HT Magazine & Trade Journal (1 Viewer)

[AllanN]

What are some of the more reputable HT magazines and trade journals? I’m a newbie and would like to read up on some of the new technology in HT.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Magazines like The Perfect Vision and Widescreen Review tend to have a lot of technical content. While they tend to showcase higher-end equipment, they are considered fairly repuitable.
One of my current favorites is Stereophile Guide to Home Theater. They do a nice mix of high end equipment, regular stuff, and they have regular articles on dedicated home theater rooms, and PC-based theaters.
Sound and Vision has ... gone a bit downhill lateley. I just read the recent issue and I cannot remember anything interesting. Just a lot of whining about HDTV rollout (that everyone has been doing for 2 years). But it's not a bad magazine and may be just right for "getting into" the hobby.
Audio Video Interiors - This is the "Home and Garden" magazine where looks are more important than performance. But many of us sneak a copy every few months to drool over the high-end, dedicated HT rooms they display. It's worth picking up a copy or two.
Hope this helps.

 

[Ted Lee]

personally i like sght (great reviews of some higher-end stuff, but just about affordable) and soundandvision (good explanation of technology plus reviews of stuff i can actually afford).
as with any magazine, the reviews need to be taken with a grain of salt - after all they do have to pay their bills.
i'll usually read the articles and reviews just to learn about new technology, etc.
here's another thread on the same topic:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...ne+audio+video
btw - if anyone else reads this: what would be the sense in subscribing to something like whathifi? i like it, but would i be able to get the gear they review - since it's a european based magazine?

 

[Richard Travale]

Audio Video Interiors is what got me into HT. All of the beautiful homes with amazing theatres that I would dream about.

Now I read Widescreen Reveiw and Sound & Vision and get an issue of Audio Video Interiors now and then when I can find it.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Pretty much what Bob said. I'd suggest avoiding Home Theater magazine, however.

 

[Alex Prosak]

All of the above advice is excellent, I really like SGHT. Home Theater Magazine isn't the greatest but they are about the only mag that currently publishes a buyers guide for most HT equipment. I don't know if you'll be able to find a copy of it anymore though.

 

[Marc Rochkind]

Jack:

You said "I'd suggest avoiding Home Theater magazine, however."

Why?

 

[Arthur W]

I would like to know as well why Home Theatre magazine is not recomended.

I sent for a trial subscribtion about 2 months ago. Since then I have received two Bills and not 1 magazine. I thought that was kind of strange. Obviously though, I am not paying any bill until I see at least one issue. Any way.

Is the magazine good or bad or what? I would like to know as well.

 

[Elbert Lee]

HT Mag is generally considered the most "sugar coated" and the least professional of the all of the home consumer electronic magazines. They are known for having a bunch of "jokers" masquarading as reviewers and, more often than not, give completely irrelavant analogies to open their reviews. 90% of their reviews tend to be devoted to their commentary, opinions on cosmetics, and the list of features and are obvious for any consumer remoted interested in the product "This VHS play has a 'play' button located on the remote"... 10% of each review is actual commentary on the performance and every REVIEW concludes with a "if you are looking into purchasing a XXX and you like ZZZZ and CCC, you may want to consider this product". VERY HELPFUL, ISN'T it?

1) They feature reviewers from different parts of the country and to insure that there are no real comparisons between products (their advertising clients), they make sure that a reviewer does not review a similar product by a competing manufacturer. Example: if one reviewer writes a review on the $3000 Denon receiver, you can bet top dollar that he/she WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT get a chance to review the similarly priced YAMAHA, ONKYO, MARANTZ, etc.. Therefore, there is no real comprehensive comparison in this category even though consumers with $3000 to spend will want an opinions on these units.

2) They will always find a way to endorse a product even if it sucks by the "conclusion" that I stated above. Even if there is absolutely no performance merit in the producdt, their conclusion will still put a positive spin on things: "

If you like this brand, and love the gold colored face-place look, and you must have 24 DSP modes, and would like something with a 2" volume knob, you owe it to yourself to visit an XYZ dealer and give it a listen"...

For me, I would love to hear something like: "Can't recommend this product because you can get product ABC for the same price but with superior performance in all categories" -

 

[Robert_Gaither]

I used to recommend HT magazine but in the last 2 years it has been all downhill, way too many reviews with 90+ performance ratings indicates to me a magazine that does not critically review items (sorry, but a good magazine that gets the broad scope of cheap gear, to mid-fi, to hi-fi should do the suggested non-buy type of review).

I also don't like the way they review gear in general as they never report hissing of channels at theater reference levels (which kills almost all mass market AVRs), test budget AVRs with all channels set large (most budget buyers have either a pair of towers/center/rear or 5 sats/sub), and most of all they don't have the reviewer of similar competition gear review items of similar category so the reviewer could state something to the extent of imho Denon is the better product at price point "X" than others for example.

 

[Jack Briggs]

And the DVD "reviews" are an utter joke. Those people are not qualified to review films.

Check out last month's ten-RPTV comparo review. It was cluttered by absolutely worthless, self-elevating chatter by Mike Wood. Read the entire thing, and realized I threw about an hour of my life away.

There's a copy editor listed on the magazine's masthead, but I can't tell that she is doing much. These people don't understand how hyphens are to be used.

The whole rag gives off a frat-party ambience. And I am sick and tired of those profiles of rich people's dedicated home theaters.

There's no real sense of expertise from the very top at that magazine. It truly has plummeted since Brent Butterworth gave up the editorship.