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In Reply to: RE: Van Alstine posted by Jim Austin on May 12, 2023 at 12:50:57
Thanks Jim, I think there was some age old beef about the Van AlStine stuff. His motto used to be ( Jensen's Stereo Shop, Audio by VanAlstine)...where state of the art is affordable. Lately the Absolute Sound is reviewing more affordable gear than Stereophile.It's like a polar shift. I have turned to Steve Guttenberg on the Internet to find out some affordable stuff that the Hifi mags won't touch. A couple examples would be the Chinese FX-01 tube buffer preamp and the American Bellari tube preamp. I still love Stereophile and saved every copy since they were T V guide size....keep up the great work, sincerely ...Mark Korda
Follow Ups:
Mark,
Very good comment.
A "newbie" today would only have to read one or two Stereophiles and then happily go on to some other home entertainment magazine.
June S'phile - TAD CE1TX: $32.5K -0 VPI Avenger: $36K - D'Agostino M400: $80K Cheapest other reviewed gear: $7K
Why bother reading the mag? WHO CARES about equipment this costly - ESPECIALLY as this is for ONE component? Let alone pricing the interconnecting/power cables. JA2 - How about a REGULAR monthly column featuring equipment that CAN'T be MORE than $500 TO $1K You have people calling you ALL DAY "giving" CRYING to give you the megabuck stuff to review. Have someone to DO SOME WORK and ferret out budget stuff.
Thank You
We need a new Sam Tellig. Somebody to toss audiophile snobbery aside and crawl through the trenches of sub $1000 gear.
Half the world only knows headphones and IEMs. It may be too late to turn the tide.
the die has been cast.
The big money talks, the fla$hy $tuff is what $ells magazine$ and pay$ the bill$.
No one is interested in developing a market for newbies that involves any sort of
"realistic" budget - certainly not in a paper magazine. Flash the high end, be envious
of my rig stuff at them and let them... compete... to get here.
The Internet is the way for newbies to get in touch with the hobby on
real people budgets and find their way.
Not Stereophile. Not in a LONG time.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Thanks musetap,
What internet sites do you suggest for newbies?
Well, I'm "old" and not a newbie, so not really sure about "sites" per say.
Pretty sure there are strong audiophile communities emanating from Facebook
(or whatever it's called these days), Instagram and such. LOTS of headphone
folk!
Seems more a casual thing with WOM propelling info. Bopping about though
I've read good stuff on the Schitt Audio forum, Polk Forum (and similar), but
not certain of any actual on line "magazine" sites that may appeal (or attempt
to nurture) newbies as such. And a company like Schitt can certainly perpetuate
grow and promote itself on line without any help from, say, Stereophile.
Some company that makes $20-$50,000 and up speakers/cables/DACS sure as shit can't.
I don't think any site dependent on ad income can really afford to nurture newbies
so most find other paths to pursue the hobby.
They shall NOT have their pursuit of being an audiophile hampered by sites that
pamper to the wealthy, nor should they.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Musetap, good stuff.My current speakers were built with one sheet of plywood and a 25 dollar coax sellout Vifa speaker made in Denmark bought at Parts Express.The table saw was a cheap one a carpenter freind was going to toss.I used the Weems pipe design and added a few twists....Mark K.
Weems Pipe
Mark, you really need to learn how to use that camera ;-)
Sorry Abs, that was from a tablet. Let me try my desk top. Thanks Mark.
Abs, this one might be clearer...Mark.
WOW,
Weems pipes (transmission lines).
Remember those articles - 1970's? What nagazine?
I suggest Enjoy the Music!, Positive Feedback and Tone Audio for sites that do some entry level to mid level reviews.
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
. . . are sites where people post about their own experiences with components. I have no faith in reviewers at all. They have their own reasons for pushing stuff that is not very good. And when they say it's so good that they bought the review sample, look out. They paid half price (changing the value equation) and it will likely be on sale within the calendar quarter. Many reviewers have received components from manufacturers with no requirement that they be returned. Is that a (direct) bribe? I think so.
As for sites where folks discuss equipment, the leading one IMO is Audiogon, but there are many others. I have found that if there is a multi-user consensus on Audiogon about a product, that's a great sign. There's a lot of good stuff spoken about that never gets a commercial review for a number of reasons. Often the manufacturer is small.
all you need to do is to take a look at the reviewer's system. Those super high end components never get returned. That's called cheap advertising.
Gary
Musetap, you nailed it! Your right on too Mel and Ozzy! I still like Stereophile and The Absolute Sound but I do miss Audio, High Fidelity, and the Complete Buyers Guide to Stereo/HiFi Equipment, you guys remember that one? I still have copies from 1975 ...Mark Korda
I think both of them went down the tube when they took on advertising
Gary
Stellavox, you were right on too. Thanks for the nice comment, take care Mark K.
Of course there was "Sensible Sound" mag. And Sam Tellig, the Sphile "cheapskate". and I (think I) remember "Listener" doing shootouts of reasonable? priced speakers / turntables/ cartridges and the likeLooked at some of the sites mentioned here and more that one of them seems to tilt the expensive stuff - or give the impression they do.
Pro audio seems to have some nice and reasonably priced "stuff" especially powered speakers - like Adam. Having said that I don't know what is reasonably priced these days FOR YOU. I have/love LS50's and would spend up to what the 60's cost but THAT'S IT. At least with a powered speaker you are killing two birds - maybe three cause of no speaker cables.
Any of the high end mags ever do a survey of subscribers INCOMES and how much they spend on EQUIPMENT?
Enjoy your music - however it gets to you!
Edits: 05/17/23
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