Feedback/Ideas for New Magazine?

I am leaning toward featuring more $500 to $2000 products as opposed to extremely high-or low-price gear.

Any comments and suggestions will be appreciated, so feel free to tell me exactly what you’d want to see in such a publication as well as whether or not you think it is feasible.

Thanks Again!

I was reading just today in The Audio Critic about how it was stopping some of its columns and was thinking about stopping altogether in the not-so-distant future. I basically never come across anything said about this magazine which I personally feel is quite good. Their candid approach apparently isn't all that financially worthy. There could be internal problems exacerbating the issue too but at any rate, it looks like they are a sinking ship. I will miss them. Perhaps you can take their place...? If you make it, I would be interested for sure. I don't spend my time criticising what reviewers do and say (like many I see on this website) so I would enjoy hearing your [mag's] opinions and would subscribe. I already subscribe to two of them and a third would be fine with me. I would only suggest that the price bracket be raised to about $4k or so to make the selection pool more interesting/varied and that you hire people who have heard A LOT of different gear so that their field of perception is large. Good luck - Arthur

Arthur,

Thank you for your opinion and for your thoughtful comments.
In order to be successful I think you have to offer your visitors something(s) unique of value, that they can't find anywhere else. I've been reading some books on web marketing and I have a lot of interesting ideas for ways to attract and hold my reader's interest. I'm presently putting together a marketing plan/blueprint for my initial foray into the e-zine business. Getting up to a some higher-priced gear is a good suggestion and I know I will do that. But I may shy away from $12k amplifiers and $25k+ speaker systems that only the very rich could ever hope to afford.

I have heard and reviewed a wide cross-section of audio products over the past 7 years and any writers that I add to my masthead will have to demonstrate considerable knowledge and experience, as well as excellent writing/communication skills. Above all, they will have a responsibiliy to the magazine and to my readers to be completely honest in their comments and testing procedures.

How about some real hot women draped all over the Rowland Amplifiers?

just kiddin... well.. maybe not.

I think it would be nice to get a magazine that doesent seem so Biased.

I'd like to see a magazine with no "Advertisements" only reviews and the real deal on audio gear.

I would like to have people with different personalities and tastes review each piece of gear.

I would like the opinion about a gear from the perspective by a hip-hop fan, a metal head, a classical afficianado, a blues fan, a country fan, etc etc. instead the apparent 45 year old wine tasting super-sucessful gentleman "clone"

Have each one of thm review the same piece of gear, get the different perspectives.

Not all audiophiles like fine wine and listen to classical, not all audiophiles wear dockers, wingtips and button up shirts. Some of us like to crank Metallica and wear jeans and a tshirt while chugging back Budweiser. Itt doesent mean my money is any less green, and it doesent mean i dont enjoy the same satisfaction of a high end system

Maybe if they would encorperate different types of persona and personalities on audio gear it would reduce the whole "Snobbery" and "Elitism" that seems to surround the whole audio hobby. Make it something everyone can enjoy.

I know this whole debate has raged before about what is music and what is crap, but remember, people who listen to opera, classical, jazz, blues, are far far far in the minority of tastes in america. There is a whole world of possible audiophiles that remains untapped, simply because the elitist snobbery has somewhat of a "club" mentality and all decide to trash the music of the masses.

You know WHY bose does so well? because it markets to EVERYONE, not just upper class white males who would rather sip fine scotch than work on a car engine.

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Ahem, I meant no offence in my remark, i hope i dont spark anyones anger because that is not my intent. I have come to know many audiophiles on this board and i DO realise there are not many snobs on here, there are not many "Elitists" and alot of people hear listen to more than just classical than opera, there are rockers on here, "Goths" ive seen some poeple talking about Punk music, everything. This is definatly a cesspool of personalities, tastes, and viewpoints which High-end audio is not marketed to.

once again, i mean no offence!

-Chris

Hey Chris,

No offense taken (at least by me) and thanks for your viewpoint. I think people should listen to whatever kind of music they like whether it be metal, rap (well, maybe not rap :) pop, classical, jazz or blues, etc.

Personally, I would never restrict myself to just one genre of music because there are so many enjoyable types and styles out there. I admire people who go to the audio shows and play the music that they actually listen to at home. Music you are the most familiar with is always your best reference.

Having multiple reviews of the same piece to provide different perspectives is something I favor. I used to enjoy when PHD and HP of The Absolute Sound used to argue back and forth over a component's relative merits or lack thereof -- back in the days before TAS started taking advertising.

One of my goals will be to make my site more interactive than most other audio mags, giving my readers chances to actively participate, registering their opinions on certain issues and products. I think it will be more fun and will also let me know if I'm on track and serving the interests of my readers.

Thanks!