Rate the Audiophile Publications


What's your experience with recommended (or trashed)systems in the audiophile publications (Stereophile, Absolute Sound, What Hi Fi...)? I just read a nice thread by Trgi@flash.net (gregg) asking about the highly rated BEL 1001 and he got a couple of negative replies. That got me to thinking -- which magazines (paper or online) are trustworthy according to fellow audiogoners? Any opinions or experiences? Everyone has a different ear, but are there obvious omissions or differences of experience? Thanks.
ozfly
I like Bound For Sound, http://boundforsound.com/. This paper publication does not accept advertisement. I find them to be honest, not prone to the flavor of the month, and great "breakthroughs" every week. Even if I do not agree with them on a particular subject they are consistent. They have great advise on breaking in equipment and their reviews are down to earth. If I were going to buy a product without listening first this would be the only guys I would take a chance.
I like the pretty pictures in all of them. The ink (other than the letters to the editor) is just filler between the art.
I agree with Jaica, BFS is a newsletter based publication that is both informative and a good read. I have used their method for breaking in I/Cs,their recommendation for powercords, and the various tweaks we audiophiles love to play with.
FYI: I found a web audio magazine site dedicated to the serious reproduction of music in the home. As per their site, this is, and always will be, a totally non-commercial section with nothing for sale and no advertising; audio related or otherwise.

http://www.high-endaudio.com/index_ac.html
As a reader of Stereophile, TAS and others, and an avid user of the Web, my approach has been to gather information from many different sources as a starting point relying on my own ears as proof. Though the "big guns" may have their weaknesses, I think they can be used as a roadmap to learn about what's going on out there. It's better to have an incomplete map then to have no map at all, and I have undoubtedly learned about this hobby from them. That being said, no matter if a review is good or bad, the trick is to make your own decision. Many writers find the Cary sound all "wrong", but for me that's Heaven. Happy listening.