Is WHF becomming too much like Stuff?

[MajorFubar]

Times move on, and the way that people consume content is changing quickly.

I remember when plain old WHF became WHF S&V and it received complaints from people who basically said "if I want a mag which reviews tellies and VCRs then I will buy one, so can we please have our HiFi mag back?". Fast-forward to now, and the 'V' bit is now very much an accepted part of the mag (though it's still something which doesn't really interest me...and no, I wasn't one of the complainants).

 

[John Duncan]

I blame that Newsome woman...

 

[Alantiggger]

I do read and read but sometimes I do miss it (painkillers eh).... do amps themselves not have dacs to convert the sound ?

(sorry if I miss the point given because at times my thinking does go around in circles... srry in advance if I'm wrong)

 

[Pete68]

I can't say the phone reviews do it for me but I understand why the reviews are being done.

Personally I would like to see more system matching type reviews from budget gear upwards and a bit more hi-fi 'education'. What is impedance and why does it matter, what are the differences between class A, AB and D amps, etc, etc, so when purchasing a piece of new kit people can make more of an informed choice.

I would also like to know what kit is used in testing. It's no good saying that a £500 pair of speakers are amazing when they are being tested with a 2k amp as most people who buy £500 speakers are generally using other equipment at around the same budget/level. So a little more info around this area would be helpful.

Just my pennies worth....

 

[fr0g]

Circulation figures may be a guide...

I want more snowboard reviews, and a football column, maybe we could have a guest player show us his (or her) system every month...

Perhaps some damage testing with tanks and flying caravans too ?

 

[ROTH AV]

How about some articles about the companies and brands that operate in the HiFi/AV category, with particular emphasis on British brands and their history ?

Some of the greatest brands in HiFi started in the UK and continue today - despite being a little Island, one of the few industries in which we have always excelled is audio design - in all its forms, from the music performance (bands), through to the recording of that performance (studios and producers) and then on to playback of the performance at home (the equipment).

We have world-class brands operating in the UK - still competing head-to-head with the overseas giants and winning.

Why not celebrate this ?

Still, what do I know.

 

[Andy Clough]

I would also like to know what kit is used in testing. It's no good saying that a £500 pair of speakers are amazing when they are being tested with a 2k amp as most people who buy £500 speakers are generally using other equipment at around the same budget/level. So a little more info around this area would be helpful.

Just my pennies worth....

We do test products with price-comparable kit as well as our hi-fi/AV reference systems. One of the advantages of having a very large, well filled stockroom is that we can pull out any number of amps/speakers/CD/Blu-ray players to test with other items at around the same price.

 

[chebby]

How about some articles about the companies and brands that operate in the HiFi/AV category, with particular emphasis on British brands and their history ?

Some of the greatest brands in HiFi started in the UK and continue today - despite being a little Island, one of the few industries in which we have always excelled is audio design - in all its forms, from the music performance (bands), through to the recording of that performance (studios and producers) and then on to playback of the performance at home (the equipment).

We have world-class brands operating in the UK - still competing head-to-head with the overseas giants and winning.

I totally agree but Hi-fi News & RR already do this.

 

[John Duncan]

I'd also argue that, whilst they don't appear in the magazine, there's quite a lot of articles like that on the website.

 

[GURU]

From a personal perspective, provided it stays primarily loyal to it's "roots" - firstly Hi Fi and then A/V, i'll still happily purchase, view and interact.

 

[The_Lhc]

I do read and read but sometimes I do miss it (painkillers eh).... do amps themselves not have dacs to convert the sound ?

Traditionally stereo amps don't, no. Largely because, traditionally, most sources were analogue and CD players (again, traditionally) generally have analogue outputs and kept their DACs to themselves.

Things are changing though and digitally integrated stereo amps are becoming more commonplace. AV amps have DACs in them of course because their sources are generally digital devices. Purists will sneer at using an AV amp for music though of course.

 

[Andy Clough]

I'd also argue that, whilst they don't appear in the magazine, there's quite a lot of articles like that on the website.

Indeed. In fact, our Tech Ed recently paid a trip to Linn in Scotland, as you can read here:

http://www.whathifi.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-at-the-home-of-linn

And over the years we've visited the likes of Cambridge Audio and Arcam, among others:

http://www.whathifi.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-at-cambridge-audio

And beyond the British companies, we've been to Sony's UK HQ:

http://www.whathifi.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-at-sonys-uk-3d-centre

Dolby Laboratories in London:

http://www.whathifi.com/blog/dolby-laboratories-quietly-making-it-sound-better

Bang & Olufsen in Denmark:

http://www.whathifi.com/blog/bang-olufsen-a-trip-down-memory-lane

Focal in France:

http://www.whathifi.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-at-focal-france

http://www.whathifi.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-at-focal-france-part-2

Plus, further afield, IAG in China:

http://www.whathifi.com/blog/china-behind-the-scenes-at-iag

 

[chebby]

I'd also argue that, whilst they don't appear in the magazine, there's quite a lot of articles like that on the website.

You have to know they are there and know how to find them. Once they have 'rolled off' the blogs list they effectively disappear (unless you remember a particular one and search for it using specific keywords).

 

[Joe Cox]

I'd also make the point that the (relatively) new products we're doing don't come in place of more traditional core products, but as well as. We still endeavour to cover and review as many core hi-fi and home cinema products as possible (which tends to be practically all of them!).

Always interesting to hear what you'd like to see more of, so keep the ideas coming...

 

[Deleted member 2457]

More feedback on the forum about a new product review would be good. When can you review the Oppo 105? Thinking about the 103 review still makes me laugh!

That was a brilliant review!

 

[Andrew Everard]

You have to know they are there and know how to find them. Once they have 'rolled off' the blogs list they effectively disappear (unless you remember a particular one and search for it using specific keywords).

Although of course if you hit on one of our writers whose stuff you especailly enjoy, you can click on the link to their blog at the bottom of any of their blog posts, and then you can trawl back through everything they've ever written.

Jus' sayin', like...

 

[John Duncan]

You have to know they are there and know how to find them. Once they have 'rolled off' the blogs list they effectively disappear (unless you remember a particular one and search for it using specific keywords).

Although of course if you hit on one of our writers whose stuff you especailly enjoy, you can click on the link to their blog at the bottom of any of their blog posts, and then you can trawl back through everything they've ever written.

Jus' sayin', like...

Yeah, some of them are sh-te though...

 

[ROTH AV]

Fair comments from all.

But......I believe that those who pick up a copy of the magazine on an irregular basis, perhaps because they are thinking of buying a specific item, don't then spend time trawling through the website looking at blogs. They'll probably move straight to the reviews section, or worse, the 'best of' section.

The printed media is perhaps the only way in which to get the POTENTIAL customer to engage in a robust manner with the industry. They've purchased the magazine for a reason - advice/guidance/what's available in the market. They'll read it cover-to-cover simply because they have bought it - and a story on a British brand is always a good thing.

And although I fully appreciate that other publications do run stories on brands, as market leader (as evidenced by ABC figures), there is an argument that WHFS&V perhaps has an interest in better promoting the industry, specifically the UK brands, as without them there would be a lower page count in every issue.

Don't mean this to be challenging....its just an observation.

But like I said - what do I know.

 

[Pete68]

I would also like to know what kit is used in testing. It's no good saying that a £500 pair of speakers are amazing when they are being tested with a 2k amp as most people who buy £500 speakers are generally using other equipment at around the same budget/level. So a little more info around this area would be helpful.

Just my pennies worth....

We do test products with price-comparable kit as well as our hi-fi/AV reference systems. One of the advantages of having a very large, well filled stockroom is that we can pull out any number of amps/speakers/CD/Blu-ray players to test with other items at around the same price.

A little more of that info in the review itself might be helpful

 

[The_Lhc]

The printed media is perhaps the only way in which to get the POTENTIAL customer to engage in a robust manner with the industry. They've purchased the magazine for a reason - advice/guidance/what's available in the market. They'll read it cover-to-cover simply because they have bought it - and a story on a British brand is always a good thing.

And although I fully appreciate that other publications do run stories on brands, as market leader (as evidenced by ABC figures), there is an argument that WHFS&V perhaps has an interest in better promoting the industry, specifically the UK brands, as without them there would be a lower page count in every issue.

Did you have any one in mind particularly?

 

[Andy Clough]

12Designs, you might find this video informative:

http://www.whathifi.com/video/how-we-test

And there's more info here:

www.whathifi.com/how-we-test

The Editors may have changed, but our methodology hasn't.

 

[pioneer7]

It would be interesting after reading a review say on an A/V-Amp-HiFi/Amp what speakers-players were used with that system, I understand that you do cover complete system reviews, but if reviewing say a Onkyo amp, just put at the end..Reviewed with X-Speakers and Y-Blu-ray player, just makes that more interesting and informative. Maybe..... 8)

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I think this TV review is like gadget show/Stuff with its comment about design:

http://www.whathifi.com/review/lg-55la860w

How can that be a stunning design? :?

 

[Red Dragon]

I know this is an old thread, but having quickly glanced over the contents of the latest issue, I have to agree...it's all phones !!!

I may be old-school (although I do own an AV amp and surround sound system) but lately there only ever seems to be hi-end hi-fi components beyond the reach of most, or pnones or TV's...very little affordable hi-fi? Is this the way things are going or am I just getting old and left behind in this digital age ?! (I'm only 47 !!) lol

 

[strapped for cash]

I wonder whether the mag might restructure its TV reviews.

Of late, WHF TV reviews work through design, connections, smart features, and countless other peripheral concerns before getting to the crux of the matter and discussing picture quality.

At times this most critical information almost feels like an afterthought. I know the mag is catering to a wide readership, and that certain readers have a greater interest in a TV's applications than myself, but the most fundamental information should be prioritised in the review.

A TV's primary job remains putting a picture on-screen, even in an age of convergent media and expanded functionality.