TAS. The Absolute Sound?

@jhnnrrs 

TAS and Stereophile, as well as many of the online only review sites have reduced themselves to audiophile porn.  Highlighting that which is only attainable by a wealthy few, leaving those of us for whom it is unattainable drooling

I can't speak for TAS, which I don't follow closely, but as for Stereophile, you might be overstating this just a bit.

In the last few years, Stereophile has reviewed the Apple AirPods Pro II, SVS' Prime Pro II speakers, the Naim Muso 2 wireless, the LSA VT-70 integrated amp, Topping's Pre90 preamp, several Schiit components (I recall the Aegir and the Freya +), the Cambridge Audio CXA81, and much more.

Are these "attainable only by a wealthy few"? Nah. Most products I just mentioned are a thousand dollars or less. The AirPods are $249!

The reviews of hyper-expensive audio products probably receive the most online buzz, but I don't think that's something Stereophile controls.

TAS was HP … 

There is nothing wrong with a 6K power cord. I hope he has recovered from this "calling out". 

@jbmac75  "The Absolute Sound, Stereophile, and HiFi+ are outstanding sources of information and comparisons."  Yes...how does this $50,000 amp compare to that $60,000 amp.  Very helpful to many of us.  How many times have they reviewed a sub $5000 piece and said "it's good for the money"?  As if to say "Well, if THAT's all you can spend...".  I read TAS, Stereophile, The Sensible Sound, and many others back when they were irregularly published 9" booklets.  Once they started taking ads it was the start of a long slide down into shilldom.

@ghdprentice . Agreed 👍🏻 

I’d love to own his listening room and everything in it.

Who wouldn’t?

A few years ago JA had a Stereophile editorial in which he noted the income disparity in the world and identified a success strategy for every one else, which was to find a way to service the whims of the uber wealthy and live off the crumbs from their table.  His editorial was tinged with regret, but that does describe the business strategy of Stereophile and TAS.  Every now and then they throw a bone to the great unwashed and review a cheaper item and then point to those relatively rare reviews as a shield against their critics.

  I still read Stereophile because I like the writers, even if I disregard any of their buy suggestions.  TAS, I can’t stomach.  As a reader one has to know whose water the magazine is carrying.  There are so many alternative sources of information that we aren’t living in a censorship.  Each source of information has its own agenda and one should read with the salt shaker handy

I recall in the mid 80s two articles in an issue of Stereophile.  One article raved about a Radio Shack 1 bit portable CD Player how good it sounded when connected to a stereo system via a mini-plug to RCA adapter.  The other article discussed the virtues and sound quality of using dental floss versus the OE belt on the Air Force One Turntable.  It was the everyman’s stereo magazine back then.  

The best part:  Curious, I stopped by my local Radio Shack one day to see this now famous portable CD player.  They were selling them above MSRP due to the recent notoriety complements of Stereophile Magazine.  

@jasonbourne71 What do supermodels and stereos with great measurements have in common?

Just because they have great measurements doesnt mean you’d be happy living with them. 

OK. Cancel me.