Reviews (13)

Pretty good but not the best
This magazine is pretty average as far as outdoor photography goes. If you're a beginner or hobbyist, I recommend trying out a subscription for a year or two, as much of the information and features are geared toward the amateur photographer -- establishing technique, lighting tips, etc. For a more serious or experienced photographer, this publication is really only interesting about 1-2 issues a year. The photographs are good, but few are examples to aspire to or admire. There are others out there to take example from - "Nature Photographer" does a better job, and so does "Outside" magazine.

The Best Magazine Dedicated to Outdoor Photography
Outdoor Photographer is the essential how-to and where-to magazine for the outdoor photographer. I would recommend it for all levels of photographic skill, although most discussions of technique are suited to intermediate to advanced skill levels. There is only occasional discussion of the most basic techniques, as would benefit beginners. There are, however, so many great ideas on where and what to photograph that I think beginners can get a lot out of the magazine as well. And you won't be a beginner for long. The "outdoor" in the title does not refer exclusively to nature photography. Most of the magazine is dedicated to nature photography,but there are frequent articles on travel, location, and other sorts of outdoor photography, as well.

In Outdoor Photographer you will find how-to articles on lighting, exposure, filters, gear, preparing yourself and your gear for the elements -be they arctic cold or rain forest heat and humidity, along with some advice specifically for digital cameras and the digital darkroom. And you will find this information for everything from close-up to landscape photography. Outdoor photographer focuses primarily on 35 mm photography, with an occasional article on medium format. The discussions of exposure, lighting and locations are applicable to all formats of photography, however. And there is George Lepp's monthly question and answer column for those questions on just about any photographic or digital imaging subject that are not answered elsewhere.

And now for the best part. Outdoor Photographer tells you where to get great outdoor photographs. "Favorite Places" is a one-page feature in every issue that tells you about a great place in the United States to photograph, what there is to see, and what time of the year is best. Be sure to save those in case you ever have the time and means to visit them all. In addition to "Favorite Places" there are featured articles in every issue that detail a place to photograph, how to get there, what to take, what to photograph, etc., frequently written by well-known nature photographers and accompanied by some of their terrific photographs. I counted 3 such articles in the last issue of OP that I received. If you are a photographer or hobbiest who is able to travel a lot, Outdoor Photographer is a terrific bargain just for the locations. And if you don't travel much, it will help you photograph your backyard and local parks and gardens well.

Very unbalanced coverage!
If you want a generalized photography magazine that covers protraiture, product, glamour, or wedding/events photo techniques...read the cover before you buy this magazine. If you want a fine instructional magazine devoted to outdoor and travel photography, there may not be a better one in print. Filled with beautiful photos that, more often than not, have details about equipment/settings used to make them and where they were taken. I've been a subscriber for years and will continue.

A How-To Magazine for Creating Cliches
The typical photo magazine aimed at amateurs is 90% about equipment and 10% about art. And that's a very sucessful formula, as most amateur "photographers" are really equipment junkies and not artists.

Outdoor Photographer is more like 50:50 gear and technique. There's still a lot of equipment writing- which tripod, which lens and so forth- but a significant amount of editorial space is devoted to technique as well. Unfortunately most of it is about creating the same stale and hackneyed nature photos that fill the pages of this and other magazines: Heavily filtered, over saturated color images of senic vistas that make for nice posters but say very little about the subject.

In some sense the notion of there being an "outdoor" genre of photography is rather silly; can you imagine a magazine called "Indoor Photography"? Good photographers are good photographers, and can see images wherever they are- and with whatever equipment they use. For every Ansel Adams who obsesses over technique there's a Cartier-Bresson, who couldn't be troubled to get his exposures quite right, and truth be told, Cartier-Bresson was the better of the two when it came to art.

NOT packed with advertisments!
I have looked at many photography magazines - many of them are just filled with ads....not what an amateur is looking for. I wanted indepth articles, helpful tips and information to help me improve my craft. I found it here. I read every issue cover to cover and back again. I find helpful information in every issue. I highly recommend this magazine - even if you aren't purely an "outdoor" photographer. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Banjo Newsletter
As a newcomer to playing the banjo (< 1 year), I find the Banjo Newletter to be a wealth of information about the 5 string banjo and the various styles. They also review banjo teaching aids (books, CD's, DVD's etc.) as well as recent releases of CD's of interest to the banjo world. Each issue has a large range of articles for all interests, including interviews with musical celebrities, and lots of songs in tablature format. The paper newletter is supplemented with a very robust web site with MP3's that can be downloaded. This is very helpful to hear the timing of various licks. You can also order older newsletters with interviews or songs of interest.
All in all, the money for the subscription is money very well spent. The banjo newsletter authors really love their work and it shows! Keep up the excellent newsletter!

This is the best
This has to be the best on-going publication for five string banjo players in the world. If you have a question, it will probably be answered in Banjo Newsletter. Songs, tabs, licks, interviews, tips, tricks, you name it. If it has anything to do with the five string banjo it will be in Banjo Newsletter. Truly a labor of love presented by people who want to see this wonderful part of Americana remain alive and not flushed down the toilet. Highly recommended.

THE magazine for 5-stringers
I really don't have much to say except that if you love playing the 5-string banjo then you will find something of interest and amusement in every issue of BNL. It is a real bargain and clearly a labor of love of its editors and writers.

Great Resource!
I love this magazine! Interesting articles, great bits of tab for advanced and beginner alike. A terrific magazine for the dedicated banjo player. ... Read more

Abstract

Formerly called Popular Photography.
... Read more

Reviews (14)

one of the staples of photography
Popular Photography seems to be one of the magazines that all photographers subscribe to (the only one I've found more professionals subscribe to is Shutterbug). The magazine is full of product reviews and technical articles, and there is a column on just about every area of photography. One major fault of the magazine is that about a third to half the magazine is advertising and mail order shops. It's good to know where to go if you want to purchase a new camera, but it can be a bit much. The other fault is that there are no articles covering the artists or any nontechnical issues. This magazine has a lot of potential to be useful to the photographer, but you often times find it falling a bit short.

Too many ads! Not enough info on improving photos!
I was a little disaapointed in this magazine... over half of the magazine is ads..... there are maybe 4-5 main articles in each issue.... just seems a little light on subject matter.... would love to see more on getting better photos in tough situations... new technology and overall more information on photography....if you like to check out the ads on new photography equipment then you'll love this magazine... otherwise I say pass....

garbage
I am cross posting this most of these photo magazines are published by the same company under a different name. I have read them ALL!

First, 77%+ of this magazine is advertisements. That leaves under 25% of material. The material that does remain is bare minimum informational and tends to just show "pretty photos". Coverage on camera gear appears skewed since EVERYTHING is GREAT. This leads me to believe advertisers sway them.

In short, this is an advertising pamphlet with a cover price. If you need information, typing "photography" in any search engine will give you more information in 30 seconds then a 10 year subscription.

I wrote the main company about the 77% issue and they stated that they are aware of the amount of advertisement and quoted a percentage higher then I stated. That this was necessary to continue producing a magazine of this quality.

Quality? OK, if this is quality then I don't know what to say other then the semi professional magazines are free of charge from the publishers, contain actual subjective information, and are produced on high quality paper with fewer than 30% advertising.

Not a big fan of the magazine...
Very basic info in every issue. Ok for someone who has never used a camera but not very useful for someone who wants to expand creatively and technically.

to begin and continue with
i heard of this magazine even before i came to this country and it never disappointed me ever since i subscribed it. i valued it most among other photography magazines i subscribed to. the reason is that i find this magazine have "real stuff". for equipment, it has a detailed and objective test. the articles are not just obscure evaluation u find elsewhere, for instance, it once said:"...based on our field and lab test, this amateur lens gives a better performance than its professional counterpart...", whereas in other magazines, what u find probably is "this lens is good, and that one is nice...". for photo tips, it is more insightful than just "sunny 16" or "always use a tripod". u can find the photographer's own consideration as to why put the composition this way but not that. in all, i think this magazine is for anyone who is interested in photography to begin and continue with ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I love guitar one
i love the lessons in the book on soloing and other stuff.I also perfer it over Guitar World because it has more sheet music. It includes articals about what equpment, FX, Guitars, Ect. famous guitarist use, top ten list. And all this for 5 bux (an issue). Last it has about 6 peices of sheet music but if you go to a store or something sheet musics like ten bucks but in this you get a magazine and 6 peices of sheet music.

Great source of guitar tab
The main reason I subscribe to Guitar One over Guitar World is the number of songs in each issue. I found myself rarely reading the instructional articles in GW, but always turning to the guitar tab in the middle. Guitar One has all the good parts of GW, plus at least 6 songs per issue. Its always full of good interviews with top bands and guitarists, plus lots of sneak previews of the bands that are going to be hitting it big soon. I've subscribed for several years now, and I have kept every single issue.

An OK mag, useful web site too
There's about five billion guitar (bass, drums, stereo [insert your own]) magazines on the market, all of them are vendor-hype infested with very little useful information otherwise. This one isn't different, no worse no better. It's got a useful web site, btw, if you're looking for some gear info, that is. There's some music in the mag too, but as is always the case with mags like that, it's way too primitive to be of much interest. In general, I find British magazines of the same sort (Guitarist, Guitar Techniques, Computer Music, etc.) better, even if not by much -- better written, more informative, more pleasing graphically, with a CD attached (better hear once than read 1000 times, at least in this area... plus you get for free the presenters on the CD speaking with the nasty British accent that you can then rip, rearrange as needed, and use for your answering machine.)

OK, that said, all these mags are little different from a vendors' digest delivered to your door at your cost.

Guitar Enthusias of the century !!!
I like this magazine cause it let me get tips on how to play guitar in a different way. A great magazine for folks who want to learn. I recommend this to folks cause it helps you to see what other folk are doing in term of technique of playing guitar. Great magazine !!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

ENTERATE DE FORMA SERIA
Si,de forma seria que sucede en el resto del mundo!Bellisimas fotografias,buena redaccion.Transporta al lugar o tema del que se trata en el articulo.Es un revista que documenta sobre temas actuales y dice mas que el titulo. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The same songs tabbed over and over again
I've read this magazine since I first picked up a guitar in 1989. Since then, it's had its ups and downs, as it tends to follow the latest trends. In 1989 the focus was hair metal; in 1992 it was thrash. It 1995 it was in a slump of four chord songs and songs that appeared in previous issues. I believe "Crazy Train", "Walk", "Free Bird" and "Crossroads" have probably each appeared about a dozen times since 1990. My subscription ran out in the late 90's, but I keep an eye out for it on the news stands. It's currently in another slump, one where the tabs are typically either nu-metal, garage rock like The Vines, or the aforementioned reprints. However, all is not lost; there are still good columns, although the interviews aren't that great anymore. And I think that there was an At The Gates song in there not too long ago.
The bottom line is, buy it from the news stands when you see songs that you like in it. That way you can choose the best from the competition (which tends to tab the same songs at the same time, even the classic rock ones).

Excellent Magazine.
This is my favorite magazine, by far. If you play guitar, this is a must-have. It is, in my opinion, better than its "rival", Guitar One, because the articles are more interesting, the songs also include basslines along with the guitar tabs, and it has VERY helpful articles by rock stars like Kirk Hammett(Metallica), Dimebag Darrell(Pantera), Tony Rambola(Godsmack), and others that show different playing techniques along with exercises that can be very challenging. If you own a Line6 POD, the magazine includes settings for it that go along with the tabbed songs, so it sounds like the studio recording. So, if you play guitar, GET THIS!!!!!!!!! It's a good deal. Plus, Amazon's price saves you some $$$!

i love both guitar one and guitar world
i love both guitar one and guitar world, but i like guitar one a Tiny bit more. But i love both magazines

Good gone Bad
I was a gung-ho Guitar World reader from about '96-'01... my subscription ran out sometime in '03... but the quality of the publication had so seriously fallen, I didn't care to spend the money on it any longer. Guitar World has become SO mainstream that it's pretty difficult to put up with. I havn't felt that the interviews were good for a long time. It doesn't seem the interviewERS are musicians. Not much in there is for musicians anymore (just like Rolling Stone). There are tabs in there, but they generally aren't written the way the artist plays the song... I still have all of my old issues, and refer to them often, but as for the new ones... buy 'em on the stand when they've got something interesting.

Brainwashing guitarists everywhere
Guitar World is the most commercial guitar magazine you can buy. The lessons are practiaclly useless unless you are just beginning guitar. They do have good columnists (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Dickey Betts, Warren Haynes, and even John Scofield), but this magazine is mainly targeted to the mainstream audiences instead of real guitarists. What really pisses me off is having to read Zakk Wylde say "Man I Love F****** alcohol" every minute.

And what about these "greatest guitarists of all time" articles. They have people who can only play barchords being listed as one of the greatest guitarists or having the best guitar solo ever. All this magazine is, is a bunch of hype and brainwashing of the masses. ... Read more

Abstract

Published for amateur, semi-pro, and professional guitar players in the rock, blues, classical, flamenco, jazz, pop, fusion, country and new age fields.
... Read more

Reviews (20)

Still good, mostly
When GP started publication there wasn't anything else to compete with it. Now the aspiring youg guitarist has his or her pick of guitar mags, full of tab transcriptions of the latest hits and fawning interviews with pretentious guitar heros.

GP has tried to stand out form these magazine by being more about music and equipment, and to have a broader view of guitar playing, and to an extent is has succeeded. You're far more likely to find a profile of an intersting Flamenco or Brazilian guitarist in GP than in one of the other mags, and while you won't find fully tabbed out songs, GP is far more likely to deliver an article that goes into some depth on theory and application. In that sense, GP is more for musicians, and the other guitar magazines are mostly for teens looking to cover their favorite bands.

GP isn't always great. Some issues are completely devoid of anything that interests me, and there's far too much punk and shred guitar for my tastes. But a subscription is ridiculously cheap; I don't mind if I only find something of use in as few as half the issues I receive.

Some Diverse Guitar Coverage
I've been subscribing for a couple of years now. The quick laundry list:
1. My favorite bit is there tends to be a diverse selection of guitar players and lessons. One month may be jazz heavy, another may be blues heavy, and sometimes there is even some punk/metal stuff thrown in. As a player I enjoy blues and metal, but I enjoy the diversity as it spawns ideas. Also note that while there are main stream guitarists covered there are also a lot of more obscure folks covered as well.

2. Yes there are a lot of ads. Show me a magazine that isn't loaded with ads these days tho'.

3. Yes there are a lot of gear reviews. Great if you're a gear head - not so good if you could care less. Usually at least 50% reviews 50% lessons, sometimes more on the review side.

4. I've been playing for a few years now and find most of the lessons are generally intermediate to advanced and assume you are fairly well versed in music theory. I don't count myself as an extraordinary guitar player though. I ended up buying a few music theory books to help me understand the lessons after a few issues. Frustrating but a great challenge!

5. No there are no tabs of the latest or oldest hits out there. Everything in this magazine revolves around learning to make music, not copy somebody else note for note.

All in all a decent enough magazine. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 just because I'm a bit against all the gear reviews and the lessons are sometimes too brief or vague to be useful for me.

So-So
This is a good magazine not the best. I like transcriptions but doesnt have them. The gear reviews are good it helped me buy an effect station. Overall I give it a three.

P.S. I think Brandon was talking about guitar one. I know that has a riff box.

Great tip
Interviews, tips on playing and gear, lessons. all around great.

Don't subscribe unless you like junk mail and telemarkets
I subscribed in 2001 through amazon.com and choose not to re-subscribe. I have received at least 2 phone calls a month from telemarketers and numerous mail solicitations for guitar player magazine to re-subscribe since my subscription ended. Even worse I have received three invoices from Ebsco Enterprises (I just received my third invoice today which is why I am posting this message) stating that I had contacted them by phone to subscribe even though I did no such thing. I have asked repeatedly by phone and certified mail to have my name removed from the telemarketer's list and guitar players as well only to have the cycle start over again in three months.

Bottom line is this magazine is just out to get your money, if you're serious about playing guitar your better off hanging out with other guitar players or taking lessons rather than wasting your money on advertisements, gear porn, one or two interesting articles each month, and the trill of junk mail and late night telemarketer phone calls. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Great Bass Player's Resource
Bass Player features successful bass players every month. The subject matter is wide ranging. Towards the front of the magazine, there is a new gear section that gives a short description and thumbnail picture of new products such as effects pedals, speaker cabinets, strings, and what have you. Usually the magazine cover shot will be the main story where the magazine will give background information on a bass player and then interview him/her. One month you might find Paul McCartney, the next, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the interview, the reader gets insight into the mind of working successful musicians and how they shape musical bass standards with their vision. Towards the back of the magazine, there are in-depth reviews of three or four pieces of musical equipment; always included are a bass guitar, often a bass amp, and speakers, strings, and pedals.

As you get further to the back, there are many lessons geared towards teaching the aspiring bass player how to do certain techniques they might have heard on a recording, as well as technical exercises to improve technique. One month, you may have a guest columnist teaching you about how to hold your hand over the fretboard on an upright, and the next, you may get lessons on how to keep better tempo with the drummer. This section is very valuable and pertinent to anyone aspiring to improve their playing style. Peppered throughout the magazine are ads from all the industry manufacturers and retailers advertising a broad spectrum of supplies available, as well as internet links to those products. These ads themselves are educational as they give the musician a chance to compare product specifications and pricing. If I had any requests from this magazine, it would be--how about a small humor section or a cartoon?

This magazine is a must-have for both the seasoned professional and the aspiring newbie. I never miss an issue and I learn something every time I read a new Bass Player. I always look forward to the next issue with great enthusiasm. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to this one today! :-)

Fabulous magazine for bass players
While many music rags limit there coverage to new and hip artists, while providing lots of song transcriptions, Bass Player is focused on teaching. The artists surveyed are always eclectic and exciting, and the lessons challenging and intriguing. In all, the focus of the magazine seems to me to be the philosophy of music, and is consistently intelligent and articulate. Every serious bass player would benefit from a couple of copies of this magazine.

Where's My Mag?
We have been waiting since August....OF LAST YEAR!!!
The check has cleared...you have all of our information....what are you waiting for?
Let's see...it has now been 5 MONTHS!!!!!!!
Did you rip us off?

For Metalheads and Punks
While BP does do the occasional article on a straight-ahead jazz player or upright player, most of the editorial content (and what seesm like 90% of the cover photos) are deoted to the tattooed, pierced and punked up shredder of the month. Sure, there's actually a colum devoted to upright playing- sort of- but overall this is a magazine for young rockers. For them, it's great. For me... I'm still looking.

the ULTIMATE bass magazine!!!
The best bass magazine out there!
You `ll find anything you need every month...famous artists,gear reviews,lessons...everything!!!
I `ve been reading this mag` from age 14 (10 years of bass playing)and it helped me in my playing in many ways.
It`s simply the ultumate magazine of bass guitar.
Nuff said! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The Only Photography Magazine I've Ever Loved!
I must admit that although I love photography, and have been taking pictures for decades, I've never actually liked reading photo magazines...until I got into digital cameras, and read back issues of this magazine. I love this magazine! It's answered so many of my digital photography questions, and has loads of product info on cameras, printers, scanners, etc. It also keeps you updated on all the new prodcuts coming out.

The reviews of products are not for those who want hard hitting criticism, however. They seem to believe it's best not to come right out and say something is not the best about a product, and this very well may be ad money talking. But I personally don't believe this is such a bad thing--most products have those who love it and those who hate it. I just hope PC Photo refuses to review a product that has MAJOR problems.

I've been into digital photography for 6 months, so I guess I'm still a beginner. But for some reason I doubt I'll outgrow this magazine. I've read more advanced digital photography mags, and they don't interest me. This one suits me best, and probably always will. It keeps me up to date, and is not too complex. I'd rather be taking pictures than reading about how to do so.

One word of warning about subscriptions--I got a 4 year subscription of this mag for a very low price at eBay. After the max. time of delivery--16 weeks--I still had yet to receive an issue. I have never received an issue from that seller--tonycia1. You can't leave feedback after 16 weeks, and both eBay and PayPal refuse to do anything about the situation after 16 weeks. That's one reason I left eBay. So, be careful of getting magazine subscriptions off of eBay.

Decent for rank beginners and reading ads, not much else
This is a great magazine for two groups of people, absolute beginners and people that like to read advertisements from photo shops.

It's not that it's really a bad magazine. The one or two actual articles in each issue are usually pretty good. They are usually written in a style aimed squarely at absolute beginners in most cases. The two or three monthly columns are usually somewhat interesting as well.

However, the "reviews" of cameras and other photo equipment in each issue can hardly be classified as reviews. They are basically expanded versions of the press release given by the company. I can't recall one "review" they have printed that ever said anything remotely negative about a camera in the magazine, which is rather suspicious.

And, as with most other Photo magazines, about 1/2 of each issue is devoted to advertisements from Photo equipment retailers, more than a few of which are of dubious reputation.

That being said, I do enjoy the magazine at times. It's good for about a 15-20 minute read each month at most. The only reason I did not give the magazine a lower score is due to the fact that I receive the magazine at a greatly reduced price. If I had to pay the actual subscription price listed here, I would probably award it 2 stars if not 1.

Tutorials are Great
I love digital photography. I'm always looking for new ways to edit and share my photos. This magazine provides great tutorials and information on dealing with digital photography. After reading an article I find myself saying : "I didn't know I could do that with my camera!". This magazine is a must for anyone interested in digital photography.

Best PC Photo magazines
This is one of the best magazine for learning how to take great pictures with your digatal camara.

Beginning Digital Photography
This magazine is great for beginning to intermediate digital camera users. I think that it is especially great for beginners. There are articles about how to choose the right camera for your purpose and about what all the specifications mean. There are question and answer sections that answer a broad range of questions including how to avoid common computer errors and how to format different digital devices. I like the photo editing tips, which explain some of the more elusive aspects of most digital photo editing programs and how to use them. The photo-editing program described most often is adobe photoshop and photoshop elements; however, quick advice is also give about how to apply these tips to other programs. For more advanced film camera users, there are tips for how to make the same quality image with a digital camera and stories of professional photographers who have switched to digital. However, most professional photographers will use macs to edit their photos rather than PCs and more advanced photo editing software. Mostly this magazine caters to amateur photographers and the lower end photo-editing programs that are most often used. There are also reviews of new gadgets, which are often fun to read, and plenty of market place like advertising in the back. This magazine is what it advertises and nothing more. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Solid But Not the Best
HOME THEATER was once the earliest to devote themselves exclusively to home theater video gear. Unfortunately, the somewhat wacky, full-of-personality magazine was replaced with a much more boring corporate version when it was sold to a bigger publishing house.

It is a solid magazine but that may not be enough these days when TV and video systems range from a minimum of 4 figures to over 6 figures. Even if you're not planning on buying a $100k system, you want to know what is available in the highest end system so you can scale down and ultimately feel you are getting the best value for your money at your price point. (If you're not building an HD setup with surround, there's not that coverage anyway in any mag not just HOME THEATER).

You want knowledgeable testing so you know what you might be willing to trade in for buying something a few $k less ... and you want to feel confident that you've been presented all the choices and then you can decide what factors to trade off and in terms of costs.

Compared to PERFECT VISION magazine, HOME THEATER comes up way short. HOME THEATER mag does cover more topics (also published more often) so if are interested in seeing more photos and blurbs about lots of AV gear, it's a fine complement to PERFECT VISION magazine - just don't expect the depth or breadth in testing and knowledge about high-end video gear.

If you're just starting out in your decision process in HD sets and perhaps other home video electronics gear, then HOME THEATER is a solid place to start to learn the basics. Then you will want to add PERFECT VISION magazine. As I noted in that review, HOME THEATER is in the ballpark of PERFECT VISION but in the sense that PERFECT VISION is the star and HOME THEATER is a utility infielder - still useful, just not indespensible.

Excellent information
From a professional perspective, Home Theater magazine consistently provides me with cutting edge information. Highly recommended (and excellent editorials).

Fun read... and does not take itself too seriously
This magazine is great if you enjoy reading about new equipment and audio/video software, in a rather tongue-in-cheek style. You will probably be disappointed if you are the type who truly enjoys the in-depth articles of The Absolute Sound or the old Stereophile, or if you are very proud of your latest 12 watt SET amplifier that "only" cost you $8.000.

If the subject was wine, this magazine would not spend half a page discussing whether the berry bouquet is actually raspberry or blackberry. Rather it would try to determine which of the 5 wines reviewed would be best for your next BBQ (and while doing this, crack a few jokes about the French).

the best home theater magazine out there
Out of all the home theater and audio related magazines out there, I like this one the best. Most of the audio magazines are not suitable for home theater information because they concentrate on the audio only even though they sometimes have a few articles about HT products (e.g. Audiophile). Home Theater does not have much in the way of wacky "tweaks" like placing a quarter and a dime at the edge of your speaker either, just good solid advice and information. They cover the full range of products from inexpensive bookshelf systems to custom installs and everything in between. You are sure to find good information about whatever you are using or considering.

Eye candy
For those who enjoy reading about the latest and greatest components and toys, Home Theater is the perfect magazine for you. If you are looking to narrow your search for the perfect component to your home, this will provide you a sense of what your money will buy you in terms of features and quality. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

No Blind Test Makes Blind Ears.
I use to subscribe to this magazine, but I do not anymore as they refuse to do blind tests. What are they afraid of if they claim to be audiophiles and experts? They should have no trouble with blind tests when reading their didactic reviews which is often written in an annoyingly casual and nonchalant manner. (I suppose they write like that because they might be snobs).
Often times something won't sound up to par and they will send it back to the manufacturer who (it seems to me, wiggles a lug or a spade and then grins ear to ear) and sends it back, and automatically the reviewer can instantly detect the change in sound! What ears!! Why no blind test then??

I was also disturbed at the way they describe sound like the way they describe fine wines. Well, I don't drink sound. (BTW, it is interesting to note that they do blind test to rate wines).

I could get my old Stereophile and quote you many verses describing sound and their ability to detect change, that to me, are utterly ridiculous and laughable! The slightest, most dimunitive change in equipment will be detected (the odd think is they want to know what was done to it) and out will pour a plethora of wistful adjectives describing this horrendous change in sound. Makes you wonder if they are really listening or just imagining. To top off their abilities, these people also claim speaker wires all sound different. Well, that finally blew MY top off! Blind test would prove to me if they indeed have golden ears, or just golden voices.

Read more and you'll hear better.
Stereophile belongs in my favorite magazine category. That is, "cover-to-cover read". It provides valuable insights into all facets of the audiophile world. There's good coverage of the music and equipment industries, with excellent perspectives on where they've been, where they are, and where they're going. There's plenty of equipment reports and music reviews. Outstanding columns and special reports. Even the advertising is good. I look forward to every issue.

One of my most pleasant surprises has been the number of great recordings I've discovered by reading equipment reports. In fact, I usually read them before I read the music reviews. The folks testing the equipment really know what to play to expose the strengths and weaknesses of the gear. It has really helped me build a better library of outstanding recordings. The only problem with the magazine is that it's tough to throw it out. Subscribe today, and find space on a bookshelf to save your past issues.

Suitable reviews
The reviews are suitable in that they help you keep in touch with what's happening in the audio world. There's not much here you can't find on line, but who wants to search when you can have in front of you in magazine format?

For wealthy audiophiles
I've been reading Stereophile since the early days, when it was a thin, stapled newsletter extolling the virtues of AR turntables and Dynaco amps- neither of which would even make it into Stereophile's "Class D" selections these days.

Audio magazines tend to come in one of two varieties: The measurement obsessed and the "Golden Ears". The measurement obsessed endless debate specs like THD and damping without ever stopping to test whether the measurements actually correlate with listening experience. They will endless argue the significant of .00001 THD versus .00002% THD.

The Golden Ears- and Stereophile falls into this category- believe that only extended listening can give the true measure of equipment, and that they are particularly gifted with special powers of discrimination. They sometimes look at technical data for ad hoc justifications but they never look at psychophysical data. They also believe themselves to be completely immune to the loss of hearing acuity with age that all other mortals suffer, and the shift in hearing sensitivity that comes after a few minutes of listening.

Stereophile reviewers can go on endlessly about the virtues and sins of various componants, often using an amazing vocabularly that talks about things like "a slight chalkiness in the midrange". Every year they have new favorites- usually more expensive ones- and consign old favorites to the dust bin. The more expensive something is, the better.

Personally, I don't have the wherewithall to buy $120,000 speakers and $50,000 amplifiers; I'm still listening to a pair of speakers I bought 25 years ago. What other money I do have goes into my musical instruments. But I still like to read Stereophile. It's endless amusing to find out what the latest fads in HiFi are, sometimes there's some actual technical insight, and occasionally the "Audio Cheapskate" column actually delivers something useful for mortals. And the music reviews sometimes do dig up unknown gems- I found out about King and Moore's "Potato Radio" from a Stereophile review well over a decade ago.

no technical analysis AT ALL!
As a long time subscriber to the excellent Stereo Review magazine, I decided to broaden my horizens and try Stereophile.

Big mistake. Where SR would have technical analysis and/or double blind testing with a panel, Stereophile publishes primarily the crazed meanderings of "philosophical stereophiles".
These are the folks who describe speakers, and what's worse, SPEAKER WIRE in purely literary terms. There is no pretense at accuracy or empiricism here, there is only self-delusion.
Several acousticians and engineers have tried in vain to educate the so-called 'golden ears' of stereophile and similar publications about speaker wire by pretending to switch between high-end cable. When the 'golden ears' describe huge differences between the same sections of the same song on what is ostensibly different wire, it is revealed that only cheap 12G zip cord was used the entire time.
Ditto for quality solid state amplifiers : SR did a segment years ago where they took the most expensive and acclaimed SS amps and speaker wire, and double blind tested them (using stereophiles 'golden ears' and others) with a cheap 1974 SS reciever and rusty 16G wire from someones garage.Both setups used the highest rated speakers of the time.
No one could tell the difference.

You will find no measurements or unbiased comparisons here, there is only the placebo effect. ... Read more

Abstract

Specialized articles aimed at the professional art photographer; profiles and portfolios; product reviews; computerized photography; digital imaging.
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Reviews (12)

Hackneyed
American Photo began as a magazine devoted more to photography than to gear, as an alternative to the gear obsessed magazines like Pop Photo and Photographic. It has evolved into a magazine that divides its pages between equipment obsession and cheesy "glamour" photography that tries for art and delivers soft core porn. No stars.

Arrives Tattered and Torn
I wish they would concentrate more on the art and reportage aspect of photography rather than spending so many pages on fashion-related fluff. It probably has a lot to do with who gives them the most income. I can't recommend subscribing, because each and every issue I ever got arrived tattered and torn as if someone used it to line the bottom of a hamster cage. It's no fluke; Popular Photography arrives in my mailbox in pristine condition, so why not American Photo? And forget about calling customer service to get a replacement issue. This publication is all too busy making the big bucks to listen to the little people.

Glam and Gear: Unexciting
The magazine is mostly glamour photography and gear reviews.

Even if glamour photography is what you're interested in, however, the articles are generally biographical, not instructional, in nature.

The gear reviews are typical of magazine reviews in that the reviewers don't want to bite the hand that feeds them. Consequently, virtually all reviews will be very positive, which renders them fairly useless if you want an honest feature by feature analysis and comparison to the competition. If that is what you want, find a good website (like dpreview).

If what you want is to lust after all the almost-latest gear (without actually knowing what's best) and fashion photography that you can't do (because the magazine doesn't teach you), this is your mag. Otherwise, get your gear reviews online and your fashion photography and portraiture from pro mags dedicated to those topics.

THE PERFECT PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE ALMOST
I say almost due to the fact that Aperture gives them a good run for the money. You know those photography magazines with about 10 pages of pictures and articles and the rest is advertising? This is not it! If you enjoy a magazine that delivers informative photographing techniques, get this one! If you are interested in seeing the work of other photographer's, get this magazine! If you want a hot collectible, GET THIS MAGAZINE!!! Yes there are ads in here, but not a ton of them. For you guys (and girls) out there who love to see the occasional beautiful star photographed, get this magazine. One of the aspects of this magazine that I like, is the fact that the photo layouts are sometimes full page, unlike some magazines where you have to get out a magnifying glass to view the photos. And this one IS a hot collectible, though the French version of it is an even hotter collectible. Whether it's nature, special effects, or provocative photography, this one is a superb magazine. In short, this one is a must get for the photography fan.

OK worth the price
I think for the editors choice issues and equipment reviews this is worth $13 a year. I was pleased with all my purchases base on equipment review in this magazine.

The is a mostly about glomore photos and photo journalism. If you are not intrested in this area of photograpy than this is not the magizine for you. Lots of ideas about interior photograpy, and model photography. A lot of writing about the buzz in the photo world. Also quite a bit about photographes bios or resume, not a lot about there technique. Yet it is only 13 dollars a year and I see an image in each issue worth paying 13 dollars to see in each issue. There are a lot of ads, but good ads which are quite entertaining.

Not a techincal or method guide in any way.
good overview of the newest and best equipement.
Also good photo book reviews
Good political photoessays too. ... Read more

Abstract

Formerly called Stereo Review's Sound & Vision.
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Reviews (5)

Sound Off On S&V
I have been a loyal reader of Sound And Vision magazine for many years now. Heck, I remember reading it, as far back as when it still had Stereo Review in its title.

The magazine is a tech geeks dream. It offers product reviews and specifications on everthing from flatscreen telelevisions, home theater systems, DVD Recorders, and everything in between. It's clear that the editors and writers of the publication enjoy what they do do for a living. They offer an easy to understand analysis of the products--but they also don't write down to the reader either. I enjoy looking at their product grids the most. While the case can be made that it's a little skimpy with the comparions of products at times, they do arm the consumer electonics buyer with enough information to make the right choices when buying products. Sound And Vision is a must read for all of us riding the tech wave, even if all you can do is drool at all the fun stuff, you can't afford.

Worthwhile and fun

Cutting edge
Here's another cutting edge publication to keep you abreast of the happenings in the audio world.

Poor equipment analysis and comparisons
S&V is a magazine that one would read if he/she were going to purchase a piece of home theater equipment and wanted to feel good about it. I don't think I have ever read a review of a piece of equipment that this magazine did not like. Very poor comparisons analysis and subjective reviews led me to stop reading this magazine. Home Theater and The Perfect Vision are much better mags if you want insightful reviews and comparisons of home theater gear.

The latest news on audio and video.
If you want to keep track of the latest equipment and technological advances in the fields of music and movies -- with emphasis on home theater systems -- this magazine is for you. It is both authoritive and up-to-date. Although a lot of state-of-the-art audio and video components covered are rather expensive, Sound & Vision tries hard to also cover lower-priced systems when they are available. This is a very good magazine for serious audio/video fans.

On the edge...
Sound & Vision provides good product reviews, tips on speaker placement and building a decent system, and reviews of DVDs and CDs. At times, though, they delve into the territory of audiophiles with big budgets. Nothing wrong with that, and in fact, they do seem to keep a good blend of budget and high-end products in their reviews. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

simply the magazine for photographers
This is the best photo mag for those of us passionate about photography. It has long in debth articles on technique and equipment. Moreover it features "how to" examples from some of the best fine art photographers of our time. It is thus quite different from other magazines that feature some no name staff writer pretending to be Paul Strand. This does make this magazine perhaps less than ideal for the first time casual shutterbug trying out his/her first pocketcam. But for all of us striving to do good photography this magazine has no peer. It is not a glossy magazine and its print quality is rather low. It is a far cry from Phototechnik International or Spoon, but it is about the creating of rather then the displaying of photographs. Having read every photomagazine in the english and german speaking worlds in the last 15 years this is the best.

Great Magazine!
While this magazine may not posess the high gloss pages, and gorgeous images taht are typical of photgraphy magazines, they are full of good information that rarely, if ever repeats it's self. They cover a broad range of artists so you also get views of photography from many angles. I Highly recomend it!

The fift star comes when I get all the back issues!
This is a Techniques Magazine! They do not repeat themselves, so if you can find older issues around, buy them too.

Do not expect lots of inspiring pictures, only writers who know what they are talking about.

The topics are different and well chosen. They are important for the serious amateur, if he is using digital or large format.

"Shoppers' disease" is one of the many topics that other magazines stay away from. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Perfect.
Buying video equipment used to be pretty straightforward but now that you can or are about to commit 4 figures or perhaps even 5 to 6 figures towards television and a video system - you will find the most unbiased and smartest answers from PERFECT VISION.

It is that simple.

First, there are lots of magazines jumping on the TV/TV technology bandwagon but frankly 99% of them are essentially re-written press releases with PR photos. To them, 45 words and 4 stars should be enough to convince you to spend $14k on a plasma screen. If that's all you need to wave your credit card at a clerk - great, you don't need PERFECT VISION.

But if you value your money a little more than that and want someone to wade through the tidal wave of jargon: HD, EDTV, plasma, LCP, LCD, HCI and a jillion more - PERFECT VISION is for you. Keep in mind that PEFFECT VISION pretty much just covers video technology and of course, high-end video equipment does tend to exite them more than cheap equipment. And frankly, do you really need to read a review on a $39 DVD player?

They are TV/video equipment geeks (and that's a great thing). They test everything from every aspect - after all, it's your hard earned money. But here's where they separate themselves from the others - not only do they test out everything in as many ways possible and against as many competitors, they explain both in technical and plain English if they liked or not and why. If you don't care what the kelvin temperature is on your plasma - just skip slightly ahead and they will tell you in plain English whether the picture quliaty of this set justifies its price.

What is also great about PERFECT VISION is that they are more than willing to rank something that's $199 as something good/great and a recommended buy as they would something that's $4k. They don't judge on price as some geek video/audio magazines tend to do.

So, how do they stack up the competition?

"Stereophile's Guide to Home Theatre" may actually be bigger geeks than PERFECT VISION but they are so caught up in the esoteric and what the lab results are - I'm not sure they actually watch TV for the sake of watching TV. They are more interested in the lab results and unlike PERFECT VISION, they don't seem to really care about real world results. They also expect that you would buy nothing less than a $11k DVD player and they dismiss you if you even consider anything less.

"Home Theater" was once a whimsical and personable competitor until it was purchased by a larger company and pretty squashed its creativity and personality. It's a solid home technology/entertainment magazine but they do not do the depth or breadth of testing as PERFECT VISION does - and the writing not nearly as knowledgable. They do cover more topics and cover more lower price equipment so if you want to read every tidbit, it's in the ballpark of PERFECT VISION and worthwhile to subscribe along PERFECT VISION, it's just a utility infielder.

"Electronic House/EGear & AV Interiors (now called CONNECTED)" cover a lot of topics that PERFECT VISION does not such as home security, home AV streaming, etc ... but the coverage is not indepth and not very knowledgeable. They do rudimentary testing but nothing that you cannot find on the internet to read for free. They also seem to view everything with breathlessness and to me - overly wild enthusiam.

So, if you appreciate a lot of info and knowledge on TV & video technology - if you want to feel totally confident before spending 4 to 6 figures on equipment - if you want knowledge from people who can move from a geek's lab to spending 10 hours in front of the tube in the fall on Sundays, PEFFECT VISION is pretty much perfect.

My favorite HT magazine
The biggest complaint I have it that it's not published every month. There are some minor mistakes in reviews and like most current audio/HT magazines (except for the hard to find Audio Critic) they follow the subjective review approach, but the reviewers are mostly very knowledgeable. The movie reviews are far and away the best of the HT magazines; you'll find reviews of lesser known gems, entire director's oeuvres, and expanded depth special articles.

TPV: Best mix of Home Theatre Equipment & Film Reviews
Our family subscribes to most of the popular home theatre publications and, though many are good, we feel The Perfect Vision (TPV, for short) is the best overall. Some publications are mostly "equipment-centered" while others are predominantly "film-centered", but TPV strikes a great balance between the two. A typical issue might feature about 10-12 in-depth home theatre product reviews (with products at varying price/performance levels), a Buyer's Guide that addresses a particular class of equipment (e.g., AV Receivers), an in-depth article highlighting a particular film maker or film (e.g., Stanley Kubrick), and about 40-45 short but very well-written film reviews. TPV also provides easy-to-understand background articles that help you keep up with new developments in home theatre technologies (and related industry politics). Finally, the TPV writing style is articulate and lively (it's just plain fun to read!).

Glad it's back!
I missed "The Perfect Vision" when it went on a publishing hiatus some years back... I am very glad it is back. The quality of the content is quite high and they are not afraid to tell it like it is. ... Read more

Abstract

Articles and product news for the music and recording industry.
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Reviews (2)

Wonderful Magazine
I love this magazine. It is great for anyone that wants to be on the cutting edge. I also like the fact that they give prices on each product they review.

Electronic House Mag.
I AM IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING A NEW PLACE. I HAVE BOUGHT MANY MAGAZINES, TO TRY AND MAKE MY PLACE AS MODERN AS POSSIBLE. I FOUND THAT ELECTRONIC HOUSE MAGAZINE HAS EXCELLENT ARTICLES IN IT, WITH THE LATEST PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET, THAT WILL HELP ME BUILD A MORE PRACTICAL LIVING PLACE. THIS MAGAZINE ALSO FEATURES SOME GREAT ADVICES ON INSTALLATION OF PRODUCTS. IT IS NOT THE MAGAZINE YOU WANT IF YOU ARE PLANING ON BUYING A HOME THEATER, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY A MAGAZINE THAT YOU WANT TO BE SUBSCRIBE TO, IF YOU ARE PLANING ON INSTALLING OR HAVE SOMEONE INSTALL A HOME THEATER FOR YOU, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE BEST AREA IS, HOW LARGE THE ROOM SHOULD BE OR WHAT THE CONTROLS IN TERMS OF LIGHTS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS AND SO ON SHOULD BE FOR YOUR HOME THEATER. THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE, SO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MAGAZINE WILL HELP YOU WITH. A GREAT MAGAZINE TO DO SOME HOME IMPROVEMENTS!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Friendlier end of the scale...
It can be kind of fluffy and thin, with maybe one or two really good meaty articles (usually too short) per issue, with a bit too much fluff in between, too many press releases (jeez I hate press releases that pass for "news"). For that, 3 stars.

Nevertheless, it has a friendly, engaging, and easy-to-read approach that isn't as podunk as Home Recording, but sadly not as cool as EQ, and certainly not as seriously professional as Mix ($$$). It'd be a great subscription for a teenager or new musician just getting into songwriting and/or recording, but who doesn't necessarily aspire to be an engineer.

Which I guess is the whole idea. For that, 4 stars.

It makes me study efficiently!
I'd like to be a good music recording artist.
So this magazine makes me study efficiently.
It is really cool.
It is the guide book to whom wanna be a good
recording artist, I think. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An absolute must for any serious filmmaker
Whether you are a technical guru or someone who's emphasis is on the words, any serious filmmaker who takes his or her craft seriously will love American Cinematographer. The official magazine of the American Society of Cinematographers, this magazine gives you in depth interviews with DPs and Directors on the technical approach towards the shooting of the picture. They cover not just lab soups and lighting techniques, but also the approach to the script, design notes on how to visually approach the script - in other words, a great detailed overview of how this particular crew of filmmakers went about creating the visual language of the film. And not just film - as technology advances, and more films are shot on video, this magazine gives the same great coverage to those pictures as well - from Star Wars to Anniversary Party. While it's true that there are only so many films that AC can cover each issue but I think you'll end up feeling like I do - that I wish they could cover them all! ... Read more