RECOMMENDED HOME THEATER MAGAZINES
Our top picks for the best Home Theater related reading material
Unless you live in a large metropolitan area, some of the best Home Theater and Audio magazines are hard to find. Or they hide them. Or they sell out. Or you stare at Maxim and THAT section and can't seem to find the other goodies. No matter, we're here to help.
You can save a ton off the darn newsstand price ANYWAY, and we've made el-cheap-o subscriptions available right here. Just click on the picture of the magazine you want.
You can always check the Maxim rack just in case something new shows itself in Home Theater... ahem. Research.
Here are brief descriptions to help you choose which mags work best for you:
Primarily Home Theater:
Displays, Receivers, Speakers, Amplifiers, Etc.
THE PERFECT VISION
To be blunt, I think this is the best one out there.News of what's coming, good clear equipment reviews nicely summarized at review-end, and a good batch of film reviews make this the best bang for your buck.
The equipment reviews nicely walk the fine line between too technical and easy-to-understand. A recent issue held 15 equipment and 20 film reviews. Published (so far) every other month, so that's part of why it is so fat with content versus the contenders. But hey, it takes time or a huge staff to conscientiously review gear this complex. (How'd you like to unbox and box it?)
In many of these magazines you learn as much from the advertisements as the text, because in the ads you get an idea of things to research. (Just remember, in the ads of the beautiful gear you rarely (like never) see the wires.).
The Perfect Vision is an offshoot of The Absolute Sound (see below)
SOUND & VISION
Coming on strong!
They've retooled this and I'd place it just ahead of HOME THEATER. This mag carries the "Where Technology Becomes Entertainment" sub-head which makes it appear more geeky than the new design IS. The design is clean and clear. Cleverly, more details on equipment reviews, the more technical stuff, is on their website. That's a good idea. Not just a focus on equipment --- movies, games and music all have their sections, plus advice and helpful 'how-tos.' There's enough meat for the knowledgeable and also help for the clueless by which they can become knowledgeable. If this were twice as large in an every-other-month version like The Perfect Vision, it'd be a great read.
HOME THEATER
Another resource
Here's a telling story: even though I get and devour Home Theater, I don't tend to SAVE the issues once read. I have stashes of the others way beyond their 'expiry.' I have no access to the publishing figures, but my sense in that HOME THEATER is in the game, but seriously challenged by SOUND & VISION.
If you go three deep, though, you won't be disappointed by this magazine. And especially if you are in the market at the research phase, spend the few dollars to have all resources at your fingertips as you learn. It'll more than pay for itself in multiples if it helps you maximize your pleasure or keeps you from making a mistake when you buy.
HOME ENTERTAINMENT AND DESIGN
Exactly thatIf you are building or remodeling that special space into a dream home theater, this will make you drool. Invest in a bib for reading. Here's where you'll see the BEAUTIFUL designs and rooms, the installations and finishing touches that you could expect to see in the Robb Report (where the rich show off).
Make no mistake: this is the realm of 'if you have to ask what it costs, you can't afford it.' But just like a parked Ferrari pulls a crowd, it's fun to dream!
Audio
This isn't the mass marketer stuff - this is the good stuff.
THE ABSOLUTE SOUND
Fabulous resource From the people who bring you The Perfect Vision (and preceding it), THE ABSOLUTE SOUND (also known as TAS) has fewer technical discussions than STEREOPHILE (see below) and publishes less frequently - I believe 10 times a year. TAS gives you what you need to know and leaves the graph-hungry technophiles wanting more. If you understand the graphs and tests, buy both TAS and STEREOPHILE. If not, this is the one to get.
STEREOPHILE
Esoterotica
To their credit, they are trying to appeal to a wider spectrum, but compared to TAS, the once-mighty STEREOPHILE is measurement-heavy, with a musical emphasis on classical and traditional jazz (ignoring or downplaying the "smooth jazz" that so many radio stations play to larger audiences - Chris Botti, Dave Koz, Earl Klugh to name a few from that genre.)
At one time STEREOPHILE was the BIBLE of audiophiles. After at least one buy-out, their staff changed over the years, advertising revenue dropped (at least two other competitors came and went) and total pages fell. They now also produce Hi-End Home Entertainment shows. At about $10 a year, though, why not get this?
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