[TONEPUB]

Just curious,

As we enter into our third year, we are evaluating everything that we are up to.

I've really enjoyed the camaraderie out here on the AC forum, and will continue
to participate, however I don't know if us having a circle is really of any value
to you guys...

Most of the stuff we seem to be talking about in the TONE section is really
the same thing going on in the general audio discussion, so I just wonder
if we are being redundant.

We initially saw it as more of a real-time letters to the editor type of thing,
but that has not really been the case.

Please DO NOT interpret this as an "I'm taking my toys and going home" kind
of thing.  I enjoy AC and will continue to participate as I have in the past.

I'm just trying to figure out how we can be more of a resource to AC and if
we are worth it to you guys.

I'm open to your suggestions!

Thanks!

[woodsyi]

Jeff,

Stay but I think you have to do more to engage the public.  Is it possible that a chosen gear can be reviewed by one of your pros and  several AC members as well?  Each member can do a regional gathering to listen to the gear.  Then the public input can be added onto the professional review at the end.  This way more people will feel the connection to the review and probably more discussions of the review will follow.  What do you think?

[launche]

Well, we seem to not be utilizing our resources here.  I for one forgot you even had a circle.  I surely appreciate your presence and contributions though.  I did not know the intent or vision of your circle and now feel more open to exploring that option.  I say stay for a while longer and maybe express your vision more clearly or openly again and see what happens. I for one totally missed it but then again I overlook more things than I care to admit.

[TONEPUB]

The logistics of that are pretty difficult.  Most mfrs are not going
to let us ship their product to someone else and I'm on the line
if something goes wrong.  

However, we might be able to wrap that around the VSAC show
here in my neighborhood this year if we can get the cooperation
from the mfr.

Perhaps we could do the review first and line it up at VSAC where
we could have some AC members do a panel or something
and we all discuss later.

We could then publish it on AC perhaps and it might be fun
for all involved.

I can't attend RMAF this year due to some family stuff, but
it might be something we could do there as well, so we
could then make it a twice yearly event.

Beyond that, the logistics and financial responsiblity just
wouldn't permit it.....

[Marbles]

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO

Oh yeeeeeaaaaah

Wooh!

Darling you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I’ll be here ’til the end of time
So you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

Always tease tease tease
You’re happy when I’m on my knees
One day is fine, next day is black
So if you want me off your back
Well come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An’ if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know!

This indecision’s bugging me
If you don’t want me, set me free
Exactly who’m I’m supposed to be
Don’t you know which clothes even fit me?
Come on and let me know
Should I cool it or should I blow?


Split!


Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So you gotta let me know
Should I cool it or should I go?

Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So you gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go?



--------------------------------------------------------


I like that you have a circle here, but you have to do what's in your best interest.

Mostly I like reading product reviews in your ezine.  Especially if I know the product, or if you bring some new product, like an inexpensive USB DAC that rocks, to my attention.

[mcullinan]

Jeff,
I would like to see more military push-ups in the nude... but thats probably just me!

I think you should stay, its free right, and dont you get some kind of secret ring and powers by having a circle here....

How about doing a bio on one of the sick audio phanatics, like Lone Wolf. All demented in his environment, eating babies, listening at unreasonable SPLs and saying eh! !@#$@#% Sleeping, using a real trap as a pillow.. Going to where THEY live you know!
Also, a section in your magazine titled The Circle and provide readers with some of our elitist audio thoughts each month.
Mike

[Grover]

I've never posted in this circle before, but have come here occasionally.  Let me say that I enjoy the Tone e-Zine and think the articles are helpful and informative, ad copy and photos first rate.

I think it's helpful to have your own circle just so you can set the Tone (pun intended) of your communications as you are the originator of most of the posts in your circle after all.  But only you can answer whether the overhead in money and time is worth what you get out of it in increased knowledge, better product awareness, fun, or whatever else floats your boat.

So I think it's good to have an outlet for informal communications.  Then the question might be is it best accomplished here, or on your own website?  This would be ala Stereophile Magazine that started their own audio forums a few years ago, or Positive-Feedback that has their own letters to the editor feature.

You say your goals are to be more of a resource and how you can be more "worth it" to us.  Those are tough questions, so this will be an incomplete answer as I've only given it a little thought.

First, I think you should include a link to your AC circle from your website, and encourage a "talk to the editor" or "talk to the columnist" approach.  Second, downloading an entire issue and grasping all of that can be a bit daunting in an online environment.  I'm 48 years old, and I still prefer printed material.  I know you're not going print, but perhaps organizing your website a bit more like Positive-Feedback so you can view tables of content and focus in on your specific interests might be more user friendly and generate more user interaction and interest.  Then you could start threads here and point to specific articles in your e-Zine for further discussion.

Those are just a few thoughts and I'll come back with more if I think of any.

[TONEPUB]

Most of that is under consideration or in the works.

The current PDF magazine is going to stay put, however, we will be
growing the online content on the website quite a bit over the next
year or so, so we will have plenty of bonus content for everyone
to read between issues.

We really would like to see this part of the AC forum grow as our
interactive letters to the editor section...

The reason I don't have them in the magazine per se, is I always
saw that as kind of a "fluff" section in a magazine.  If we just
print the "we love Tone" letters, it sounds kind of self serving
and the ongoing, you rule/you suck letters are kind of dumb as well.

And seeing we don't charge for TONE, we don't get any of the
"Im cancelling my subscription" letters.

But we will do our best to interact with our readers on whatever
they are interested in. 

I apologize for not getting the link to AC up, we've just been
swamped this summer.  But we're on it.

Thanks again for the responses so far!

[MaxCast]

What if you were to publish a review or two an issue here at AC?

Have your reviewers register here and post links to AC in the review.  They could answer and talk about the review with their readers.

Would any of these help?

[kenreau]

I vote for you stay and keep the AC site going. 

I second most of what Grover mentions but I don't mind the ezine vs. print format.  It does makes it more difficult to read while in my home sanctuary (aka the shi**er) though. 

I like the idea of having the issues available to down load in segments (ie columns, hardware, software, etc) or the whole enchilada.  Mentioning the AC feature in the issues should pick up the traffic and interaction.

Keep up the great work, it is appreciated.

Kenreau

[quartet]

I hope you'll stay.

It may be interesting to think about what parts of Tone Audio are easier/easiest for readers to participate in.

Almost no reader will have heard the new equipment reviewed, I guess, and few will buy any of it within an issue or two of the review (seems like a reasonable threshold of "timeliness" for discussion.) But when somebody does it'll make a really interesting post. People _will_ have owned items by the same manufacturer, and could have useful things to say as a result. Can it be that NO reader of the B&W 805 review has owned B&Ws? 

It's a bit better with the budget items: I read about the Art Audio IC-3 and SC-5 cables first in Tone and now own a pair of each. Surely I'm not the only reader who has bought them (I think they're great, BTW).

While I haven't owned any of the stuff described in "The Monogamous Audiophile" and various retro columns, I bet several readers have. 

Half the magazine is about music. Readers probably already own some of the recordings you review, and if nobody has bought any of them since I'd be really surprised (I haven't sent my Christmas order to Eastwind Imports yet ...)  Surely somebody has bought a recording after reading the Tone review and loves it. Surely somebody has bought one they hate.

It's pretty easy to get a debate going among us headphone types but I guess we already have a good place to vent ...

The "Slummin'" column seems like it could lead to lots of war stories being posted.

This kind of discussion hasn't happened much, but it seems like it could. Your "seed" posts have been on pretty general topics, not really relating to the most recent issue. But surely Tone writers sometimes find themselves thinking "I wonder if any readers have heard XXX, the precursor of the XXX Mk II I'm reviewing" or "I wonder what the readers think of YYY, and what kind of cables they've used with it, other than the cables I'm reviewing". They have a great place for asking.

Hope this helps ...

[Freo-1]

Hello TONEPUB,

Here is a suggestion:

Keep the circle going, and provide some additional technical data with your reviews (much like the defunct Audio used to provide with their reviews). They would attempt to explain the design of the reviewed unit, provide measurements, and attempt to correlate how the measurements could relate to the subjective sound of the item. Often times, between the frequency/impedance response plots, and the measured frequency curves, one could actually get some basic idea of how a speaker MAY sound if one were to audition it, and more importantly, how a given amplifier will interact with a given speaker.

This circle could then provide additional explanations about the reviews, and how that review could apply to a given situation.

Good Luck to you whatever you decide    

[TONEPUB]

The problem is the measurements don't always correlate to the sound directly.
We make it a point to try most amplifiers with quite a few different types of
speakers to give you an idea of how well they will do.

And before we even start this argument/discussion, our classical music
columnist has a EEE and a PhD in physics.  He makes caps for almost
everyone in the high end and has had his hands in the design process
of quite a few things as well.

That was the first thing I asked him when we started TONE and he
said "don't bother".  I've learned a tremendous amount about electronics
in general and circuit design working with someone this talented and
well connected.

Also, when we review a set of speakers, we try to give it a run
with tubes and SS as well as trying low, med and high power
to see how easy it is to drive.

Takes a little more time, but I think it is good for you guys in
the audience.

So far, good suggestions and we'll keep working on it!  I do like
the part about asking for owners opinions on something...
We may just incorporate that going forward!

Thanks again for the input!