LJK Setright

[shane]

I have long been a fan of the writings of the late great motoring journalist LJK Setright, and recently discovered that he wrote a column in Hi-Fi World in the 90s for a brief period. Does anyone have any of the relevant issues that they would be willing to scan?

For those of you unfamiliar with the man, this will give you a flavour of his work: http://www.thepippin.plus.com/Misc/LJKS.pdf

Read this and weep, Clarkson!

[Spectral Morn]

I have long been a fan of the writings of the late great motoring journalist LJK Setright, and recently discovered that he wrote a column in Hi-Fi World in the 90s for a brief period. Does anyone have any of the relevant issues that they would be willing to scan?

For those of you unfamiliar with the man, this will give you a flavour of his work: http://www.thepippin.plus.com/Misc/LJKS.pdf

Read this and weep, Clarkson!

He also wrote in Audiophile if I recall right, I have a few but binned most of them - quite a few years ago.


Regards Neil

[The Grand Wazoo]

I have a lot of the Audiophile pieces (didn't think much of them to be honest) and if he did write for HFW, then I will have all of those too but my scannner is nadged and has been for some time.

[Spectral Morn]

I can photo copy what I have, if that helps?

Regards Neil

[Barry]

Yes, I remember him writing for Hi Fi World. From memory he came across as an un-questioning, and near rabid Linn-Naim user; and could have been mistaken for a disciple of the Christopher Frankland School of Blinkered Advocacy.

Despite that, he did have a way with words; much like Clarkson. He also drove like a maniac – but that had nothing to do with his ability to comment on and review audio equipment.

I was sad to hear of his passing, even though I agreed with little of what he wrote.

[The Outcast]

I would have to agree with Barry whole heeartedly there. His writing style was a joy yet i could bever agree with some of his dyed in the wool Linn ramblings. If me memory servrs me correctly it was a lot later than the ninty's that he wrote for HFW. Very sad indeed about his passing but i didn't miss his contribution to the magazine at all.
Yes, I remember him writing for Hi Fi World. From memory he came across as an un-questioning, and near rabid Linn-Naim user; and could have been mistaken for a disciple of the Christopher Frankland School of Blinkered Advocacy.

Despite that, he did have a way with words; much like Clarkson. He also drove like a maniac – but that had nothing to do with his ability to comment on and review audio equipment.

I was sad to hear of his passing, even though I agreed with little of what he wrote.

[MartinT]

I liked his writing style in Car magazine but don't remember much of his hi-fi writing.

Chris Frankland - ugh!

[Beobloke]

He did indeed write for HFW some time in the 1990s and I know that a few staffers on the magazine at the time viewed him with a certain god-like status.

However, as with his columns for CAR, my opinion has always been that, whilst he is indeed a master of beautiful, eloquent and flowing prose, he seems to use it to not actually say very much!

Incidentally, does anyone else remember the very tongue-in-cheek 1990s A5 classic car magazine, "Jalopy"? One of their reviewers used to use similar flowery prose under the pen name of 'NGK Sparkright' which never failed to make me chuckle...

[Macca]

It was after the 1990's, after David Price became editor of HFW, I would guess about 2002 to 2004. I have all those isues but don't have a scanner. He was a very good writer but they are just 1 page editorials and you are not really missing much.

[hal55]

Can't remember the content of his pieces but I vaguely recall them being an entertaining read, which often was all I was really after.
If anyone can shed light on Kelly, he of the "not on your nelly, says Kelly" columns where he would shoot down some claim of being the latest greatest newest technology with a history showing it had been around since audio year dot I'd be interested, he was an entertaining read as well.

Hal55

[shane]

Hmm, a bit surprised to find he was another Linn/Naim disciple. One of the things I liked was his refusal to follow the herd in motoring matters, witnessed by his ongoing enthusiasm for Bristol and Honda as the best car manufacturers in the world, flying in the face of fashion and accepted opinion and always backed up by reason.

Scans or copies would definitely be welcome :)

[The Outcast]

Sad as i am i have every copy of HFW since the very first one. If a get chance i will have a sift through them.

[f1eng]

I remember the articles, he was indeed a flat-earther.
I was a big fan of his Car articles as a teenager, but as I got older, did an engineering degree and then designed F1 cars I realised he was more an entertaining writer than knowledgeable pundit.
IOW he wrote his opinion, beautifully, hifi or cars.
It was a great disappointment to find the zeal with which I had followed his "teachings" as a young enthusiast waned as I became more knowledgeable. He was right about tyres, the most important part of the chassis, but not much else IIRC.

[losenotaminute]

I remember the articles, he was indeed a flat-earther.
I was a big fan of his Car articles as a teenager, but as I got older, did an engineering degree and then designed F1 cars I realised he was more an entertaining writer than knowledgeable pundit.
IOW he wrote his opinion, beautifully, hifi or cars.
It was a great disappointment to find the zeal with which I had followed his "teachings" as a young enthusiast waned as I became more knowledgeable. He was right about tyres, the most important part of the chassis, but not much else IIRC.

His book on the social history of the motorcar is incredible, very well researched and full of interesting stuff. To say he wasn't "knowledgeable" is a bit harsh IMO.

Lawrence

[f1eng]

His book on the social history of the motorcar is incredible, very well researched and full of interesting stuff. To say he wasn't "knowledgeable" is a bit harsh IMO.

Lawrence

Sorry, I meant technically knowledgeable. He certainly did research and wrote well. Technical information, or at least the important stuff, is rarely if ever made avilable to journalists only to keep it from the competition. Unfortunate for genuinely interested enthusiasts, but inevitable in a competitive market place.
This is true both in cars and hifi IME.

[DSJR]

The guy was a complete twat in his writings, able to write pages and pages of absolutely nothing - I used to be a right sheep buying 'Car' magazine every month years ago. His HiFi writings were banal and ignorant in the extreme and he was another one who wafted round audio shows with a trail of oiks following in his wake.

[Andrew B]

I remember him from Audiophile magazine. Had to be early 90s because I quit hifi late 90s until about 2003-4. I just remember him as a funny old stick, who seemed to be in a world of his own. Can't remember much of he specific content, but I did enjoy reading :)

[YNWaN]

I remember reading some of his hi-fi articles. I'm afraid they did nothing for me - he ssemed to be struggling to find something to write about as he clearly knew nothing about the subject.

[Nigel]

I can recall some of the Audiophile articles. The piece he wrote on the Sondek and the Philips CD840 saying that one needed both, sticks in my mind. He always seemed to be waxing lyrical about Vienna or Berlin concert halls and classical music.

[Barry]

Yes, classical music was his passion; I believe he was trained as concert pianist. I can remember him 'banging on' about the Linn Kremlin tuner, claiming it was the best tuner available anywhere in world!

[Arkless Electronics]

I agree with all the above re his hifi writing but as a lifelong biker I thought his writing on the subject of motorcycles was excellent! Most that I read was ancient stuff from the early sixties to early eighties.... not that I'm old enough to remember the sixties!

[shane]

The guy was a complete twat in his writings, able to write pages and pages of absolutely nothing - I used to be a right sheep buying 'Car' magazine every month years ago. His HiFi writings were banal and ignorant in the extreme and he was another one who wafted round audio shows with a trail of oiks following in his wake.

I seem to have touched a nerve here...