Posted by Wayne Parham [ 66.137.59.97 ] on June 01, 2004 at 18:38:06:
Last week, after visiting with Eric and Charles, I ordered a subscription to Vacuum Tube Valley, the new sponsors here. Today, I found a magazine in my mailbox and I must say, I'm very impressed.
Folks, this is one fine publication. Great looking photos, excellent articles both in writing style and content. The magazine is also put together nicely with quality paper and covers. I usually refer to magazines as rags, but this one is more like reference. These are keepers, destined to be kept for life right along side my 1970's Byte magazines and other collectable periodicals.
One thing I like about this magazine is that it combines technical content with editorials and reviews. To tell the truth, I prefer magazines with interesting tech talk to those that are heavy in reviews and editorials. Really anyone can go on and on about their opinions, but it takes something more to discuss things like why a particular grid geometry is chosen in certain situations and things like that. The guys at VTV are capable of this kind of informative discussion, and I like that.
I tended to always prefer tech-talk style magazines to review rags. You would find me completely bored with Car and Driver, for example, except to look through the great photographs. But some of the old Hot Rod magazines were just great. Sure, they have the same old articles every few years, the Holley rebuild, the intake shootout, the gears for Nine-inch Ford. But it's all pretty good information for the new guy entering the hobby. It will wet his whistle. Car and Driver is a fine magazine too, but it is really more for sitting in the dealership floor or in the dentists office. No one really reads it.
Same thing goes for electronics magazines. I'm not saying that I think one is better than the other. But I do prefer a certain style, which is a little more technical, and describes how's and why's and maybe gives a little bit of interesting history. If that's what you're looking for in a tube hi-fi periodical, I suggest you give Vacuum Tube Valley a try. It's really a great magazine.
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