Stereophile's refusal to review more low

Thanks Rcprince: I did not make it to the newstand (I hit the Valley thrift stores instead and had a Tommy Burger) while waiting for my wife. Found a Sheffield CD "Steps" by Pat Coil for a buck. I guess that's where my priorities were today (good cheap music and a greasy chili burger that I will be tasting for days:-).

My father worked for Meridith Publishing (Hearst) for 40 years and the subscription income does not even generally cover the printing expense of a magazine. It is the advertising dollars that make it profitable. I am not making any accusations against any publishers, just stating the reality of the industry.

I think that we are expecting too much from a business for profit. I see the mags as being a source of cheap entertainment (if you enjoy reading about gear) and would not expect them to run as a nonprofit consumer mag (though I doubt that they are 100% either). Even if there is an occasional mixture of fluff and fact, how many reviews have you, out there, ever read that were totally off track? I personally feel that the rating systems are a bit ridiculous taking into consideration what it is that is trying to be judged/rated and all of the variables involved, but feel the same way about most rating systems involving sensate things (wine, art & film, music, Hi-fi, etc.), but the ratings are also somehow fun to read. Many of the writers are personalities on the same level of greatness as Orson Bean, so either enjoy the greatness that is there or don't subscribe, but in any case please lighten up if you will.

Rayhall: I have worked for quite a few companies (large ones) in my life and only one out of the many had what I would call integrity (I stayed with them for 11 years) and yes, I do think that it is too much to ask in the real world. In other words, I do not take any information for granted from any publication. Why would I expect more from a stereo rag? In addition, why would I care?

Rayhall: I understand where you are coming from and have to agree with your thoughts on the general decline of Western civilization in that only an individual (however when multiplied becomes a mass) can make a difference. It's kind of funny, in context of the thread, but I stopped getting all the Hi-fi mags around 1981 or so and have never had a desire to read them since. I rarely ever read pro reviews on line anymore, though I did when we first became connected to the net. I don't as a rule distrust individuals, just organizations as I have experienced over and over how easily they are corrupted. But as I now lack the energy to, I don't concern myself too much with things that do very little real harm, if any, on a whole. My wife however is still a crusader, like yourself, and is hell on wheels when she gets going on something. Anyway, I apologize for such a curt response. My favorite audio magazines are composed of the individual posts at both Audiogon and Audio Asylum and I make them up in my head (the magazines) as I cruise through the sites. There are even some regulars (strong personalities) who can give Orson Bean a run for his money (though I hope that Kublakhan doesn't start wearing bow ties on my account).

I was discussing this with my wife last night (who once published her own food magazine) and do the mags now carry advertisements for things other than audio/vidio? And, if not, why not? I mean do they have liquor ads and the like? I may stop by a newstand and take a look today as I have not looked at the mags for such a long time. It seems to me that this would be a good thing (having such ads) and I assume that the sales volume is enough to attract them.