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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: Re: Prove it. posted by don_t on June 16, 2001 at 00:44:17:
"Its recommended components list, contains many products that I have owned and found to be flawed and less good than many products that cost less."This is your opinion. Not everyone agrees with it That's because it's merely an opinion. Some people have become very happy with systems they've compiled from Stereophile suggestions. So just because you think some components are flawed, or that there are better for the money, doesn't mean that it's true. Sure, I bet there are components that are better for the money- Stereophile cannot review everything. They just do the best they can with what they get.
"Being the largest of all the magazines its recommended component list is seen by many "newbies" in search of audio identity. Reading the list is easier than getting out and doing the research plus it provides the buyer all the warm and fuzzy required to make the purchase of the recommended component - lots of the time through mail order outlets, S.T. is always recommending mail order stuff. Some small company gear gets in the list but theres so few outlets the large company spending big advertising bucks also gets stocked on dealer shelves because of the recommendation by Stereophile. No other magazine is so irresponsible as to publish a recommended components list."
Yes, it is, hopefully. And most "newbies" do not have trained ears, because they are just as the name implies. So what's wrong with some guidance from people who have been listening and have 'trained' their ears to determine what a good component is and what isn't? Yes, reading the list IS much easier than going out and listening to a lot of different components. Maybe that is also because there are good components that are mail order, and Stereophile reviews these type of components. Doesn't this give mail order companies business in an industry based on word of mouth? It promotes good gear that is mailorder, and you noramlly wouldn't be able to hear as easily, so what's wrong with that? It opens us to an even broader range of good components. Gee, if the "small companies" made a lot of sales, hmm, would they not become "large companies"? Yes, people do spend money for reccomended components from Stereophile, and that's the nature of an audio magazine: To let people know what equipment is good. So if a component is good, should Stereophile not say anything about it? Even if it were a small company that makes a good product? They wouldn't be doing their job if they did so.
No other magazine is so irresponsible as to publish a reccomended components list? Well, TAS does it in a different way: Their dream systems. What Hi*Fi and other British magazines put reviews of a lot of components in the back of their magazines. Wouldn't this be worse since in some the reviews are always there? That would mean anyone who picked it up would eventually see a huge list of components with their rating. Why let the public know what they feel is a good component? If they didn't, would they be doing their job?
"Also TAS, Listener and Sensible sound have obvious themes and philosophies. Stereophile is vanilla, pointless, groundless without any cause other than to promote the industry - unfortunately this vanilla character gets reflected in the stock at dealer showrooms because of the easy sell a recommended component is."
Stereophile has no themes or philosophies? Well, maybe you cannot see what their philosophy is because they have a lot of different writers. Wait, did you ever think that that could be their philosophy? Maybe they try to give readers a wide range of opinions so that they can be fair in their reccomendations. If Stereophile had writers with all the same ideas, then it may not reach on broader topics, or may not appeal to as many readers, and subsequently not help "newbies."
"These aren't extreme claims - its business and Stereophile is the biggest magazine of all and more guilty of being directionless and misleading than any of the others. Stereophile used to be a speciality magazine - now I call it a fashion magazine. Its common sense not some kind of radical off the wall unfounded accusation."
So because it's business, that means automatically that they are corrput? Gee, Stereophile didn't have to give me my subscription for only $12 a year. They are robbing me blind. Stereophile offers a good magazine to a more broad range of people than most do.
Directionless and meaningless? Read what I said about the difference in writers for Stereophile. Maybe that's why you see no direction. Meaningless? Providing a service to all kinds of people on audio components is meaningless? They audition components that cost very little, and promote "newbies" getting into this hobby. If "newbies" are not given information to begin a first system with, then what will they do? Face the sometimes hostile and strange world of audiophilia alone with no guidance? They could very easily get lost, and may not make wise buying decisions, and that would waste money. If they take the advice of Stereophile, then can most likely assmeble a very good system, and then decide what tastes they have acquired and what their next components will be. "Newbies" should have a decent to good system to start out with. That way, they can get used to good sound, and the qualities of it. If they do this, then they can develope preferences and make their own decisions based on what they've learned from Stereophile.
"If I look silly thats fine with me. Anytime someones asks "Whats wrong with Stereophile?" I will be glad to provide my opinion. Now go back to reading your recommended components list or Sam Telligs advertisments."
Yes, you are looking silly. And yes, I'll be glad to finish up my latest issue of Stereophile, and no, I do not only read reccomended components or Sam Tellig's reviews. But if you wish to think that, so be it.
So do we want to get rid of a magazine that provides a service to many people, including the future audiophiles? If we do that, we may end up with even fewer audiophiles so that our hobby and equipment available will be even harder to find. To say something like this is very selfish- you should think about some people's needs and also realize that there is only opinion when it comes to sound quality. What you feel may be a poor choice by Stereophile does not make them an "irresponsible" magazine. It simply means your tastes are different than whoever reccomended it. And that's the beauty of Stereophile: They have a broad range of writers to accomplish a broad range of opinions and ideas, so that we hopefully can connect with a writer and get truely good advice, and end up as happier audiophiles.
Frosteo
P.S.- I still didn't hear any proof of your claims.
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Follow Ups
- Re: Prove it. - Frosty 01:39:09 06/16/01 (1)
- You gotta serve somebody. - don_t 12:07:32 06/16/01 (0)
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