my (and my friends') ears to analyze the sound I like. Finally, the magazines, like your dealer, have a vested interest. It's very evident and not a secret. Magazines make money from their advertisers (and to a lesser extent from you the buyer), and the dealer is there to sell you. It's a capitalist system and you know where they're coming from, so take it with a grain of salt, but not thinking they're there to rip you off either.

[ehoove]

There is a nice rebuttal from another young man in the june issue that reflects most of what is stated in this thread, if we could locate him, he would be a welcome member I'm sure!
Regards,
Jim

I'll try and post some of his comments when I get to work!

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by ehoove

There is a nice rebuttal from another young man in the june issue that reflects most of what is stated in this thread, if we could locate him, he would be a welcome member I'm sure!
Regards,
Jim

I'll try and post some of his comments when I get to work!

I am trying to figure out what you mean.

Is he a nice young man because he likes the music you like.
Is he a nice young man because he 25 and a "vinyl collector" for five years?
Is he a nice young man because he "shows respect for my elders"
Is he nice because you he states that that we will all eventually "grow up" and enjoy playing vinyl, listening to classical music and enjoy "pleasing to the ear second order harmonics" with tubes.
Is he nice because his writing skills allow him to get his point across without profanity?

Many here who posted did not get the point of why I posted the original letter. We wonder why 95% of the world do not understand Audiophiles. (A term I am not sure I really know what it means) Audiophiles in general are exclusionary. Too many audiophiles sit around only listening to music that sounds good on their system. Many Audiophiles try to jam their opinions and likes and dislikes down the throats of others. The point was he was just being as exclusionary as the magazine. Tubes, vinyl and certain types of music were not relevant to him, so he cancelled his subscription.