will hi fi critic survive?

[doodoos]

I read that the subscription of around £50 for 6 bi-monthly issues will next year be for 4 issues, making each copy in excess of £12. Hard times no doubt. Whilst an interesting read, I'm out at that price I regret to say, and am probably not alone. Shame.

[Steve Toy]

£12 a copy? Wow! Does this magazine come in a hard-back cover and is it ad-free?

[sastusbulbas]

I don't read it, quite simply because of the cost, it's about as justifiable as paying full price to download a CD at a lower bit rate.

[Spectral Morn]

The first issue came free with BAJ ( a trade mag rum by Malcolm Stewart). I read it and didn't think much of it. The following isues may be better than the first. I suppose I was hoping it might be like the way hi-fi News used to be, say 13 years ago. In away it was but not good enough for me to pay the subscription.
Unfortunately paying up front for a project like this looked to risky. If it failed getting your sub back would be unlikely. Anyone remember AQ mag, it lasted three issues and the people who ran it, ran off with subscription money. I know someone who lost out and never got his sub back. I suspect a lot of advertisers also lost money, as you have to pay for a certain number of adds upfront. Not an issue with the Critic though as there are no adds;and that I suspect/know is the problem. To get enough people to support a mag without adds was always going to be an uphill struggle, as it is the adds that keep the cover cost low/reasonable.

Will it survive ? Sadly I would have to say no. It was a brave effort to try and counter the argument that adds influence reviews. If you subscribe to this view, and did not support The Critic, then shame on you.

Regards D S D L ----Neil

[Dave Cawley]

Their review on Class D switching amplifiers revealed more than any magazine or forum ever did before or since.

[Togil]

So do you agree with Martin Colloms' view on the Nuforce ? It's a pity he didn't review the 9SE V2

[Dave Cawley]

Hi Hans,

Have you tested one on instruments?

Dave

[Togil]

Ah no, but I have no reason to doubt his technical misgivings

Unfortunately it sounds quite good, the same thing which doesn't stop valve enthusiasts to use poorly measuring equipment

But I'm open to try something else, to see what I'm missing !

[Ali Tait]

I guess it depends what you mean by poor measurements.Directly-Heated Triodes are still the most linear amplifying devices ever constructed AFAIK.You cannot make a sand amp with no feedback!

[Dave Cawley]

Most valve equipment measures very well!

Dave