"Robert Morein" wrote in message
...

"cwvalle" wrote in message
.com...

Bob i agree with many of your points and i think they are well made.
One point you do not make, and i think is important, is that the
condition
of Stereophile, and of high end in general, is partly due to a turn in
attention by the public to other entertainments.

i certainly agree that home theatre is dumbed down, but it is also
expensive. Computers, sat. TV, and other home electronics now compete
for
attention and funds.

This is all true, and it is so accepted as an explanation that one could
argue that there is nothing Atkinson can do. The inevitable tide of
history,
one might say.

John may accept this, but I say, if there's a game to be played, play it
to
the end.
As currently composed, Stereophile is as comforting as a brandy snifter, a
refuge from a hard day's work at a high paying but emotionally unrewarding
job. Doctors, executives, etc., have been the backbone of the circulation
(John, correct me here, if you wish); people with enough disposable income
to be tempted by the pricey offerings contained therein.

The magazine almost deliberately excludes those with the "active impulse";
the desire to tinker; even if it means somewhat less than picking up a
soldering iron. The only elements that appealed to the tinkerer were the
"tweaks", ie., retail-packaged items, frequently of dubious worth,
designed
to satisfy the impulse, without doing much good or much harm.

Conflict is almost completely absent from the magazine, except in the
letters to the editor. It's very civilized. Ironically, this newsgroup may
be a competitor, because those of us who "perform" here are vociferously
noisy.

The image of a successful magazine is considered the mark of high talent.
As
an enterprise, Stereophile rose remarkably high, and that is all due to
John's successful craft and maintenance of the image. He's probably saying
to himself, "Bob, you think you're so smart, but I did it, and you're just
a
Monday morning quarterback!"

And he's right.




I think JA is beyond name calling and would consider your points, well made
as they are. You know we do get tired, and he is successful. Perhaps it is
that. But really, since all of this stuff became consumer grade toss out
junk (I am refering to the consumer lines), much energy has left the field.
I remember when you could build a knight kit or a dynaco and feel as though
you had done something, but i think those days are gone. Still, there are
some tube kits, and some not so kits available, and I suppose Stereophile
could cover that area.

Hey Mr. Atkinson! Would you like me to write a series of pieces on
alternatives to manufactured goods?

Carl