Jump to content

Whatever happened to Stereo Review magazine?


Music_Smurf

Recommended Posts

I think we all know this to be true.. but the Advertisement people required a "favorably written" articles of what they were placing in the magazines. Why would you as say XYZ company after 3-4 yrs of work introduce speakers to a magazine that is gonna trash em and say they suck?? Especially when they are paying for ads?

Thus creates the problem.. Like an opinion, everyone reading this also has some oriface that expels stuff out of our bodies... And thats what you should say about most of the articles.

That said... Where do you go for good information, ways to put together stuff so it sounds/ looks nice?? Afterall, we have to go someplace to learn what is new, whats working too.

My only problem is when say I go on a magazine binge...and buy 5-6 mags in any given month. A lot of the same articles are in all of them..THAT sucks..LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

& the other I read as a teen in the 70s was High Fidelity, but: "High Fidelity magazine began in 1950 and ran until 1988 when it closed down. In 1959, High Fidelity incorporated Audiocraft magazine that had gone out of business. In 1960 it also acquired Hi-Fi Music At Home."

nice thing about HF as a teen was it was free.

16.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The change from Stereo Review to Sound & Vision merely reflects changes in the market. Home theater is now the driving force in AV. Speaker manufacturers like Klipsch have benefited enormously.

When I read any adverstising driven rag, I read primarily for factual information, not the writer's opinion. The equipment reviews in S&V are useful primarily for the test numbers generated. For example, RF-7s tested as being 6 Ohm speakers, not 8 Ohms.

I also like Steropile (sic) Guide to Home Theater. Their numbers seem to be a bit more conservative than S&V.

Bill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You dont see too many defense comments about STEREO REVIEW and for good reason. I found it virtually useless, especially in the day and age of the spec wars when it was at its zenith. I got it for years since it was "there" but realized LONG LONG ago what a subpar magazine it was. Try to find a really in-depth reveiw of an amp, preamp, etc. As Ray hints at, everyhing received about the same review comments with almost ZERO use of listening in judging the gear. Measurements were they guide even when measurements didnt tell the whole story, or even how this same story related to how the gear sounded.

I, for one, was rather happy it disappeared. Good riddance. Magazines like Sound Practices, Listener, Positive Feedback, The Tracking Angle, Absolute Sound, and Stereophile (years ago) made Julian Hirsch's pages read like airplane fodder.

kh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMHO, any and all of the magazines that accept advertising are more inclined to give some sort of favoritism in their reviews to those products FROM advertisers in those magazines. That is just an inevitable way of life in corporate reality!

A number of years back, one of the more popular motorcycle touring oriented magazines, changed its format entirely. It renamed itself "Motorcycle Consumer News", and accepted absolutely NO ADVERTISING! Even though it struggled along for a few years, existing solely from the revenues from a subscriber base, it is now generally known as the most accurate reviewer of all things involving motorcycle riding today. Quite a tribute!! It still is not enamored of the glossy multi-colored pages of the more popular motorcycling rags out today, but it has a loyal following, still accepts no advertising, and is doing quite well in the marketplace, surviving solely off its subscriber base.

There is room for something like that in the audio world, I would think!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with HDBRbuilder: Motorcycle Consumer News is a great magazine and the audio industry could well do with a rag that take's MCN's approach. It would be really refreshing to get honest opinions of audio equipment from a reviewer that isn't worried about losing ad revenue or the editor coming down on him for calling a POS a POS. Will it happen anytime soon ....... nah? I currently subscribe to Stereophile and it's OK but nothing you want to base a purchase on solely, although they do keep up with newer analog stuff. I subscribed to Sound & Vision a while back and thought it absolutely sucked, nothing but boring articles and kiss-up reviews. Didn't renew that subscription. Sound & Vision reminds me of Cycle World magazine - they have never reviewed a product they didn't like (that placed ads with them).

2002 Kawasaki ZZ-R1200

2000 BMW R1150GS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Over the years I've been a regular reader or subcriber to High Fidelity, Audio, Stereo Review, Listener, The Absolute Sound, & Stereophile, Most are gone now though I'm still a subscriber to Steoeophile thou mainly now to keep in touch. Stereo Review was probably the weakest of the group - lightweight, predictable, repetitive. I too wish that a non-advertiser mag could make a profitable venture but I doubt it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Curmudgeon...

I just had to laugh...a BMW R1150GS huh? Whenever I see one, I am reminded of some of my Canuck buddies who own the GS models...they always lovingly call em their "Gravel Crushers!!"...LOL!...you gotta hear it to really understand the humor in it, though!! LOL! "Let's, uh, hop on our GRAVEL-CRUSHERS and go get some more beer for this evening, while we are still sober, eh?" LOL!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

----------------

On 12/18/2002 7:57:19 PM HDBRbuilder wrote:

Curmudgeon...

I just had to laugh...a BMW R1150GS huh?; Whenever I see one, I am reminded of some of my Canuck buddies who own the GS models...they always lovingly call em their "Gravel Crushers!!"...LOL!...you gotta hear it to really understand the humor in it, though!! LOL! "Let's, uh, hop on our GRAVEL-CRUSHERS and go get some more beer for this evening, while we are still sober, eh?" LOL!
----------------

I've never heard that term but it's definitely funny! 1.gif I like the "Gravel Crusher", it's kinda fugly unless you like machinery that resembles insects. The suspension is first-rate and the bike handles much better than it would appear to. The fun part is when you blow by (with a full load and saddlebags) some squid on a sportbike while on a tight twisty road. The last time I was at the Deal's Gap area I passed numerous sportbikes in the corners on US129 and the Cherohala Skyway - it drives them absolutely nuts to see a big ugly dirt-bike looking thing out-handle their race replica. I bought the ZZR for those days when only excessive horsepower will do 3.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Curmudgeon,

So as not to take up forum space, I sent you a little e-mail story you may find a bit humorous! LOL! I also have a pic of what my bike looked like when I got to the location in that story...the pic was taken there right after I got off the bike. But it won't fit to be uploaded here...LOL! If you want, then answer my e-mail to you at jahren60@aol.com, and I will e-mail the pic to you! I like those GS machines too...and that telelever front suspension is a wonderful thing to have!! But I also love my old airhead...probably never get rid of her!!...even if I ever DO get a new oilhead someday!! After over 90,000 smiles on her, The 60th Anniversary Edition RT is now a part of me...and it is kinda nice watching its value go up 500-1000 bucks a year, too! Money in the bank!! Besides, they only built around 300 of em! Kinda unique! 2.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a subscription to Sound and Vision myself. The only reason why I have it is because it was given to me as a "compliment" for spending a huge load at the local Tweeter. Hey, as long as they send them to me, I'll take them. When the subscription is up, I probably won't renew it.

Along the same line, I also find it interesting that Skiing magazine also "mysteriously" started showing up in my mail box. I guess they must of sent free subscriptions to anybody that they consider to be "professional skiers", which includes the ski patrol (Interesting that I never considered myself a "professional" skier, but if the industry thinks I am, I'll take the perks that go along with it 9.gif.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think y'all are just a wee bit hard on old Stereo Review. True, it was not the most "in-depth" equipment reviewer by any means; a proud tradition that is being continued by Sound&Vision1.gif , I might add. BUT, at least they didn't blabber on for eight pages about some $10,000. phono pre-amp that has $110. worth of parts in it, excluding the machined-from-a-solid-chunk-of-

aluminum casing, and the 1/2 inch thick polished unobtanium face plate. Actually, I liked Stereo Review more than Sound & Vision, but not as much as Audio. That's the one I really miss. It struck a nice balance between the extremes, I thought. I continue to get and enjoy S&V though, plus Sterephile and THe Stereophile Guide to Home Theater.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Doug,

Geez, yer being kinda hard on that unobtainium stuff, ain't ya? After all, it is dug up by one-armed Sherpas using only their fingers, in the remotest part of the Himalayas, that can only be accessed for 2 weeks each summer, then it is gingerly transported on yaks, over 1,000 miles(a three-month-long ordeal in itself!!), whereupon, it finally arrives at the super-secret foundry in India, where the ore is processed with meteorite dust and then fired in platinum and diamond-lined furnaces, to be poured up into solid 24-karat gold molds, and then is shipped by special air-courier to the finest machine shop in the world, whereupon it is painstakingly milled to produce those faceplates that bring so much listening pleasure to the owners of those phono amps!! So, lighten-up a bit, WILLYA??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hdbr

Geez, yer being kinda hard on that unobtainium stuff, ain't ya? After all, it is dug up by one-armed Sherpas using only their fingers, in the remotest part of the Himalayas, that can only be accessed for 2 weeks each summer, then it is gingerly transported on yaks, over 1,000 miles(a three-month-long ordeal in itself!!), whereupon, it finally arrives at the super-secret foundry in India, where the ore is processed with meteorite dust and then fired in platinum and diamond-lined furnaces, to be poured up into solid 24-karat gold molds, and then is shipped by special air-courier to the finest machine shop in the world, whereupon it is painstakingly milled to produce those faceplates that bring so much listening pleasure to the owners of those phono amps!! So, lighten-up a bit, WILLYA??

You have my kinda humor...lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...