AV Interiors a sad state...

[George Bellefontaine]

I have been a subscriber of Audio Video Interiors since the magazine was born back in the late 80's. It was actually the magazine that started me dreaming about the ultimate home theater. I never paid much attention to the equipment reviews because other magazines did them better. But none did better than AV Interios when it came to showing off some of the world's finest home theaters.

The magazine was always slick, well written and well edited. Well that is no longer the case. In the last two issues there is no EDITOR even listed. There are many-- what is known in the publishing industry-- file photos. These are generic pictures of models depicting certain scenes like a party, a couple at home sitting on a sofa, etc. And the show homes and theaters are a far cry of what the magazine used to feature. The trouble is, AV Interiors is part of the Home Theater Magazine, Stereophile Guide To Home Theater, etc family. It doesn't get as much advertising so it looks like the new look and changes is a way to lower costs of producing the magazine. If that doesn't work, you can expect to see it fold. To bad.




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[Andrew Pratt]

That is too bad. Though I don't often read it I did enjoy looking at what other people have built in past.

[George Bellefontaine]

When I was a kid I used to read the Sears Christmas catalogue and dream. When I grew up and became a HT freak, I read AV Interiors and dreamed. No, as Andrew knows, I do not have a dream theater right out of AV Interiors, but it was looking at all those gorgeous HTs that got me to where I am today with my own HT. I bet the magazine also inspired many other HT freaks as well.




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[Lex]

George, I too enjoyed the older issues. I haven't really picked one up lately. But originally, the mag was almost artistic in value. Now, I expect it's just become more commercialized, less artistic.

It's to bad it's become less than it was.

Lex

[David Meek]

I was a subscriber for several years, but let it lapse a couple of years ago. It had already begun it's slide to the current state it's in today. Kind of sad - it was a good read (especially for us dreamers) at one time.




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

[George Bellefontaine]

Ahhh, nice to see you posting again, Tex.




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[David Meek]

Yep, I'm back. Hide the women and children.




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

[George Bellefontaine]

Thought I'd revive this thread now that the news is out. AV INTERIORS has ceased publication. It's being replaced by a convergence/oriented type publication. However, they didn't deem it necessary to let their subscribers know. I haven't seen a copy of AV Interiors since the Jan/Feb issue and wouldn't have been aware of the magazine's passing if not for a brief mention in April's Home Theater Magazine. That's a terrible way to run a publishing business.

Farewell to a great magazine that got me hooked on home theater. :cry:




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[Lex]

That's really quite bad. It was always sort of the architectural digest of Home Theater, and now it's gone. Sigh. :?

Lex

[Chris D]

FWIW, I just yesterday received the first issue of the replacement to AVI, called "The Connected Guide to the Digital Home". I haven't had time to read through it in depth yet. It looks alright, though. Several pictures of home audio and video installations, but nothing breathtaking. Strangely, the cover and page formats look like several U.K. A/V magazines I've run across.




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[George Bellefontaine]

Chris, did they bother to advise you that CONNECTED was replacing AV Interiors. I still haven't received anything, and they have ignored an e-mail I sent a few days ago. Terrible way to do business.




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[Chris D]

Actually, it was weird... I got a call from some third party that said that they offer subscription renewals to various magazines, and that my AVI sub was about done. They asked if I wanted to renew, which I said... "uh... okay", and asked them to mail me a bill if they renew it. However, the same company called me back the next day, saying that the magazine had changed its name "but was still the same magazine" and wanted to make sure I still wanted it. I told them no, that I'd just pick up a copy in the bookstore first to see what I thought of it before I subscribed to a magazine going through changes. I would imagine they're going to get a similar reaction from other people, too.

I guess I'm biased toward A/V genre magazines. In addition to reading the information, I just like to see what other guys are writing about, too.




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[Burke Strickland]

I hope the new magazine being offered to replace "A/V Interiors" retains at least some of the features that set it apart from the other HT magazines in its prime. But with a "trendy", "with-it" name like "CONNECTED" it could just as well be a print-based dating service. :>) We'll just have to look at a few issues and see what they do with it.

Based on past experience, though, I'm rather wary of these specialty magazines changing format supposedly to appeal to a wider audience. "Stereo Review" was destroyed by its "transformation" into "Sound and Vision" -- no longer the in-depth monthly coverage of new classical music releases (which was why I was a subscriber for 30 years), articles pandering to the gadgets-on-the-go crowd (a lot of which aren't even music or movie related) instead of extended, serious treatment of HT and two channel music issues, and even more fawning over advertisers' products in their "reviews".

I had paid for a three year subscription renewal just before they announced the "Stereo Review" to "S&V" switch, and even though I requested a refund which they promised to subscribers who didn't like the new format, they simply converted my subscription to the new magazine and sent me three years of land-fill material. I hope the publishers of "A/V Interiors" will treat its customers with more consideration, but the signs aren't good, from what you guys have been posting.

Burke

[George Bellefontaine]

I've still got a little over a year left on my AV Interiors subscription. IF, and I say IF, they send me CONNECTED for the balance of the AVInt. subscription, I have this gut feeling I won't be renewing.




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[Jariten]

The thing is...that it's all about making money...
so they have to put in stuff that is less for people you really care about detail....to people that just are curious....so that expands their marketability...
therefore getting more money with a mediocre publication...
it's started with the Boom of HT I guess...

oh well...


at least we have the HTGuide !

*GRIN*

[George Bellefontaine]

Lord be praised, I finally received my copy of CONNECTED.And yes, I will receive it for the balance of my AV Interiors sub. Well, I haven't read it yet. Seems to be more along the lines of pc, ht convergence. Noticed at least one HT interior feature. Well, we'll see after I read it all. Still wonder if I'll be renewing, though. Guess if I want to see nice HT interiors I'll have to start reading Robb Report Home Entertainment and Design.

[David Meek]

I received a complimentary copy of CONNECTED last week. I guess they went back through the old subscribers' list for a "publicity" effort?

[beyond 1000]

I have a copy of the Premier Issue of Audio Video Interiors. This magazine has left its roots and I'm sure they are probably phasing it out.

The problem I seem to be finding with almost all HT magazines is that TONS of advertising is drowning them to a point where the articles are drowned. There is only so much to write month in and month out on HT issues and much of the information is repeated.

I would like to see more high quality photos with detail as opposed to smaller ones coming from advertisements.

Also advertiser's photos, as I'm sure you all know, are totally unrealistic in typical home theatre setup. An improvement in content will include clever everyday home theatres as well as how the various components reviewed sound to various popular dvd movies.

For example, how is the bottom end of subwoofer x compared to subwoofer y during the platform scene on Star Wars AOTC. Not how is the slope of the axis from 20hz to 35hz and the db level thereof.

In short, realistic magazines with realistic analysis of systems. Better photos and more articles to advertising ratio.

:T

[George Bellefontaine]

Hi, George, welcome to The Guide.

You make some good points on magazine content, but the reality is that advertising, not newsstand or subscription sales, pays the bills so the advertising to editorial ratio will always favor advertising. How do I know this ? Well I spent my entire working life in the publishing business with the last 20 years before retirement as a GM/Publisher.

One thing , though, the good editors do listen and if they receive enough letters ona given subject, they often respond positively. Your suggestion of using better quality pictures with greater detail, like the early AV Interiors issues, is something to which an editor could possibly respond. Send them a letter/or e-mail. It's always worth a try.

[beyond 1000]

Thanks for your response George. I definitely will send them an email or letter and hope things change. Whatever response I get from them, I will let you guys know for sure. :T