What HT magazine do you subscribe to?

[Sonnie Parker]

I currently subscribe to Home Theater Magazine but am considering one of two: Widescreen or Sound & Vision. I just learned that Sound & Vision use to be Stereo Review....geeze I almost feel obligated to S & V since SR did a system review of my system back in 96.

Curious as to what HT mags you subscribe to and why you like one over the other.

Thanks!






SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

[Andrew Pratt]

I only subscribe to HTGuide Honestly there isn't anything but pretty pictures in the mags these days so I usually just scan them at the bookstore. I mean with the odd exception I can "read" them in a few minutes if you skip over the ads etc. There's the odd exception when something interesting is written but usually the gear reviewed has already been released so online sites have already discussed them. What the mags do offer though is bench scores that we can't easily replicate at home so they do have some use

[David Meek]

Home Theater Guide (not renewing)
Listener
Perfect Vision
Stereophile
Stereophile's Guide To Home Theater (waiting on first issue)
Widescreen Review (waiting on first issue)

Listener is a bi-monthly audiophile pub that's got an irreverent streak that really appeals to me.

Perfect Vision is okay. At least for now I'll renew it when it comes up.

Stereophile gives lots of reviews on lots of equipment, some of it not catastrophically expensive.

I have fairly high hopes for SGHT and Widescreen. . .

edited for content by DWM




David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker

[Burke Strickland]

Sonnie -

While "Stereo Review" had a number of compelling features, including extensive coverage of classical music recordings and interesting write-ups of readers' home systems, :>) that kept me loyal as a subscriber for over 30 years, "Sound & Vision" is a "multi-media" gadget travesty (and they even seem to love Bose!). It most definately is NOT "Stereo Review" with a different name. The whole character and content of the magazine is different, (they say "updated"; I say "downgraded") so I am NOT renewing my subscription with them.

I was a charter subscriber to "Home Theater Technology" which later became known as "Home Theater" magazine. It was a fun to read and informative magazine several years ago, but has slid into the same trough of mediocrity as "Sound & Vision". Where they were once refreshingly brash and irreverent, while providing useful data about products of interest, now they are just smugly "smartass" putting down their readers and anyone who disagrees with them, with no real claim to authority for their viewpoints. I am also letting my subscription to this one lapse.

Fortunately, there are still a number of printed journals that are worth buying and reading. Among them for DVD/HT:
"Perfect Vision",
"Stereophile Guide to Home Theater",
"Sensible Sound"
and (sometimes) "Widescreen Review"
and for (mostly) two channel music/equipment coverage:
"The Absolute Sound" and
"Stereophile".

There are a few others with less regular publication schedules that I pick up off the newstand if they have an article of interest, but the ones listed above are the ones I subscribe to or buy frequently off the newstand.

Burke

PS -- With their lead time for publication, these journals cannot possibly be as timely for the very latest info as this forum, and also cannot respond to individual concerns in the same way your fellow enthusists can online.

[GregoriusM]

Home Theater Guide
Widescreen Review
Perfect Vision

I will not be renewing my subscriptions to any of them. I thought it would be great to have them coming in, but since they are predominantly ads, they don't impress me much.

I find that the internet gives me more info than I can get from any magazine.

I'm like Andrew, where I'll peruse them at the store, remember any products I want more information on and any corresponding URL's, and do my research at home.

... Greg

[Sonnie Parker]

I posted a statement in one of the other chalet threads that I use forums for much of purchase decisions. I believe I've learned more about products through forums (and some newsgroups a few years ago) than any other way. I was really shocked when I learned there was a forum for my pre/pro (as well as other equipment forums). But I do find the reviews interesting in HT Mag. Occasionally I like the letters in the front but sometimes they get silly.

Hey, the HTGuide is a great learning tool as well as a swell place to have some fun while learning.

I use to subscribe to The Absolute Sound and Stereophile but both are a little over my head. The equipment reviews are elite high end for the most part and the language is poofy.

I may try out Perfect Vision and Widescreen Review for a year. I like to read reviews about products that are in my price range. I like to read comparison tests and face offs as well.

I'll probably keep HT Mag although there ain't much to read, I know. That's one reason I'd like to have more subs. Maybe I can fill up a month with a section here and there (while in the library of course). LOL!






SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

[Clive]

Sonnie -


I was a charter subscriber to "Home Theater Technology" which later became known as "Home Theater" magazine. It was a fun to read and informative magazine several years ago, but has slid into the same trough of mediocrity as "Sound & Vision". Where they were once refreshingly brash and irreverent, while providing useful data about products of interest, now they are just smugly "smartass" putting down their readers and anyone who disagrees with them, with no real claim to authority for their viewpoints.

I get Sound and Vision & HT Guide. However I share your thoughts here Burk about these Mags. I am also glad to hear that these magazines have changed over the years because I am only a little over a year into the HT craze and I find some of these magazines disturbing at times and also hard to understand what point they are trying to make with some of the replies to readers and some reviews.

Stereophile Guide to HT is not a bad one aand I may consider a try this year.




CLIVE




HEY!! Why buy movie tickets when you can own a Theater?

[Lex]

you guys that subscribe here, send your dues in to

Doug C/O ....

Mostly, I buy off the rack, various ones, but intended to take SGHT and Stereophile, just haven't upped yet. I do subscribe to Playboy though, lol.

Actually, I do have a complementary subscription to Sound and Vision I have enjoyed. Got that when I did a review over there way back when, and they been coming ever since.

Lex

[Andrew Pratt]

With their lead time for publication, these journals cannot possibly be as timely for the very latest info as this forum, and also cannot respond to individual concerns in the same way your fellow enthusists can online.

And three lies the crux of the issue...given that previlance of the web based forums, info sites like eppinions, audioreivew etc what is that we expect from the mags? I'm seeing a change in paradigms on where we get our info and what we expect from each but it seems the mag's aren't changing to keep up with this new reality...thoughts? On the plus side there's places like Secretes that really seems to have taken the best of the web and provides some of the all round best reviews I've ever seen.

[JBill]

I subcribe to SGHT and S&V. The first, I consider serious reading and second is light-hearted fair with preddy pictures.




The GOOD NEWS is the the BAD NEWS isn't true.

[George Bellefontaine]

Home Theater, Audio Video Interiors, SGHT.
I get the above for the pretty pictures. For serious reading I subscribe to: The Perfect Vision and Widescreen Review.
I sometimes pick up Sound and Vision but it usually doesn't interest me.




My Homepage!

[John Holmes]

I used to subscribe to a couple. I just got feed up with late issues and more ads than indepth reviews. Now I'm pretty much like Andrew. If there is an article that I truly want to keep, then I'll just pick it up.




"I came here, to chew bubble gum and kickass. And I'm all out of bubble gum!!!" My DVD's

[David Meek]

I received my first mailing from Widescreen Review yesterday (well, Saturday). I tore into it thinking it'd be good to get another mag that would be a good read. Very large volume, lots of pages of info! Cool! 1998? 8O wha. . . ? Oh, it's their "bible" on audio/video set-up, etc. . . . Even though it's 4 years old, there's still a lot of goodies in it that I saw in an hours' steady reading (lots more to cover). Hmmm, wonder what the first current edition will have?




David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker

[George Bellefontaine]

Their website lists contents of current issues. I've been a subscriber since issue number one. It's changed some over the years, going from 6 times a year to 12, plus special editions of Subwoofers, Video Display setup and DVD Catalogue. I think you're gonna like Widescreen Rveiw, David.




My Homepage!

[Sonnie Parker]

So does every new subscriber get the "bible"?






SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide