To the folk at WHF

[Thompsonuxb]

Bought the May edition of the mag the other day.

First time in years.

Was pretty shocked at its contents. With so many products being released and due (Bristol show proving the hifi 'world' is in rude health) why so little hifi content?

I know the mag title as changed over the years to aim at a wider demographic, why is not the avalanche of hifi kit coming or recently released not being tested/reviewed.

The Musical Fidelity M3si or the New Mission LX range of speakers or all the kit shown at Bristol 2015 etc. for example.

Even the buyers guide is now seriously compromised compared to its former glory.

Only 6 amps under a grand get a mention. So unable to compare with kit a few years old regards ratings.

What's going on?

 

[ChrisIRL]

They've always said that gear needs to be sent to them for review, they don't acquire the items themselves. Perhaps fewer manufacturers are doing so because anything less than a five star rating is damaging. Perhaps the What Hifi review and star rating system is a victim of its own success. I can see the star system being dropped or changed in time to encourage more submissions.

 

[plastic penguin]

They've always said that gear needs to be sent to them for review, they don't acquire the items themselves. Perhaps fewer manufacturers are doing so because anything less than a five star rating is damaging. Perhaps the What Hifi review and star rating system is a victim of its own success. I can see the star system being dropped or changed in time to encourage more submissions.

That's pretty much spot on. WHFI have on occasions purchased or borrowed stuff from local dealers and the former are usually sold months later on auction sites: AVI 9Rs are the ones that spring to mind - Clare was promoting the s/hand pair on here.

There's more going on that's [probably] influencing the content of the magazine: Unlike most mags WHFI cover a wide band of components; Mag competition has become stronger. Other mags were either reletive fringe publications are now bettering WHFI when it comes to two-channel equipment; online reviews are becoming almost the norm and so and so forth.

Also, reviews are only guides. Anyone who thinks otherwise are either misguided or gullible - or both.

 

[Al ears]

They've always said that gear needs to be sent to them for review, they don't acquire the items themselves. Perhaps fewer manufacturers are doing so because anything less than a five star rating is damaging. Perhaps the What Hifi review and star rating system is a victim of its own success. I can see the star system being dropped or changed in time to encourage more submissions.

That's pretty much spot on. WHFI have on occasions purchased or borrowed stuff from local dealers and the former are usually sold months later on auction sites: AVI 9Rs are the ones that spring to mind - Clare was promoting the s/hand pair on here.

There's more going on that's [probably] influencing the content of the magazine: Unlike most mags WHFI cover a wide band of components; Mag competition has become stronger. Other mags were either reletive fringe publications are now bettering WHFI when it comes to two-channel equipment; online reviews are becoming almost the norm and so and so forth.

Also, reviews are only guides. Anyone who thinks otherwise are either misguided or gullible - or both.

... or a reviewer. ;-)

It is a fact that whilst they can determine the overall content of the magazine the reviews can only be accomplished if equipment is actually sent for review. I must admit that whilst I use this forum I cannot remember the last time I actually bought a hard copy of the magazine. For me it's content is now moving awake from most things I am currently interested in.

If thompsonUXB needs better reviews of 2 channel kit I suggest he does as I do and look to other publications. Personally I would have flipped through a copy of the magazine first to determine whether or not it was worth spending my cash on rather than buying it and complaining.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Who's complaining?

The reason I ask is due to the fact there are loads of products being released.

I've been to two Bristol shows and the amount of kit on display both years only a fraction have been reviewed.

Not only in the mag but online.

The market is still there for the 'old' mag. Seems like an opportunity is being missed to me - although it's not to late.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

They've always said that gear needs to be sent to them for review, they don't acquire the items themselves. Perhaps fewer manufacturers are doing so because anything less than a five star rating is damaging. Perhaps the What Hifi review and star rating system is a victim of its own success. I can see the star system being dropped or changed in time to encourage more submissions.

That's pretty much spot on. WHFI have on occasions purchased or borrowed stuff from local dealers and the former are usually sold months later on auction sites: AVI 9Rs are the ones that spring to mind - Clare was promoting the s/hand pair on here.

There's more going on that's [probably] influencing the content of the magazine: Unlike most mags WHFI cover a wide band of components; Mag competition has become stronger. Other mags were either reletive fringe publications are now bettering WHFI when it comes to two-channel equipment; online reviews are becoming almost the norm and so and so forth.

Also, reviews are only guides. Anyone who thinks otherwise are either misguided or gullible - or both.

I'm curious ref the 'more that's going on....'

Your last paragraph begs the question - why do you come here?

And I'm not being confrontational when I say that.

 

[Al ears]

Who's complaining?

The reason I ask is due to the fact there are loads of products being released.

I've been to two Bristol shows and the amount of kit on display both years only a fraction have been reviewed.

Not only in the mag but online.

The market is still there for the 'old' mag. Seems like an opportunity is being missed to me - although it's not to late.

I think you hit the nail on the head with the amount of kit being released. There's only a certain amount that can be obtained to be reviewed by what is essentially a very small number of so called hifi mags and that can possibly fit in magazines that are only published once a month.

Most people I know that are interested in purchasing a bit of equipment actively seek it out to audition themselves and don't pay much heed to reviews anyway.

 

[chebby]

More night shift workers, or do you guys just wake up in the night and reach for the laptop/tablet instinctively?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

i just buy hifi choice & hifi world both are just about hifi and that's it both do very good reviews on upto date hifi .

 

[keeper of the quays]

Guess I'm a gullible dope,I have various bits of kit I bought on the strength of the the reviews in what hi fi magazine! Guess what? The reviews were spot in too! Even a pair of speakers that had a bad review (I bought these before I read the review) at the time I disagreed with the review? Even spoke to big bod at the manufacturer of said speakers lol..but in hindsight I see the review as a correct one..times have changed with the onset of google etc when you ask a question and you have a choice of a thousand answers? None of them especially wrong? Too much information everywhere! Magazines have to change..go with the flow..which I think is what hi fi is doing..its still a interesting read, unlike other publications with their boring reviews and their scientific measurements which you need a degree to understand..and the drooling over valve equipment? Yuk...

 

[ChrisIRL]

More night shift workers, or do you guys just wake up in the night and reach for the laptop/tablet instinctively?

Weekend/ time difference/ shift work. It's been explained before Cinderella.

 

[nopiano]

I agree that loss of the listings is a backward step. I think I read that a move to new premises caused a hiatus in reviewing hifi, as opposed to portables, headphones, etc. I still subscribe, and enjoy the mag

I actually find the TV reviews handy as we are considering a new one. But multiple sources, e,g. Which? Magazine, hifi News, etc are helpful too.

 

[lpv]

Magazines are just vehicles for selling advertising.

 

[lpv]

More night shift workers, or do you guys just wake up in the night and reach for the laptop/tablet instinctively?

do you read the actual posts or the time it was posted?

I read this forum mostly on my night shifts to kill time or sometimes weekends like today.

 

[keeper of the quays]

Magazines are just vehicles for selling advertising.

Perhaps advertising is a vehicle to sell magazines?

 

[drummerman]

Magazines are just vehicles for selling advertising.

They're also sources of information.

 

[TrevC]

Review quote.

"You should definitely audition this revealing and dynamically exciting"

Guess what?

 

[lpv]

Magazines are just vehicles for selling advertising.

They're also sources of information.

any examlpes? any?

 

[drummerman]

Magazines are just vehicles for selling advertising.

They're also sources of information.

any examlpes? any?

Uuh?

 

[nopiano]

Review quote.

"You should definitely audition this revealing and dynamically exciting"

Guess what?

. HDMI cable?

 

[lpv]

Magazines are just vehicles for selling advertising.

They're also sources of information.

any examlpes? any?

Uuh?

BS and information are 2 different things.

 

[drummerman]

Magazines are just vehicles for selling advertising.

They're also sources of information.

any examlpes? any?

Uuh?

BS and information are 2 different things.

ok

 

[Edbo2]

Bought the May edition of the mag the other day.

First time in years.

Was pretty shocked at its contents. With so many products being released and due (Bristol show proving the hifi 'world' is in rude health) why so little hifi content?

I know the mag title as changed over the years to aim at a wider demographic, why is not the avalanche of hifi kit coming or recently released not being tested/reviewed.

The Musical Fidelity M3si or the New Mission LX range of speakers or all the kit shown at Bristol 2015 etc. for example.

Even the buyers guide is now seriously compromised compared to its former glory.

Only 6 amps under a grand get a mention. So unable to compare with kit a few years old regards ratings.

What's going on?

WHF has less pages than it used to have. It has dropped Readers Queries and Readers Forums sections which I found informative. The magazine has to balance attracting advertising revenue and product reviews. It is no good jeopardising lucrative advertising contracts with negative opinions of products. Reading Which? magazine on electrical products sometimes contradicts WHF's ratings.

 

[plastic penguin]

They've always said that gear needs to be sent to them for review, they don't acquire the items themselves. Perhaps fewer manufacturers are doing so because anything less than a five star rating is damaging. Perhaps the What Hifi review and star rating system is a victim of its own success. I can see the star system being dropped or changed in time to encourage more submissions.

That's pretty much spot on. WHFI have on occasions purchased or borrowed stuff from local dealers and the former are usually sold months later on auction sites: AVI 9Rs are the ones that spring to mind - Clare was promoting the s/hand pair on here.

There's more going on that's [probably] influencing the content of the magazine: Unlike most mags WHFI cover a wide band of components; Mag competition has become stronger. Other mags were either reletive fringe publications are now bettering WHFI when it comes to two-channel equipment; online reviews are becoming almost the norm and so and so forth.

Also, reviews are only guides. Anyone who thinks otherwise are either misguided or gullible - or both.

I'm curious ref the 'more that's going on....'

Your last paragraph begs the question - why do you come here?

And I'm not being confrontational when I say that.

I haven't read your post as confrontational. No probs.

Why do come on here? Like a handful of other regulars, to try and help, if possible, those who ask a question about hi-fi. If I can help I will otherwise I breeze past the post or question.

Any suggestions I put forward are... suggestions, hence why I nearly always say "dem the products..."

 

[keeper of the quays]

Magazines are just vehicles for selling advertising.

They're also sources of information.

any examlpes? any?

Uuh?

BS and information are 2 different things.

one mans rubbish is another's treasure!