Sound and Vision - No more test results in print addition? (1 Viewer)

[Brian L]

This may not rightfully go here, but I didn't really think ANY category fit, so lets try it here. The mods will move it as they see fit.

The new S&V arrived the other day, and in addition to an overall reformatting of the magazine (which I hate, but thats just me), they are no longer including in their reports the lab test results.

While they do have full bench test results on the web site, they are no longer included with the dead-tree version of the review. In the past, the print version always had some of the test data, while a more complete report could be found online.

Personally, I am not happy with this change at all, and plan to let them know. Whether or not you like S&V or question the accuracy of their tests, it was a handy and convenient data point. I resent that I now have to go looking for the test reports.

Brian

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Think of the money this saves me! The "Lab Result" (for TVs and AVRs) was the only part of their fluff-rag worth reading (15 pages a year of Ken Pohlmann telling me how cool his iPod is was never my idea of great magazine filler). By making me read it online, I now no longer have to spend money on the print subscription.

Now if they could just publish the twice annual "Monitor and Receiver test, lab results, & comparisons" pamphlet.......

 

[MikeLi]

Yea but lets just see how long it takes to put it up on the forum. Many of us rely on it when we are ready to pull the plug on something but go to the website for stats and it is not put up for over a month until the next print issue goes out... I don't like it either and I agree with you Garrett but I always scan through the crap and get on to what I want to read about anyway. The next thing is they will start charging to access their web site.

 

[Brian L]

FWIW, the lab tests for the Yammy receiver that is in the current issue are there now.

Don't know if they were there the day the issue went out, but it is there now. Have not checked anything else.

At lunch, I was reading the review of the three 5.1 speaker systems, and without TN's measurements, I may just as well have been reading The Absolute Sound.

Brian

 

[Arthur S]

I didn't think this magazine could get worse, but it is mostly advertising now and sucks.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Remarkably, however, the magazine's overall format still is very similar to its predecessor, Stereo Review, which I have been reading since the 1960s. Not quite up there editorially as it once was. In fact, the magazine used to have quite good feature stories mixed in with the annual articles on what to look for in receivers, speakers, etc. Some of the features were superb -- articles by Rex Reed, of all people.

Now, however, it's pretty much all the same.

It has gotten to the point that I only look at a couple of magazines regularly (The Perfect Vision, S&V). Never thought I'd end up saying that.

 

[MikeLi]

I totally agree with you Jack.. I have only two coming to my house any longer. One of them is this plus for some reason I have always liked the HT mag. Its all hyperbole in many ways but they always have nice HT rooms to look at.

 

[Rory Buszka]

Perhaps this is part of a conspiracy by A/V manufacturers to make equipment that reviews well but doesn't measure well. They probably thought, the measurements don't lie, so why not get rid of them and write glowing reviews of whatever we want, with no numerical truth (truth: the product sucks) to stand in our way?

 

[Brian L]

Well, the have not (yet) gotten rid of the measurements. You just have to go online to get them.

If they ever get rid of them completely, Julian Hirsch will come back from the grave and haunt whoever makes the call!

It is amazing to me that Stereophile now has more hard-core tech stuff (particularly speaker measurements) than Sound and Vision.

Surely, Julian is turning over in his grave.

FWIW, I wrote them and let them no that I consider this a huge step in the wrong direction. I have been reading this rag for 30 years. I guess I am no longer in their target demographic, whoever that is.

Brian

 

[Greg Bright]

Thanks for bringing back some nice memories, Jack. I remember Beethoven looking down from a throne on the cover of Stereo Review's BiCentennial cover (1966).

But then it didn't try to appeal to the average consumer who wanted to upgrade. No, it was for the annointed few who loved great sound and great music, and those who aspired to. Their music and equipment reviews and reviewers reflected that editorial mindset. Much of my vinyl collection was acquired because of their solid record reviews.

Sadly, bringing video and the mass market into the equation has diluted the objectives of the original. Let us also mourn the passing of Hi Fidelity and Audio. S&V has some very good, highly knowledgable writers. They just don't write for those already well-versed which is most of the membership of this forum.

Equipment review are still plentiful, but I just wish somebody would write and publish more of those great classical and jazz music reviews.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

They are slowly but surely "dumming it down". Why include measurements when most people either don't care about them or don't understand them? Yet another step in the wrong direction.

But, at least the measurements are still available for those of us that want access to them. I still do like their speaker and sub reviews. 2nd only to Stereophile in my opinion. (Except how many times does Stereophile "recommend" a $30k pair of speakers with crap measurements? ) I *still* think Tom Nousaine is the best sub reviewer out there. (Ed and JJ over at Secrets do a nice job too for subs. Hey, Ed got his start here! )

I am continually sad that they really don't publish reviews of high end gear any more. If it costs more than about $2000, except for displays, it's rare to find it reviewed in S&V. That definitely was *not* the case with Stereo Review. SR did a really nice job of reviewing gear from all segments of the industry.

I just picked up a combo VHS/DVD recorder. S&V had a face-off review with 3 competing units that really helped me out. I believe they are still useful for some things.

 

[Brian L]

Here is a thought....

I pay for a subscription so I can get detailed bench test and measurement data. But now, the one thing that S&V does better than anyone else, which helps justify the subscription price, is available to anyone, for free.

I hope for their sake that I am in the minority of their subscriber base.

Brian

 

[Jack Briggs]

Greg, I agree: RIP to High Fidelity and Audio (which, technically, was the best of the audio publications).

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Audio. I thought they did a fantastic job balancing between objective and subjective reviews.

 

[Brian L]

When I first started out with HT, I exchanged some e-mail with Michael D. Riggs, former Editor of Audio. A really nice guy, and very helpful with all of my noobie questions.

He still contributes to S&V every now and then, but I would agree with those that lament the loss of Audio. A good chunk of the tech stuff was over my head, but it was still a fascinating read.

Brian

 

[Jack Briggs]

Remember the late Richard Heyser's speaker reviews for Audio? Probably the best in the business.

 

[mylan]

I'll tell ya what I miss, back in the good ole days when
Brent Butterworth still was in charge over at Home Theater magazine. Al Griffin and he did some of the best reviews ever, very informative but also sometimes very funny. I remember one was a review of 8 track players, hilarious!
It seemed like they reviewed more of what I was looking for and with all price ranges. Now the mag resembles Audio Video Interiors leaning more toward style with almost NO gear that I would want. Someone is getting lazy.
On a side note: Did anyone read in last months S&V where Tweeter was changing their format to show only systems with no separate components to look at and compare? Scary that we gearheads may not have the fun of picking our own gear.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Mylan, is the editor at Home Theater the same woman who was in charge when I last read the magazine more than three years ago? If so, expect more of the same. She was previously at one of the home theater-as-lifestyle magazines and she was doing that number on her newest gig. Add to that a frat-boy atmosphere, and that's what you have in the magazine. Hugely worthless.

 

[mylan]

Yep, Maureen Janson. It seems that most of the older contributers have moved on. I still subscribe, as I do S&V, but it is not the same. SO yes, I do expect more of the same
(sigh!).

 

[Garrett Lundy]

That would be "People shopping for a tiny cube system"