Now On Newsstands: 2011 Stereophile Buyer's Guide

On newsstands now, right beside the December 2010 issue of Stereophile, you should find the 2011 Stereophile Buyer’s Guide. In its 164 pages, you will find technical specifications and prices for over 4500 audio components. That includes everything from the speed accuracy of a Rega turntable to the full-power bandwidth of Audio Research’s latest integrated amplifier to the frequency response of a Wilson loudspeaker to whether NuForce sells speaker wire. (They do.)

Yes, the 2011 Stereophile Buyer’s Guide includes detailed listings for: LP Playback (cartridges, phono preamps, tonearms, and turntables), Digital Components (digital players and DACs), Amplification (power amps, preamps, and integrateds), Loudspeakers, Subwoofers, Headphones, and Cables.

In addition, we’ve also included a complete index of manufacturer websites, so that you know where to go to find more information on the products you most desire. I’ll quote Ariel Bitran, in his opening essay to the Guide:

Whether you’re looking for a new cartridge or an entirely new system, we feel this Guide will be instrumental in your search. It offers no final answers, but it does provide some essential supplies for your audio journey. How you use all the information is up to you. And that may be the most beautiful part of it all.

The 2011 Stereophile Buyer’s Guide will be on newsstands through February 8, and can also be found in our new Stereophile Shop. (Hint: It makes a great stocking stuffer!)

COMMENTS
Erick Lichte's picture
I love that the the Klipsch Palladium P17B's I reviewed made the cover of the Buyer's Guide. They're so pretty.
krell100's picture

How is the 'Buyers Guide' different from 'Recommended Components"?...

Stephen Mejias's picture
The Buyer's Guide is a long list of products -- not just products we've reviewed, but all products available in the US (with the caveat that we were unable to obtain info from some manufacturers) -- which includes tables of model names, specifications, and prices. With the Buyer's Guide, you can gain lots of technical information about a product, but no value judgments.

Our "Recommended Components" list is a collection of products we've reviewed and recommend as some of the best in their class. Our contributors rank the components in Classes A through D, according to their performance, with special considerations for value and product longevity. Also included for each recommended component is a short blurb, summarizing the original Equipment Report and any Follow-Up coverage, noting the reviewer(s) and the issue(s) in which the product was reviewed.

krell100's picture

Thanks for the explanation Stephen.

Tom Danner's picture

Unless I'm missing something, I can't find anywhere in the magazine, on the site or on Zinio's site where it's clear whether the Buyer's Guide is actually included in one's subscription to Stereophile.  Can you please clarify?

I don't want to buy from Zinio or try to find a newsstand ( a dying breed, by the way) that actually has a copy if there's already one on it's way to me.

Thanks!

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