Why is the mag so good??

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roger06

Well-known member
Dec 23, 2007
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OK, really trying hard not to be obsequious and swell heads at What Fi Hi, but I was thinking what talent it must take to produce such a readable magazine which, at the end of the day, is fundamentally a buying information source.

I think there's a real synergy between the editorial style, the quality of reviews and other general content which, for me and certainly countless others, results in a thoroughly enjoyable read whether one's in the the market for a new bit of kit or not. I pick up other hi fi mags from time to time but never make it to the news agent's counter to buy and certainly wouldn't subscribe...

To put into perspective, I'm also into digital photography and subscribed to a well known digital SLR mag. Now this is far less of a 'buyer's guide' and more a learning / enthusiasts' resource. Each month both mags would fall on the mat around the same time, the photo mag being flicked thorough and bunged in the 'read later, but never actually bother' pile, whereas What Hi Fi is read, then read again, then reread until the next issue comes.

So there we go - 100% praise. We're not all miserable in this country...
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Why thank you.

Incidentally, we're working on making the mag and website work even harder - based on a lot of feedback from these Forums and elsewhere. Watch this space...
 
I must say that I'm usually finished with the magazine in about 20 minutes simply because apart from the reviews in the first half of the magazine, the second half of the magazine is the same 're-hashed' Buyers Guide, bar a few updates and adverts.

It takes a month to get to me and it provides so little in reading entertainment, what more with the new website, which for most people would suffice, without the need for a paid subscription.

This is my personal view and is not a complaint but a constructive criticism.
 
It might interest you to know that the Buying Guide at the back of the magazine is being competely revamped (off the back of the new database we built for the website), and as a result will be packed with even more technical data, but will actually take up less space.

So that will free more pages at the front of the magazine for news, reviews and features. Editor-in-chief Ms Newsome has been picking our brains of late to work out how the magazine can offer something a bit different from the website, so we're not resting on our laurels...
 
I must add also that I rarely buy it nowadays (it costs me about £8 for a start!", and that is mainly because of...
1. The predominance of AV.
2. The lack of computer based hifi (the future).

The Squeezebox duet review was very very poor. Such an important new format (and one of a few) with such little space was an oportunity lost IMO.
 
OK, some feedback from me.

I remember WHF from many years ago, and I understand the convergence that has been happening over the last 10 years but it disappoints me that there is an ever decreasing amount of hifi in the mag.

It's all very well having TV/AV and the increasing amount of MP3/4 focus and I understand the marketplace to an extent, but hifi is being whittled down. And as by far the leading authority on the subject with a circulation of 5 times that of your nearest competitor, and your focus on the mainstream end of hifi anyway, I have to say that WHF(SAV) needs to keep the hifi element or you will just become A.N.Other jack of all trades magazine. It's a reciprocal thing and more devotion is needed to music, be it separates or iPod based. The less you print, the less interest there will be. Your competition is quite small really, HFN are very technical and appeal to the real nerds, HFC is a quality publication that unfortunately doesn't get the credit it deserves, and you as part of a well respected and loved 'What' brand need to lead.

I really enjoy the mag, but it seems every month it's a shorter and shorter read. I have a plasma and I know that Pioneer does the best blacks, Panny are always good and the others aspire but blimey it's boring (and well covered in other mags, and dare I say it Currys, Comet, Dixons, Argos et al).

I have mentioned this before and been told that you are simply reacting to the marketplace, but surely you can see from this forum that the vast majority of people are music based be it vinyl, MP3, CD, surround. TVs are comparatively commodity items, and the future of WHF is in the former rather than the latter. I'll make an analogy in the football supporters market in that many true fans and where the passion lies are being alienated, and your market will slowly but surely erode until all you have left is the occasional buyer as opposed to the hardcore subscribers.

Not to mention the devastating effect you will have on the smaller manufacturers that make hifi one of the only remaining sectors that has a plethora of smaller companies producing niche products.

That's my tenpounds worth (well inflation is running quite high these days), and given the situation with the economy there are some hard times ahead and I'd be very sad to see the only survivors as the multinationals like Sony, Sharp, Panasonic, Samsung...let's look after the Naims, the Arcams, the NADs, the ProAcs, the PMCs, the Neats etc and restore WHF to being the people's champion again rather than in no-mans land like I feel you are at the moment. Are you a specialist title or a slave to short-term profit? Only the former will work long-term in this industry, or it will disappear.
 
I have had an opportunity to get hold of some back issues from your competitors and while their magazines may not have the glossy sheen and may infact look plain - in terms of pure content, there is so much more to read and enjoy as far as 2 channel hi-fi is concerned.

I hope, as Andy as pointed out, that every effort goes into improving the magazine to the same standards as that of your website, which is by far, the best at the moment - congratulations on that!

I'd like to echo the same sentiments for the magazine, but I'm afraid I can't. As it stands at the moment, it is lagging far behind.

I do not want to have to subscribe to these magazines but I may have to as WHF appears to be diminishing in reading content and entertainment value for me.

I may be just one insignificant subscriber but that's my view, nevertheless.
 
I think your missing the point about the buying guide EW....whilst hard core enthusiasts may buy every issue ...many people buy the mag occasionally when they are about to purchase a new piece of equipment - the buying guide to them is probably the most important part of the mag.

... Even the adverts can be illuminating when your looking around to see what's available on the market. (and how much do think the mag would cost without adverts??)
 
JetJohnson - If you're an occassional buyer, it's different. You go to a store, flip through the pages and decide there and then if you want it or not.

I am a paid subscriber. I await in anticipation for the next issue, and usually end up being dissapointed with the contents of the magazine.

I mean - the website now has reviews, all the latest news, blogs, forums, 'how to' videos etc, so I question the value of the magazine which to me has no 'value added' benefit per se. So, while the website has been significantly enhanced, the same input has not gone into the magazine, unfortunately.

This is my personal view.
 
Andy Clough:
It might interest you to know that the Buying Guide at the back of the magazine is being competely revamped (off the back of the new database we built for the website), and as a result will be packed with even more technical data, but will actually take up less space.

So that will free more pages at the front of the magazine for news, reviews and features. Editor-in-chief Ms Newsome has been picking our brains of late to work out how the magazine can offer something a bit different from the website, so we're not resting on our laurels...

Hi my 2 pence worth....

love the magazine, yes its quick and easy to read but thats good??!

and i also see that your taking a proactive approach to improving the mag which is great to see!

top jon all round then, hope da boss says that to you guys!

Cheers
 
There are better 2-channel focused publications out there since WHFS&V went all multi-channel/AV on us, simple as. However, the website is fantastic and if you're relatively new to the world of hifi and home cinema, WHFS&V provides an excellent source of information and advice. Id imagine most hifi buffs are now purchasing other publications, but are also using this website, which is superb.

When will we see an issue of WHS&V without a large pic of an lcd/plasma on the front? The new CD6 SE from Cyrus was supposed to be the most impressive new product of the 21st century to date, but received a square inch pic space in the bottom left hand corner!
 
thfcwestlower:
The new CD6 SE from Cyrus was supposed to be the most impressive new product of the 21st century to date, but received a square inch pic space in the bottom left hand corner!

Indeed!

jules.
 
Yeah, but you can't put a picture of Jessica Alba on a CD player...
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In all seriousness though, as a fan of AV and hi-fi, love the magazine as is (though I wouldn't mind if there were a few less TV Supertests I have to say!)
 
Why not make the Cyrus the central cover image? Because all our research shows (and we've done plenty, including trialling different covers) that it'd sell a lot less copies. Having a movie/TV image on the cover engages people far more than a product shot - even if you don't know you're reacting to it, you are.

And thank you all for your feedback - having these Forums allows us to get a great idea of your issues and concerns so we can work harder to fulfill them.

We're also 'listening' to the silent majority - those who don't typically post comments here, but who spend time on other areas of the site, and react in other ways to WHF's many offerings (whether that's buying issues, subscriptions, Ultimate Guides etc) , and addressing their needs as well.

But, exciting times ahead! Keep your thoughts coming....
 
professorhat:Yeah, but you can't put a picture of Jessica Alba on a CD player...

In all seriousness though, as a fan of AV and hi-fi, love the magazine as is (though I wouldn't mind if there were a few less TV Supertests I have to say!)

We're currently working on a stereo speaker Supertest for the next issue....
 
Great news, Ms Newsome. Looking forward to better things to come.
 
I'm with Evilwolf, FrOg, Joelsim & thfcwestlower on this. There's too little hifi covered in the mag; especially comparative reviews are needed to appear more often.
Personally I'd like reviews to be a little more comprehensive too- the avi ADM9 review for example is so short it leaves questions unanswered, for instance:

-what is the performance of the speakers connected to a mac and/or a pc? Is there a difference between them and cd-players?
-how would you rate the ADM9 performance against an comparative passive system, like the avi pro 9 plus amp of choice? Which one gives better VFM?
-How well does the package perform with the avi sub? Does it cure the issues you had concerning the lack of bass?
-Does the ADM9 indeed sound very good with an ipod connected; do you feel different interconnects DO make a difference on the AVI, despite the makers claiming otherwise?

Obvious questions that -i suspect- were left unanswered because of valueing quantity of reviews over quality in info providing- maybe an idea to use the website to add more info to the reviews?

EDIT: haven't been clear enough on what I mean with comparative reviewing, I was more thinking about group tests....
 
All in the gameplan.

And I would remind you that - unlike many other titles - ALL our reviews are comparative: nothing gets reviewed in isolation.

But again, thanks for the feedback, as it's all useful insight.
 
I've been a subscriber since 1997 or so, buying the magazine periodically for another decade before that. Obviously, in that time it's changed substantially; the content has widened to embrace a broader range of products.

It's less of a hi-fi magazine today than it's ever been however, but that doesn't make it a poor one. In fairness though, you could equally drop the "Hi-Fi" and just call it "What Sound and Vision" which is arguably more honest and better reflects the content.

Including the current one, the last three issues have had supertests for 37-40inch TVs, 32inch TVs and 50inch sets respectively. Last month's issue was interesting for my tastes; more hi-fi products for one thing and it was a good read. This month I had it back in the magazine rack in less than 10 minutes. 50-inch TVs, iPod docks, HDMI cables, AV receivers and £4000+ projectors. The Temptations gear was interesting - Plinius are impressive, but £18k is a shade off my buying radar and I am often wondering who this section is really aimed at? Your typical Cambridge buyer won't be topping up those coffers in a hurry...!

I took out a subscription to Hi Fi World at the turn of this year. Apart from being a well written rival, it reminds me of what WHF used to be once upon a time. I refer to it frequently over the month, something I rarely do with WHF any more. It also seems to acknowledge there are more options for buyers than Arcam, NAD, Cyrus, Roksan and the aforementioned Cambridge. The reader's requests section truly puts the WHF counterpart in the shade, yet this used to be one of the magazine's strengths by a long way.

I accept other readers will want AV / mp3, etc, but I think the majority of people are predominantly keen on traditional hi-fi (only going by this forum and not having access tot he market research data available to the team).

I'm not blind to the hi-fi coverage that does appear in the magazine, but if you'd never bought the mag before and September 2008 was your first issue, you'd struggle to connect the title with the contents I think.

Review space is minimal too - as previously outlined - the Cyrus CD6SE had more coverage but this is the exception rather than the rule typically and it'll be interesting to see how it compares to the 8SE review coming up in HFW in their forthcoming issue.

I suppose my overriding impression of WHF these days is a magazine that doesn't quite know exactly what it is! The review space is fairly minimal, there isn't really enough detail for all of the products covered and especially when more information than less is ideally required for the costs of some of these items in many cases. The Cyrus 6 review this month was a big step in the right direction and more space will be welcome, but feel free to prune some of the areas covered.

I should say I don't just want WHF to become another HFW - both magazines are different but I do think hi-fi is sometimes overlooked (the August issue excepted) to too great a degree.
 
I couldn't agree more. The heartland is being sidelined in favour of the TV crowd.

The problem with this is, once the hifi subscribers go elsewhere, those who buy the mag are either:

a) simply here for the free subscription gift
b) are interested in purchasing a telly

Hifi 'buffs' are serial upgraders and have many components to upgrade, someone who is buying a telly is buying one for a few years.

Think about it.

I also agree that my other 2 subscriptions are for magazines that last much longer and have hifi on every page. My heart sinks when reading (WHF) Sound & Vision as more than half of it isn't relevant any more, the habitual TV supertest being a case in point. In addition much of this mag is now about low-fi and it's simply for a false/transient circulation that's going to get harder and harder to maintain.

And I have been reading What HiFi for nearly 20 years now and it's losing its appeal.
 
I don't mind the magazine reviewing more than just strictly HiFi products.... It's nice to be able to see what reviewers (who actually know what HiFi should sounds like) think of various mp3 players, minisystems and receivers... I find the change of pace refreshing from the usually snotty approach to a HiFi mag, where everything else is regarded as mass market and low fi...

What I think needs to be done is to find a good balance... so that WhatHiFi has enough actual HiFi reviews to please Hardcore Audionuts and everything else to appease the other consumers... The mag also needs to balance between what casual readers want (long buying guides - so they can pick up any issue and get a full recap) and what regulars (subscribers) want (more fresh reviews) ... My thought is to seriously cut the Buyer's Guide, just give highlights for price categories and give a link to this website for consumers wanting more detail... Then use that reclaimed space to review more HiFi products (not TVs!)....
 
My Dad still buys the mag on a fairly regular basis. The last one I bought (August, I think) had a review of the Panasonic TH-42PZ81B (sorry guys, TV's again!) I'd read the review on the W(HF)SV website but still went ahead and bought the mag expecting there to be more text to scan my eyes over. I was sorely disappointed when I found I was getting the exact same review for not much change from a fiver!

I was chatting with my Dad on the phone again this evening about the mag and the 50" TV SuperTest (we found a mistake in the review?) in the latest issue. He read out the good and bad points about each set, the Pioneer unsurprisingly, came out on top.

I popped onto the website tonight (I've not visited for a week or two) and found the exact same reviews on here!

My question; is there any advantage or reason for buying the mag? As far as I can make out the only thing amiss on the website is the verdicts from group tests.

Fantastic website BTW, what's the chances of you ditching the mag and making the website a subscription service (not that I'd approve you must understand!)?

More TV reviews please, thanks
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I don't think we'll be ditching a market-leading magazine anytime soon!

In fact, as mentioned several times in this thread, we're redesigning the magazine so it'll offer more - both to those who also peruse our reviews online (which will continue to be freely available) and to those who prefer to do all their reading offline.

There are still many things a mag can do/places it can go that a website can't...
 
Thanks for reading our gripes Clare - will there be any likelihood that the Buying Guide might include the much missed section on cartridges alongside the turntable section? Pretty integral to the whole vinyl replay scene and there's been a near glut of new cartridges this past 12 months or so. Okay, a good few anyway! It would be useful to cater for that too.
 
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