Stereophile discount
Comments
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Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
Not to resurrect an old thread, but after reading a couple of the reviews from Stereophile ... and one recent one in particular ... I don't place much, if any, weight on their opinions. It seems to me that they are primarily interested in making the advertisers / manufacturers happy.My HT
HDTV: Panasonic PT-61LCX65 61" Rear Proj. LCD
AVR: Harman Kardon AVR 235
Video: 80GB PS3, Toshiba HD-XA1 HD DVD
Fronts: Polk Audio RTi8
Center: Polk Audio CSi3
Amp: Emotiva LPA-1
Surrounds: Polk Audio R150
Sub: HSU STF-3
The only true barrier to knowledge is the assumption that you already have it. - C.H. Dodd -
The first issue I got, was a couple days after I brought home my first Polks, a pair of RTA-11t. They savaged them. "How Matthew Polk plans on being competitive with THESE at the $1k price point is anybody's guess," sticks in my mind. The very next issue, they highly recommend some $5k mini-monitors but only if you buy the matching $5k each subs. Eat me okay?
Pre-internet, there were about 15 FULL pages of classified ads for used stuff in very small print. There was a ton of stuff in each issue. THAT was the value of Stereophile.
All those writers, (especially that snob Jonathan Scull, and probably Fremer too) I'd like to see them strapped in chairs with their eyelids clipped open ala Clockwork Orange, and forced to watch the great unwashed play their records and touch their rigs. -
George Grand wrote: »All those writers, (especially that snob Jonathan Scull, and probably Fremer too) I'd like to see them strapped in chairs with their eyelids clipped open ala Clockwork Orange, and forced to watch the great unwashed play their records and touch their rigs.
ROTFLMAO!!!
If those guys are in Tampa, maybe my "friends" I mentioned before could help you out on that.
WesLink: http://polkarmy.com/forums
Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42" HDTV | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Wyred 4 Sound STP/SE Pre | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d -
The thing that kills me about both Stereophile and TAS is that every review is practically the same. The always describe how a piece sounds SO much better than the standard dreck in it's price class (yet we never hear about those pieces). It's ridiculous. Plus, other than the recommended components list, you can NEVER tell where they actually rate a piece of gear. I'm a subjective person when it comes to audio but at a certain point, you have to establish baselines for reference.
I also agree with George, the snob factor in Stereophile is off the charts. Less so with TAS with the exception of Harry Pearson who I think is a complete jerk off (the biggest of them all). The take this **** WAY too seriously. Fremer, God love him, is just a cheap turntable away from going into a Best Buy and start wasting people with an automatic weapon.
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
So why read?~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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hearingimpared wrote: »Stereophile is great throne material but everytime I bring Playboy in there I always get hit in the chin with pee and it goes all over the place.:eek:
Thanks, Joe. I just sprayed a mouthful of FunYuns all over my monitor !Sal Palooza -
I read it because it's cheap, one.
Two, I dig the music reviews, the industry updates and some of the columns are good. I like Art Dudley's column. I think he's a communist but I like his column.
I read TAS because I like the reviews better. With the exception of HP, on the whole, I prefer TAS.
I do not have a problem with the gear that they review. I'd prefer to read about things I can't afford. I just laugh at the pretentiousness that some of the reviewers seem to have.
BDTI plan for the future. - F1Nut -
If you want good music reviews, subscribe to Paste.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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I think stereophlie and tas are fine audio magazines, I look forward to my copies, stereophile has certainly started reviewing more mid-fi stuff, there is a nice article on auto room eq devices this month. I enjoy laughing at some of the snob write-ins. I just renewed my subscriptions for another two years. I agree with the "new improved" slant on the gear though, what have we been using "old and lousy". Can't really say though that I ever bought a piece solely on a magazine review.
I certainly agree that the music reviews are worth the cheap **** subscription price all by themself.
RT1