Is Stereophile seeking a new reader demographic?


Does anyone else find this as odd, or amusing, as I do? I just received a subscription solicitation for Stereophile magazine offering me a "free MP3 auto adapter" if I subscribe for a year. The promotion includes a picture of a cheap 12-volt adapter intended to provide power to an MP3 player.

Two thoughts came immediately to my mind -- first, if I can afford any of the equipment being promoted (and "promoted" is, in my view, a polite description) in Stereophile, why would a $10.00 adapter be an incentive to subscribe? And second, Stereophile manages, in each and every issue, to say something nasty about compressed audio files. Why would they be pushing an MP3 adapter as a subscription premium?

Methinks the marketing and editorial departments ought to be talking to each other a bit more.
rdavwhitaker

Showing 1 response by mechans

Perhaps it is just stereophiles recognition of the currently widest used audio device. I hope this kind of promotion does attract a younger demographic.
If Stereo became a largely used audio reproduction method again, we would probably benefit from larger scale production. Prices, although usually sticky, may come down as a pass along to the consumer. In addition, innovation and/or simply perfection may result from R and D that larger firms can afford.
Wouldn't it be nice to find a stereo shop on main street again.