[Laundrew]

Are magazine subscriptions going the way of the proverbial “dodo bird”  

A long time ago, I used to subscribe to many robotics, electronics and vintage steam magazines. I no longer subscribe to any magazines.   

I am very curious how many of our members at AudioCircle actually have a yearly subscription to any audio magazines. Please vote "Yes" if you have a subscription or "No" if you do not but purchase an odd audio magazine now and then.

Thanks 

Be well...

[Levi]

I voted NO because I only buy magazines (all sorts) if there is an article I like. 

[Minn Mark]

I grew up through Stereo Review and Audio. I subscribed to Stereophile for many years. Then went dormant. Lately, I subsribed to TAS for 3-yrs. While I often do not agree with the reviews, its cheap and current reading material for while I listen to music.  I prefer the hardcopy, so no electronic subscriptions.

Cheers,

Mark

[BobRex]

Like Minn mark, I too "grew up" (started in high school) with SR and Audio, then went with TAC and TAS, and eventually Sphile (somewhere around '84, IIRC).  Today I stick with TAS, Sphile, and HIFI+ (starting to miss the Gregory days in that one.) 

I don't want electronic versions for a couple of reasons. 1) I still find paper copies relaxing, 2) If I ever need to start a fire I have plenty of kindling (try that with a Kindle), 3) taking a laptop or electronic reader into the bathroom just isn't my style.

[Don_S]

"EDIT"
I don't want electronic versions for a couple of reasons. 1) I still find paper copies relaxing, 2) If I ever need to start a fire I have plenty of kindling (try that with a Kindle), 3) taking a laptop or electronic reader into the bathroom just isn't my style.

Yea, And if you run out of TP you have an emergency supply (don't try that with a Kindle). 

[WGH]

I only get Stereo Review, for $12 a year it's cheap fun.

[nikon]

voted no

only buy 'em if a component review or an article of interest is featured

[Ozi]

I am subscribed to TAS and I like the way they write. Reviews are more or less, but you can always found dozens of comments on the internet and if you are smart enough you can make your own conclusion by reading between the lines of many people comments. I don't get upset like before when I saw some ridiculous text. I do read Stereophile as some of my friends are subscribed and somehow I always have last issue on the sofa. Not so bad to read while I am on toilet. I read it just to see what's new.

oz.

[vegasdave]

No. I'm guilty of internet most of the time nowadays. Last time I bought a Stereophile was back in Spring of last year.

[Calypte]

I get magazines.  Lots of them.  I want something I can put in my lap and read, something where I can get the whole picture rather than scrolling on an eye-burning light box.  Audio mags: I get Home Theater -- the closest I can come to an audio mag.  I only see Stereophile and The Absolute Sound when B&N deigns to display them, and only when I deign to visit the store.  I never gave much cred to TAS, but I sometimes bought Stereophile.  What I see is a bunch of guys who are clueless about electronics, psychology and science, and they think I should pay for their clueless rantings.  But I must confess that there's an entire technology that is passing me by, and it's probably because I don't read these mags.  "Music servers" -- huh?  The other poster who says he still subscribes to Stereo Review -- I think he means Sound & Vision.  My music interest is mostly classical music, and decades ago I subscribed to High Fidelity and HiFi/Stereo Review, both of which had extensive coverage of classical.  There are 50-year-old articles that still make good reading.  HF evaporated, and Stereo Review dropped relevant music coverage to become the lowest-common-denominator dreck it is today as S&V.

[mclsound]

I use to buy them only for the Bathroom

[timind]

After many years of subscriptions I'm a no at this point. Still have several years of Stereophile Recommended Component issue in the bathroom though.
Tried TAS a couple of years ago and found the reviews worthless.

[finsup]

After buying the odd copy of Stereophile for a few years, I am now in my first year's subsciption. It's as inexpensive as the gear primarily featured is not.  I like the British mags better but don't subscribe.

[Stu Pitt]

I subscribed to Stereophile a few years ago because Music Direct sold them my information.  I got a 2 year subscription for something like $20.  I didn't renew the subscription because they stopped reviewing realisticly priced stuff, and the one inexpensive piece they reviewed every 3 months usually had an absurd and overblown review.

I really liked Hifi Choice (A UK mag).  They do/did blind group test shootouts and had a good mix of panelists - usually a designer or two of one of the products, a few staff guys, and sometimes one or two other somewhat random people like a recording engineer.  They actually gave negative reviews.  They also measured products in the shootout and compared each one's various measurements to the group average.

I don't see the magazine around anymore.  Used to be at Barnes & Noble.  I'd have subscribed, but I'm not sure how I'd get a UK mag every month.  It wasn't too much of a hassle to actually go to the bookstore. 

[Phil A]

I have not read or bought a magazine in years.  Many moons back sometimes I'd find something interesting like some nice audiophile recording.  I forgot the last time I subscribed it was so long ago but I got nothing of value for a whole year.  I can get more from the internet than that.