Is $10/yr reasonable for Stereophile Mag?

Rob S. · « **on:** 7 Feb 2007, 05:16 am »

Got an offer from Stereophile in the mail last week for a year subscription for $10 or 2 years for $18. I get most of my help from you guys here for free and I'm thankful. Wasn't stereophile one of the more expensive yr long subscriptions? Has the advertising revenue dropped off in recent years? Anyhow, thinking of taking the plunge for only $10.

Rob S.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #1 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 05:27 am »

For 10 bucks? Why not.

SET Man · « **Reply #2 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 05:29 am »

Hey!

Go for it! Well, I am an subscriber to Stereophile. I really don't take them seriously. But I have to say that I do enjoy reading some of the regulars like Michale Framer's Analog Corner.... well after all I like to spin my vinyls. And Art Dudley and Sam's are also fun to read for me too.

Also as a DIYer the other thing I do like about Stereophile is that do take measurements. No, I'm not saying measurement is everything but it is nice to see what's going on.

Of cause I do enjoy reading about very very expensive stuffs that I can't afford

Well, for $10? Why not?

Take care,
Buddy

ZLS · « **Reply #3 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 05:34 am »

Stereophile has been offering their "special" $10 a year subscription for several years now.
Is it worth it? I say yes for two reasons. The first is Art Dudley. The second is that every issue that will rave about some "bargain component" that only costs $20,000. I can then laugh out load and go to AC to see what real value looks like. It's sort of like the battle between good and evil.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #4 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 05:34 am »

I've read Stereophile for about 35 years and enjoy it thoroughly. And as a publisher
myself, 10 bucks is a screamin deal for 12 issues. It costs them way more than
10 bucks a year to print and mail 12 issues!!!

Or, you can get it digitally from zinio.com....

That way you can keep all your back issues on your hard drive!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #5 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 05:39 am »

Go for the two years at $18.00.....they have nice photos....and the music reviews aren't bad...

Haoleb · « **Reply #6 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 06:25 am »

I dont really read stereophile for the reviews. However I do find them intersting on occasion. The real reason i read is like others have said, Art dudley first of all. along with the rest of the columns and just so i can see the latest and greatest. What can i say, I like the hobby. So it doesnt matter if i could ever dream of owning some of the stuff in there its still fun to read.

Folsom · « **Reply #7 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 07:24 am »

I can not justify the money... I get free issues when ever I want from a local Hi-Fi place

.

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #8 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 02:12 pm »

It's certainly worth $10. I enjoy reading about the equipment, even if I'm not in the market to buy. I also like Fremer and Dudley.

BobM · « **Reply #9 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 02:19 pm »

For $10, why the hell not. Then again, the reviews stink for the most part (very predictible) and mostly the magazine frustrates me in several ways. You could use the $10 to buy yourself a cheap or used CD, but then again there's no guarantee that the music will be worth anything on that either these days.

Enjoy,
Bob
(I guess I'm feeling down today)

PhilNYC · « **Reply #10 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 02:45 pm »

Go for it!

(btw - I advertise in Stereophile, yet I have never received a review from them...!)

avahifi · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 03:14 pm »

Nope.

Frank Van Alstine

Brad · « **Reply #12 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 03:17 pm »

It was a better mag (to me) 15-20 years ago when it cost $35/year

Since Listener is no longer available, it's the only way to get Art Dudley. Fremer is helpful every once in a while too.
I like the interviews with the musicians and the recording engineers. Some of the music rec's are pretty good.
It's worth my $10

Thebiker · « **Reply #13 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 03:35 pm »

They always start off sending out their renewals at a MUCH higher price. I find that if I ignore all the early offers, they will get it down to $10/yr

.

Art Dudley is a good reason to spend the $10, he is always going to make you think, even if you think that he is full of it at that time....and I agree, the recording reviews are frequently good. I have found several well recorded CD's of of good music because of them.

WEEZ · « **Reply #14 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 04:31 pm »

Yeah, if you let your subscription lapse...they offer you the $10 deal. I even got a phone call asking me why I let my subscription expire.

All in all, it's a pretty good rag. I enjoy it. I renewed for 2 years for $18.

I agree with Brad, it was a better mag years ago. (For that matter, so was TAS.) Stereophile is the only mag I'm familiar with that still attempts to do a technical analysis along side the subjective review. Sometimes they correlate; sometimes they don't.

WEEZ

bkatbamna · « **Reply #15 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 08:01 pm »

You can read art dudley on the website for free.

For those that say that $10/year is too low, the next logical extention is that it is priced at that level so that the advertisers can reach a larger number of readers. Stereophile has become a partner in the marketing department of its advertisers.

Brad · « **Reply #16 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 08:16 pm »

Quote from: bkatbamna on 7 Feb 2007, 08:01 pm

You can read art dudley on the website for free.

For those that say that $10/year is too low, the next logical extention is that it is priced at that level so that the advertisers can reach a larger number of readers. Stereophile has become a partner in the marketing department of its advertisers.

Exactly - there was more content when the readers were paying for more content

Toka · « **Reply #17 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 09:27 pm »

Eh, when I'm in Barnes And Noble (or wherever) I'll leaf through an issue for a few laughs, but I wouldn't pay for it...nor would I want it sent to me for free. Not that I hate it, but it has no real value (information wise) for me, at all.

Imperial · « **Reply #18 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 10:17 pm »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 7 Feb 2007, 05:34 am

I've read Stereophile for about 35 years and enjoy it thoroughly. And as a publisher
myself, 10 bucks is a screamin deal for 12 issues. It costs them way more than
10 bucks a year to print and mail 12 issues!!!

Or, you can get it digitally from zinio.com....

That way you can keep all your back issues on your hard drive!

I've used Zinio since they got Stereophile.
Living in Norway, we have got to pay 18$ a magazine here in the shop!!! It's robbery!!!
So zinio it is!!!

Imperial

Wayner · « **Reply #19 on:** 7 Feb 2007, 10:41 pm »

Save your money. The mag is scam. They only review those products that the manufacturers has paid an advertising fee for, then once a year create a recommended components from the list of reviewed products. Of course every product they review ends up in the recommended components list. That is why it's a scam. Also, some of their music reviewers.......well.......I just shouldn't say.

W