Is "The Audio Critic" magazine still around?

It's as around as it ever was. Just spoke to Mrs. Aczel last week, who assures me that a new issue will be out "soon." It's what she always says, and sometimes she's right. Apparently the new corporate partnership has not solved the basic problem, which is that Aczel can't get his act together to do anything on time.

That said, it's still the only magazine that does objective listening tests. If that matters to you (it should, but it probably doesn't), you gotta read it, even if a 4-issue sub lasts you half a decade.

Sean is referring to a very old issue, that Aczel started a speaker company and then wrote an article about his speakers for the magazine. This story has taken on a good deal of embellishment over the years--alleging that he did not reveal his interest in the speaker and passed the article off as an objective review. Neither of those allegations is true.

Aczel is the worst kind of sinner: a former true believer who renounced the faith. No wonder he engenders so much animosity. You either love him or you hate him.

Sean: Like you, I have seen only excerpts, which suggested that he was basically upfront about his interest in the speaker. Only a complete original would settle this question, and it's too old to be worth settling.

If you are right, I would agree that it was a gross breach of ethics. But while I don't mean to excuse anything, he has also been responsible for some solid audio journalism in the intervening years. He's also a guy who's been willing to change his mind in the face of countervailing evidence, something you don't always see.

So despite his flaws, I think he does have something to offer, and would recommend that any audiophile at least look at a few back issues. After all, ideas can't hurt you. (Detlof: Breathe, buddy!)