Opinions - The Absolute Sound

I find looking at my Back-Issues for Used Equipment purchases helpful [ usually 3-10 year old stuff ] .

Reviews that I paid little attention to when the Mags [ AS & Stereophile ] first arrived are relevant .

Also Software Reviews can be helpful .

For $12.97 you can subscribe to Stereophile.

Save $2 for the same BS and arrogance.

The free market concept is alive and well.

I used to read it 20+ years ago. Since the hobby is purely subjective, what's the point; HP's opinion is as relevant as my local butcher's (though since the butcher is 40+ years younger, he technically has better hearing). There are numerous online resources which give you nice glossy pictures of recently released audio products, and there are certainly better e-zines and blogs regarding music of all types.

Talk, listen, form your own opinions as to what you value in audio equipment (or anything in life). Everything else is merely pissing in the wind...

It might be worth reading for a year. Just don't take it as seriously as they take themselves. It used to be better, and may be "total crap", but you do get a glimpse of whats new, and what they want to create buzz about. I for one miss the adolescent feud TAS had with Stereophile. Pompous blowhards slinging feces at each other about stuff nobody cares about is funny.
I like the look of hifi+, and even remember a negative review here and there. I like the Brit rags, but dont really read anything that's not online any more. Still take every review with a grain of salt, or Pepto-Bismol.

simple answer:

it doesn't matter, one way or the other.

maybe they are entertaining, but they take up space.

of course, you can read it and then give it away.

point is , you can be a happy as a music listener and owner of stereo equipment, without reading magazines. just like you can buy a good car, without reading car magazines.