Now on Newsstands: The 2012 Stereophile Buyer’s Guide

Revised for 2012, the Stereophile Buyer’s Guide is now on newsstands. In its 188 pages, you’ll find the complete specs and prices for over 4500 audio components—everything from turntables, tonearms, and cartridges to amplification, digital components, loudspeakers, headphones, and cables. The Guide also includes an index to manufacturers on the Web to help you locate the products you’re most interested in.

Editorial assistant, Ariel Bitran, was largely responsible for hunting down and collecting the data that makes up the Guide. He says, “Whether you’re looking for a new cartridge or an entirely new system, we feel this Guide will be instrumental in your search.”

The Buyer’s Guide comes just in time for the holiday season. Use it to shop for yourself, friends, and family, or just browse its pages and build your dream system(s). [This is now sold out]

COMMENTS
soulful.terrain's picture

 

My favorite of all Stereophile issues!

ralphf's picture

The Absolute Sound's buyers guide does.

Stephen Mejias's picture

No, I'm sorry.  The Buyer's Guide is not part of a regular subscription. We do feel that $12.97 is a fair price to pay for the 12 issues of a one-year subscription to Stereophile, however. (Personally, I feel it's a crazy bargain.)

A digital edition of the Buyer's Guide will also be available from our friends at Zinio.

John Atkinson's picture

Quote:
The Absolute Sound's buyers guide does.

That magazine operates on a different business model. Their declared frequency of publication is 10x per year, but they actually mail 11 issues including their Buyer's Guide. With Stereophile you get 12 issues each year, one more than The Absolute Sound, without the Stereophile Buyer's Guide. So which is the better deal? You can do the math.

John Atkinson

Editor, Stereophile

Soothsayerman's picture

Stereophile is a great deal already, I personally don't see how you get 12 issues out the door for the price you charge.

volvic's picture

I don't subscribe as I take forever to finish one issue, but I do purchase from time to time and have to say that if I did subscribe I would be very happy, as I am quite impressed with the quality of material the magazine packs in each issue every month.  This includes hardware and software.  I will make a deal with the editor, if Mickey or someone else reviews a fully decked Xerxes .20 I will subscribe.  LOL!!!!

 

PS off to get my issue of the Buyer's Guide.

 

Nick

tweaver7777's picture

I just bought this...and...I don't understand what to do with this. It's just a list. Are these things good? Not good?

 

I'd prefer to see fewer products and more recommendations...but I know that's not the point of this issue. 

 

Also, stereophile @ $12 is a great deal, and you guys are insant for how much you post online.

John Atkinson's picture

Quote:
I just bought this...and...I don't understand what to do with this. It's just a list. Are these things good? Not good?

For that information, we publish our biannual "Recommended Compionents" issues, in April and October. The Buyer's Guide is listings of specs and prices, in the tradition of the long-discontinued Audio Equipment Guide.

Quote:
Also, stereophile @ $12 is a great deal, and you guys are insant for how much you post online.

Thank you.

 

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

zounder1's picture

So,

I subscribed to Stereophile using Digital Subsciption with Zinio on my iPad.  I guess I won't get this issue with the subsciption there?  (Just like print subscribers?)

Yet I don't see it on Zinio yet?  Any idea when it will it be available to purchase separately on Zinio?

Thanks!

 

Stephen Mejias's picture

The Zinio version will be available on Tuesday, November 8.

zounder1's picture

Thanks.  You should consider sending a note out to all Stereophile Zinio subscribers.  I by fluke came by your website at the right time to find out about it.  Otherwise I would have had no idea this Special Edition is even available.

Cheers.

tmsorosk's picture

I think the Buyers Guide is a great idea and don't mind paying for it . 

 

                                                                                         Regards  Tim

matt123's picture

Hi,

Just found this on Zinio. Thank you.

Would you be able to make the data available, or provide an online tool to sort it? For me, that would be the most useful format for the Guide.

Also, I think you could use the data to show some trends and analysis. For example, number of product introductions by category or grouping products within categories into price bands. I know its not perfectly representative, but you probably have the best sample around. We might already know the conclusions - lots of new DACs and turntables, not so many new CD players - but always good to see the data to confirm this. If you have historical data, it could make for some great comparisons - map the introduction of the CD player in the 80s to DACs and network players today using number of new products and average price point. Or, show average lifespan of a product in mature categories (power amps, speakers) vs new ones (DACs, network players.)

Stephen Mejias's picture

That's a great idea, Matt, and it's something we're working on.

X