What's Your Favorite Audio Magazine?

[MylesBAstor]

Which magazines make the regular rounds around your home and what do you like and dislike about them?

[Johnny Vinyl]

It's very rare I buy a physical copy on the newsstand today and I gave up the subscriptions I had years ago. I do read a lot of them online, but actually prefer to read user reviews when I come across them.

[MylesBAstor]

One thing that has changed with time. I remember the days when I couldn't wait -- and who knew when that was -- for the new issue of TAS to arrive. What was Harry going to say? What was Nork going to say? What was Donleycott going to say? What was David Wilson going to say? What albums were Sid going to review? Where have those days gone?

[mep]

If I had to pick only one magazine, it would be the original TAS back when Harry ruled the audiophile jungle with an iron fist. Harry was the silverback gorilla in those days. Cool artwork on the front cover and beautiful photography on the back cover all in a just right-sized package that made it somehow more special. I doubt the team of writers that Harry had assembled in the golden years of TAS will ever happen again.

[MylesBAstor]

I still have issues #1-120 or so. Not all here, with some in storage. I really recommend reading issues #1-25 because it really provides an interesting insight into the history of the industry, when Harry called it as he saw it, the controversy over accepting advertising (not all that different from the reaction when Dylan went electric). the development of the reviewing language (didn't really happen for the first 10 or 15 issues), the use of specific musical cuts to illustrate points (again not at the beginning), development of subjective reviewing (beyond JGH), and rise of people like David Wilson, one of the most meticulous reviewers ever. All his reviews came illustrated with charts of soundstage, etc. No bars and graphs though.

And yes those Robiis were amazing covers. I think the mystery girl on the back was Donna Resnick (some thought it Chris Yuin but it wasn't).

[Johnny Vinyl]

I subscribed to a small Canadian publications called UHF Magazine for years. I loved their editorials and user feedback/question section, in addition to the way they reviewed product. Someone would take the primary review, but there were always 2-3 other reviewers that provided their thoughts at the end.

[MylesBAstor]

I think another thing that TAS did really well was getting two or three reviewers comment on a given product. Something that simply isn't possible today. Of course, if they didn't agree with Harry, it was xxxx you ignorant slut.

[MylesBAstor]

If I had to pick only one magazine, it would be the original TAS back when Harry ruled the audiophile jungle with an iron fist. Harry was the silverback gorilla in those days. Cool artwork on the front cover and beautiful photography on the back cover all in a just right-sized package that made it somehow more special. I doubt the team of writers that Harry had assembled in the golden years of TAS will ever happen again.

What was your favorite cover?

[mep]

The hand of God pointing at a cartridge?

[MylesBAstor]

So many great and clever covers to choose from.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/97686139@N03/sets/72157634205699962/

Remember when they sold the covers too and you could frame them? I had the Carnegie and Chicago Symphony Hall posters framed!

[Rob]

I stopped taking them seriously the first time I quit audio, incidentally aroundt the time they all dropped the digest format. In their heyday I read: TAS cover to cover, Stereophile, Listener, HFN&RR (for ken Kessler) Sound Practices (short lived but great intro into SET/Horns) and Stereo Sound (Japanese) for the gear porn.

[MylesBAstor]

I stopped taking them seriously the first time I quit audio, incidentally aroundt the time they all dropped the digest format. In their heyday I read: TAS cover to cover, Stereophile, Listener, HFN&RR (for ken Kessler) Sound Practices (short lived but great intro into SET/Horns) and Stereo Sound (Japanese) for the gear porn.

People also seem to focus on the equipment that TAS reviewed and forget that Harry put together an outstanding music section with Art Pfeffer, Art. Lintgen, Ed Mendelsohn, Sid Marks, etc.

[Rob]

People also seem to focus on the equipment that TAS reviewed and forget that Harry put together an outstanding music section with Art Pfeffer, Art. Lintgen, Ed Mendelsohn, Sid Marks, etc.

that's why I call it their "heyday" who are their great music writers today?

[MylesBAstor]

With all the changes in today's audio world, that multiple comment review has gone the way of the dodo bird. Nowadays, most magazines and manufacturers only put aside one piece of a given product for a review. Manufacturers don't want to be caught with their pants down and all that money tied up in inventory. Many years ago, one leading high-end company recalled all the gear out for review because they looked at their books and found they had $500,000 tied up in review equipment. But what I liked most about the old TAS comments was not only did three reviewers give their perspective on the DUT's sound, but the equipment was tried in three usually very different systems.

[rbbert]

The only "audio journal" I read regularly and/or subscribe to now is Stereophile, not because it is especially good but because it has been consistent enough in personnel and editorial oversight for it to have some predictive value for me. Certain reviewers for other ezines hold a similar position for me, but they are generally a minority even within their own publication, and the quality of editorial oversight in particular is poor IMO. The overall quality of audio review 'zines has declined rather substantially from the '80's and '90's. Anyone up for a resurrection of Ultimate Audio?

[MylesBAstor]

Of all the magazines, Stereophile perhaps comes in for the most flack. (I don't know how John deals with it) But John deserves real kudos for being the consummate professional, putting out Stereophile on regular basis each and every month! Having formerly been an editor, that's no small feat! That's with all the sales and resales of the magazine and cost cutting. Not to mention his longevity as the Editor of the magazine. And the magazine probably has 3-4X (?) the distribution of any other high-end audio magazine.