Serious print journalists like Atkinson, Harley, Fremer, Pearson, etc., have experience & opinions that count and are always worth reading. There are fewer writers of similar stature on the net. Print mag reviewers have access to a wider range of equipment for reviews & comparisons, and a more structured approach to reviewing equipment. By comparison the internet is full of cognitive dissonance & geeks seduced by their systems. Finally, the print mags have the broadest industry coverage available under one roof.
That said, many worthwhile audio boutique manufacturers would not exist without internet word-of-mouth and on-line zines.
These days the biggest problem with audio is too much money chasing purchases. Does the internet help us rediscover value? I think so, mostly by taking advertising out of the equation. But this too is changing.
While Stereophile has atrophied, TAS-- which used to be a stuffy enclave of audiophile pomposity that smelled of old urine-- has updated to a vigorous new format with a fresh focus on informed MUSIC REVIEWS. What a concept for an audio magazine!
