Stereophile and TAS have lapsed

Yes, it’s all a matter of perspective. Here’s my take.
These are the good old days! I can buy an incredible sounding DAC (Topping D50) for $200. Matter a fact I just did. I can get a decent integrated for a few dollars more. There are a plethora of really good turntables and cartridges out there for vinyl lovers. Low cost speakers have never sounded better. The KEF Q50 is selling routinely for under a grand.

But apart from the KEF there is little to no mainstream coverage of these products.

What has changed is that without brick and mortar stores the internet and forums like this one are the only way to find these hidden gems.

Why most audio magazines focus on $20,000 DAC’s and $10,000 phono cartridges is clear. They have to make money and subscriptions are a small part of their overall revenue stream. I just wish they would publish more bargain component reviews. Wait - some of these low dollar units are so good they’ll embarrass their high end brethren! :)
 
Stereophile used to be a lot of fun, as were Audio, Stereo Review, and High Fidelity, though they minced their words more. Even TAS was fun during its first year or two. But that was back when audio was fun, when it was still something of a hobby, and when it was obvious that not everything was known so there was always the possibility of something genuinely new that even someone in their basement might discover. And it was back when music was largely a social experience.
Now there doesn't isn't so much fun. Everything is much more expensive unless its computer based, which usually means it doesn't sound all that great (there are exceptions, but expensive ones), and it is consumed largely through headphones. And most products are much more generic and disposable.
So no wonder magazines dedicated to new equipment struggle. There just isn't a business model that works in the internet/download world, though perhaps the lifestyle accessory market might let them hang on, but of course, that market is staggeringly expensive, and only fitfully actually has anything to do with reproducing actual music in high fidelity.
Sadly, I think AK, Vinyl Engine, and various other sites are probably our time's equivalent to the old magazines.
Well said. I agree 100%.
 
I still subscribe to both.

Call me old fashioned but I refuse to take my phone into the toilet with me.

You’re old fashioned.

I should have mentioned where I was sitting when I posted that, but I didn’t consider the irony until too late.

Anyway, back on topic, I just got a 2-for-1 renewal deal/offer for TAS so renewed for two more years.
 
I should have mentioned where I was sitting when I posted that, but I didn’t consider the irony until too late.

Anyway, back on topic, I just got a 2-for-1 renewal deal/offer for TAS so renewed for two more years.

Damnit, I just spent $19 for my next year of The Crapper Companion.

On the positive side, old fashioned people don't drop their phones in the toilet.

Are you calling me old fashioned? :biggrin:
 
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I hate throwing away the old issues, was thinking of a way to forward them onto other AK folks that might enjoy reading them.

I believe that this thread might have flushed that idea.
 
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I should have mentioned where I was sitting when I posted that, but I didn’t consider the irony until too late.

BTW, I wanted to snap a picture of that sticky note on your toilet, but, well, you know my rules.
 
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BTW, I wanted to snap a picture of that sticky note on your toilet, but, well, you know my rules.

Too many rules.

I hate throwing away the old issues, was thinking of a way to forward them onto other AK folks that might enjoy reading them. I believe that this thread might have flushed that idea.

1. You're funny. (But we already knew that.)

2. I bet a new thread would generate some interest. This one seems to be a gentle "sigh" about the uselessness of the magazines and the opinions of any "phools" who may actually still read them. So those interested might have been steering clear of it.

I've got most of the Stereophile back-issues going back to 1988 or so due to someone (local) posting that they were selling them relatively cheap. As most of my gear is from somewhere in that era, it's nice to find the magazine(s) on the shelf and read the review(s). (Besides, how am I supposed to know how it sounds and if I'm supposed to like the piece if I don't read the review?)
 
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I've had Stereophile for a while and let it lapse as I would page through it and set it aside. Every now and then I get a renewal notice at some incredible low price; one was at something like $0.14/issue with free crappy earbuds.

I'll probably renew next time I get one of those giveaway offers, but have resisted in the past as too many went unread.

Just found this from 2016....


Ha! Today's mail had a we want you back offer from Stereophile.
$7/year for two years and a free set of Stereophile earbuds. Not bad.

I'm kinda wondering what the earbuds would be like. I'm expecting them to be cheap crapola like these promos usually involve, but I would hope Stereophile would avoid the irony of branding crap...

I dunno. I probably won't read them, but $0.58 an issue is attractive.
 
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@olson_jr I'll second what @DC says, maybe to go so far as to post them up in Barter Town.

I had a bunch, including other mags, but they all got dumped in one of my moves back in 2008. Good thing, as I dreaded lugging dozens of boxes around. But I still miss some of them.
 
The language used in audio reviews has been getting almost unintelligible for a couple years now but when I heard the reviewer discuss whether an amp was "wet" or "dry" it was about all I could take.

So glad I was not drinking coffee this morning when I read this. Not only was the drum sound wet, but it was also orange, packed with color and humidity. Wonder if he was also seeing trails at this exact point in time?

wet dry.png
 
I've brought past copies to SMAC meets and probably need to log another load...

Are you going on Saturday? Those are some pretty interesting looking speakers. (and it will probably the closest to me SMAC now since BOT departed for the corn fields)
 
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