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The Economy Issue: How about an issue dedicated to setting up some great audiophile systems for under $5000 or $10,000?

Great idea. I don't think it'll ever happen though, people have been encouraging that since the late 80's early 90's...

I like the idea of an economy issue, although I'd take it a step further, pushing the ceiling down to two or three thousand dollars. We all love the "$1000 system" question around here, too. As for the "Dream Issue", I'm a college student, so just about every issue is up in the clouds for me! I do love reading about the top-dollar stuff, though. It's a lot like reading a Ferrari road test in a car magazine. I'm already working on my list of "things to get after I finish my surgical residency". Actually, I also have a "while-I'm-still-a-resident-but-starting-to-get-paid-more" system planned out. Fun stuff.

I think as the website and forum grow, they can be viewed as an adjunct to the magazine and provide supplemental material and information that won't fit into the limited print space. Part of the success of this will require us as members to keep ideas alive and active, and positive.

With the possible exception of the Buyers' Guide, don't you think your suggestions are better dealt with in this forum? So far as the Buyers' Guide is concerned, aren't two lists of Recommended Components per year adequate?

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With the possible exception of the Buyers' Guide, don't you think your suggestions are better dealt with in this forum?

In my opinion the existence of a Stereophile Budget buyers guide would allow someone who is looking to take it to the next level a chance to gain entry into our hobby without sifting through page after page of forum debate. They see a Stereophile budget buyers guide with the headline "Sublime sound for $1000" at the newsstand or bookstore and it's not nearly as intimidating, or as daunting as trying to figure out what's what on a site where the main topic of discussion usually involves gear that is well out of the price range of the everyman. It's not that people don't want to know. It's that we, as a community, are not making it easy for others to learn.

The recommended components twice a year is fine in my opinion. What is omitted are manufacturers that sell products directly by mail or internet. Some of them sell great stuff but are excluded from Stereophile reviews by the policy that requires they have at least 5 dealers (I think this is still in force, but maybe I'm wrong?). Therefore the sampling of equipment reviewed is "biased" against those vendors. I think this exclusion, if still in place, may have been useful in the past in protecting the consumer, but has outlived its original purpose.

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What is omitted are manufacturers that sell products directly by mail or internet. Some of them sell great stuff but are excluded from Stereophile reviews by the policy that requires they have at least 5 dealers.

No, this is just not true. We do review mail-order/Internet products, as long as the manufacturer has an on-shore presence in the continental US. See www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/307awsi for a summary of my review policies.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Where is teh reviews of AVA www.avahifi.com How much more U.S. can ya get based in MN...the heartland of America...Been in business over 35 eyars!!! Designed and assembled HERE, no off shore crap with fancy names and labels...Ultra DAC, Ultra EC pre amp Ultra phase inverters, and get some of his 550 amps(2) and set up an AVA system and watch the smiles begin, then add up what it costs, compared to some other "high end" brands, with marketing image.... www.avahifi.com When are ya gonna test some Emmlabs The new CD/SACd single unit player...made in Canada, not china, probably also by people with living wages,.

Yeah, but John, ya always mention limited pages for stuff. But wasting pages on stuff that is in my opion utter nonsense. Vinyl demagnetizers!!! Soem magic blocks etc...Test REAL equipment, give some of teh establised small companies some exposure...Wasting pages on pure nonsense like stuff (my opinion) from Furutech, with there anti vibration aC outlets, soem plastic demagnetizers...pages better used on some real equipment, why not start a special section for unknowns, not the same ole' brands the magazine sure does keep using....Leave the magic blocks and $10,000 wire out, more amps pre amps speakers.

Yeah, what DUP said...

...and why have recommended components twice a year? I think once per would be enough. Especially since almost eveything reviewed is recommended.

How about a new "Audio Cheapskate", since Sam really isn't? A monthly column about audio on the cheap would certainly be more beneficial to me than the review of another $40,000 pair of speakers.

Which reminds me...Please test more affordable gear. And remember, to most people $1000 CD players are not "entry level"!

Thanks Mr. Atkinson. After looking at that article, I see now that retail distributed items have the five-dealer requirement, whereas the mail-order is handled differently. I appreciate the clarification, and setting me straight on this point, as what the current policy is. I'm sorry if I caused confusion to anyone in the forum due to my misunderstanding of the policy.