The Absolute Sound Back Issues

[MylesBAstor]

I couldn't pass these up for the price! Too many memories.

[Rob]

Cool. Those were from HP's collection?

[MylesBAstor]

Cool. Those were from HP's collection?

Yes on the Postitos page. I think Marty Wax got a few of the other magazines. I think I paid $6 for two of the them and $10 for the other. I was actually shocked that it was so cheap. Maybe even a touch sad. I would guess though they are holding out Issue 1 hoping that will bring in the bucks.

[mkuller]

By the time I subscribed in 1977 (maybe issue #6 or #7) and then ordered back issues, they had already run out of issue #1 and were sending it photocopied on sheets of paper. I think the issue is pretty rare.

[MylesBAstor]

I have actually seen the white cover version of issue one of TAS pop up on eBay from time to time. Think I have only seen the blue issue 1 cover once on eBay and didn’t win the auction.

[microstrip]

I have the whole collection in paper up to issue 160. Sometimes I really enjoy going through old issues filed with long and thoughtful essays - unfortunately most of the time some people in forums are just going through the same arguments again, ignoring and even distorting the contributions of the older generation.

[MylesBAstor]

Just like audio forums. 🤭

[MylesBAstor]

I have the whole collection in paper up to issue 160. Sometimes I really enjoy going through old issues filed with long and thoughtful essays - unfortunately most of the time some people in forums are just going through the same arguments again, ignoring and even distorting the contributions of the older generation.

Of course you have a current writer who thinks that all us guys should be put out to pasture.

Yes I have up to around 125 or so of TAS. Issues 1-25 are mandatory reading especially to see how the vocabulary used to describe the sound of audio systems developed. It also contains some of HP's best work not to mention that of Dave Wilson. You know. A hunger that was lost during the years. There was also a level of enthusiasm among the TAS writers that is missing in many of today's reviews for all magazines. You remember that famous HP line about Linn? The revolution they started passed them by.

These copies are just more nostalgic having been initialed by HP.

I also picked up early issues of Stereophile to read Gordon's early work though not nearly as complete a collection as my TAS.

[user510]

Excellent thread. I have one of the copies shown in the OP. Vol 2, no 6. The next i have is Vol 3, no 9. I am looking for a copy of Vol 3, no 8 for some research I'm doing on a 'future' vintage equipment article. (future vintage)



Above pic, my current meager collection of back issues; TAS and Stereophile. Wouldn't it be grand to complete the collection up to the point where the magazines went to the larger, and some might say, less interesting formats that we see today.

Truth be told, I find it more interesting to study the audio hobby's past than to consider where the future might go.
-Steve

[kcin]

Something is certainly missing now in terms of journalism and enthusiasm - I agree. Even though I was very young back then and still in school much of the high end was attainable. We had guys that had SP 6's or Premier 3's etc-- you " could " get there. Today we are talking about 6 figure pre amps and beyond. Makes for difficult reading and dreaming.

On another note- how about these gems I spent hours with them studying the circuits . I was totally infatuated with the NYAL line they were gone before I could swing it.



All the early TAS were certainly the best but I did enjoy the one with Walt Bender and HP going back and forth on cool vintage stuff arguing about their respective qualities.

[Rob]

there were 3 versions of the "VTL Book" I have all three. I also have the NYAL booklet.

[kcin]

Very cool...did not know that

[MylesBAstor]

I have copies of the VTL and NYAL books. Not sure which version of the VTL book.

I’ll get around to taking pics of some other curious books picked up over the years.

Wes Phillips used to collect the first issue of every audio magazine ever released. Don’t know what happened to them when Wes passed.

[kcin]

Not TAS

How about the bombastic Peter Moncrieff- I used to subscribe to IAR

[mkuller]

Moncrieff was a smart guy and a real character. I met him in about 1980 when he lived in Berkeley in an apartment building on Telegraph Ave. near Cal. We stopped by his place once and in the entry was a big pile of audio and TV parts (at one point he was making his own speaker and had a reputation for not returning review products). Inside he had a pair of black Acoustat Ones (or Twos) on either side of a small window and a ratty red stuffed listening chair across from it. The walls were lined with floor to ceiling 2" X 4" shelves filled with LPs.

He would come to our Northern California Audio Society meetings in the evenings and eat a sack lunch including a loud apple. Then I would see him riding around Berkeley on his 10-speed bike. He was a pretty big guy and in the summer he'd wear shorts, a t-shirt and earmuffs - so he could protect his hearing to hear the trebles. Quite a sight.

Maybe you recall he printed his monthly newsletter on red paper for a while so it couldn't be photocopied - or easily read. Later on he moved to Vista near San Diego and bought a big castle and a Porsche. I suspect he inherited some money because I don't think it was from publishing or selling Wonder Caps.

I found his IAR review of the Rockport Sirius III still worth a careful read.

Still has a Web site where you can find that and others: http://www.iar-80.com/index.html

[MylesBAstor]

What was HP’s nickname for Moncrief? J. Meter Cottonears? Moncrief’s second generation of Wonder Caps were horrific. Talk about peeling the wall paper off the walls!

[astrotoy]

Comments about Peter Aczel and The Audio Critic? He passed away last year at 91.

Larry

[mkuller]

LOL! I still have all of those issues. In about 1977 I saw an ad in the back of audio magazine fro a new publication called the Audio Critic (I discovered TAS later that year). I wrote a quick note with my subscription and Aczel published it in issue #1. Too bad he turned out to be a con man.

[MylesBAstor]

Comments about Peter Aczel and The Audio Critic? He passed away last year at 91.

Larry

The less said the better?

Pre- or post-Fourier scandal? And reportedly letting Carver quote a review that never appeared because his “newsletter” died after what three issues? At least that’s all I remember receiving before this newsletter folded.

I actually used used to enjoy the manufacturer rountable discussions in the early days of TAC and patterned my “virtual” round tables in Ultimate Audio magazine after them. The early issues of TAC reviewed some interesting audio gear without the acrimony of later years led by David Rich. Audionics and Hegeman were two of the lines he reviewed.

At the end, he was a bitter, broken down old man.

I sat two seats away from Aczel at this piano recital ((between us was Bruce Maeier of Discwasher) at one of the last (last?) Summer CES shows at the Chicago Historical Society. Aczel fell asleep at the beginning of the second movement and loudly snored his way through the rest of the performance.

[stellavox]

Since the thread has gone off-topic somewhat,

I have a complete set of Art Dudley's LISTENER mag and a number of extra issues for sale if anyone needs something

Charles

[rockdoc]

I would love to borrow or buy the first four (I think). My collection starts at vol. 2 no.3. Could trade some very early TAS issues.

Steve Tag

[stellavox]

Have the 6 issues you need. $25 including shipping. Paypal [email protected] to a friend or relative and of course send address

Thanks for offer of back TAS. but I had them all at one time - slimming down my "stuff"

CHarles

[rockdoc]

Great, thanks! I'll paypal later today.

Steve