Anyone who has been around this hobby long enough to remember Stereophile and TAS from the early years (1980s) understands and is sickened by what has happened to these publications. Unfortunately, it's part of a broader trend infecting journalism and society as a whole--it's all about the money. I used to enjoy reading TAS when it was pint sized and packed full of informative reviews that were (somewhat) balanced and took pains to inform readers rather than shower products with useless accolades. There were thought provoking essays on music and hifi and strict prohibitions on the use of quotes in advertising. There were ethical standards designed to promote integrity within the field. Look what we have now--pretty pictures, sensational headlines, and useless content. Is it any wonder they "rolled over" for a company whose products are routinely advertised in their pages? As someone mentioned, they give away the magazine to boost their subscription numbers so they can charge more for the ads. The manufacturers pay those inflated ad prices with the understanding that their products will receive positive exposure. It works for everyone--except us. Why do I continue to subscribe? The record reviews and the rare instance when a review will mention a recording I may be interested in buying. Where it took me weeks to get through an issue in the late 1980s now I'm done in an hour.
The MoFi Mess and TAS rolling over for them
Totally disgusted with TAS opinions on the mofi mess. They're basically saying it was okay to dupe us. Jonathan Valin actually says as long as it sounds good...
What a sell out to the audiophile community. TAS is nothing but a glorified product catalogue for their advertisers.