Audiphile Press: Am I jaded, experienced, or has it declined?
I remember Audio, Stereophile and TAS as an older teen getting me excited about music reproduction and technology. Getting out to listen to speakers and find gear I could afford to take me to music Nirvana.
I still like the gear, still like talking about it, comparing tech, sharing experiences and advice, but I can’t remember the last time I really thought "wow, that’s good writing!"
How about you?
Has too much press devolved to covering only the most expensive gear? Do we lack better international gear coverage? Does it all look like it could be easily written by an AI chat bot?
It's certainly true that the mags are less relevant to audiophile life than they once were. The reviewers sometimes have useful insights into how to use a product, or its limitations, that I might not have figured out myself. I like the ads! Pretty pictures! I don't know anyone who would even dream of buying a $200,000 pair of speakers or amps - or even a $20K pair - except, ahem, me. |
+1 @facten You nailed it. As my subscription runs out (I have maybe 2 or 3 issues left) I find that I blow through it, Stereophile, in about an hour and then recycle. Seems like such a waste. Regards, barts |
The Science hasn't changed - only those delivering the message. Once you've learned the Science, everything else is noise. You probably reached "Music Nirvana" years ago but forgot to filter out the noise. Has some gear technology's changed? Absolutely! But if you've been in this hobby long enough, you know better than chasing every new thing hitting the market. Over the past 20 years a few things in the stream have changed/improved (better amps, processors, DACs, Home Theater) but "the Science" remained the same. Once you've grown your system to near or showroom class, it should sound at the Audiophile level for years. |
Being retired, I have more time than ever to read , but the only magazine I’m currently getting is Stereophile. Mostly because the ads that lead down various rabbit holes. I read the threads here for the same reason. Having said that, with almost all the hifi stores closing around me, I am reading more and listening less to new equipment. |
