I have always been a bit perplexed by the level of cynicism expressed by some audiophiles about audio mags; particularly TAS and Stereophile. I have come to the conclusion that many of us are closet reviewers; magazine writer wannabes. IMO, this level of cynicism is usually not warranted.
Sure, TAS is not what it used to be. But to declare that it is a worthless rag is absurd, and simply not true. IMO, anyone who insists that it is, simply doesn't know what he is talking about. Particularly for young audioplies, it can be an invaluable source of information. If anything, about the history of high-end audio. TAS has done more to promote the high-end in a way that is rooted in something resembling integrity than any other magazine. It has contributed more to the development of a meaningful audiophile lexicon than any other force in the high-end; certainly more than any other magazine. And most importantly, it (along with the early Stereophile) set a standard, and reference, for the judgment of components' sound: the sound of live music. Imagine that, that audio systems should sound like real music! Sorry, now I am showing my cynicism.
Mceljo, you wrote: "Before the mailing arrived I'd never heard of The Absolute Sound". IMO, the answer to your original question is a resounding YES! Usually good to excellent music recording reviews, interesting retrospectives about the history of the high-end, and audio reviewing. And audio reviews that while not at the level that they once were written, still sometimes demonstrate glimpses of the quality that was once routine (wether we agreed with the conclusions, or not). In general, exposure to writing that will expand your audio lexicon in a way that is rooted in some sort of standard. All for $14.95? Are you kidding me?
