| Product: |
Hi Fi World |
| Date: |
15/05/01 (297 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Excellent reviews, Classics section, DIY
Disadvantages: Trying too hard?
Hi-Fi World has never been the most fashionable of Hi-Fi magazines and whilst it contains reviews which on the whole agree with the other press it has never been afraid to test those products which others did not.
Some magazines, such as stereophile, would never dream of reviewing kit that doesn't cost in excess of a year's wages. Others, (see the What Hi Fi comments) are too scared of losing advertising revenue to consider other manufacturers. Hi fi World has a better (if not perfect) mix of budget/hi end equipment, old and new, valve and transistor technology.
Perhaps in an effort to make themselves different they now include 'Computer Audio' such as MP3 players and PC sound cards. I, personally, hardly read this section as i do not have a PC but for anyone who has an interest i cannot think of another mag that reviews the sound quality of PC kit with reference to Hi Fi qualities.
The reviwers can sometimes be valve biased but i get the feeling this comes from a genuine belief in valves rather than the need to be different. Their Classics section does however seem to show that they believe old HiFi had certain merits over the modern 'boom n blow' stuff.
The other section of note is their DIY sections. Although these are heavily biased towards their own kits (which they sell inside the mag), as a long time HiFi nut, I find their reviews of speaker and amplifier kits to be very interesting. This is a part of HiFi that not enough people have considered and could cure people of Upgradeitis and turn their obsession into a real hobby.
You can pick up some real bargains in their 2nd hand section.
Its also cheaper than the rest! In conclusion, keep up the good work but don't try too hard to be different, you're good as you are.
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