Life Saver (What Hi-Fi)

Member Name: Pingu

Product:	What Hi-Fi
Date:	29/06/01 (122 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Just what you need, No unnecessary rubbish

Disadvantages: None

I'm not one of those people who make more of a hobby of collecting the latest equipment than they do of doing anything with it. I don't need the latest stuff - in fact if formats didn't change all the time I don't think I'd ever buy another thing until mine melted down through overuse.

But the time finally came when, as a composer, I had to acknowledge that surround is probably the future, and that I ought to be writing tracks in 5.1. I monitor my computer through my Hi-Fi, because I can't afford to own a separate Hi-Fi and studio equipment, so when I decided to go surround I started getting out the Hi-Fi mags rather than computer music mags...

...And after some trawling I realised that if I'd started with What Hi-Fi I wouldn't have had to look anywhere else. (Of course I looked on DooYoo first, but some of the A/V amps I was considering haven't found their way on to the site yet.) When it comes down to it, if you're a beginner, then some sections are extremely useful, and some are an utter waste of space. Reviews belong among the useless, because they can only cover so many products, and, actually, you want to know what products are out there, not how one or two of them shape up. Which is where this mag differed from the others I tried. Lots of mags are dedicated almost entirely to reviews of products you can't afford, or don't want. You could subscribe for months without being any wiser about a product you're considering buying. With What Hi-Fi, more than half the magazine is dedicated to a comprehensive Buyer's Guide, where all previously reviewed products are listed by category, and given a score from 1 to 5. OK I never take ratings too seriously -after all it's me the product has to please, not the reviewer - but if I'm considering buying something and it only gets a 2 then I might think again.

Added to this is a section advising you on what you need to set up a Hi-FI; ad
vice on combining products, acoustics, where to shop, etc. It runs every month, so no need to go out and buy back issues if you're starting from scratch and know nothing. And pages of ads from some of the most competetively priced dealers around, for when you've made your mind up.

You just cannot go wrong. Do go listen to the products, rather than just buying them because the magazine says they're the best thing since sliced bread, but, used with some common sense, this magazine is a brilliant resource.

Summary: