The latest audioXpress

[loninappleton]

The latest audioXpress is down to 45 pages from 63 and has no speaker features at all.

aX (through the parent magazine Speakerbuilder) was my introduction to the hobby. I still peruse my old issues but no longer subscribe.

Are there still viable audio publications for speaker building in the world market? Unfortunately I am an English only speaker.

aX has apparently concentrated on an increasingly esoteric market.

[HK26147]

I just got my March 2009 issue and it has:
"The Reflection Loudspeaker"
"Designing a Midrange Horn"
and a product review of the OCCAM Audio MTM 4 Kit.

I regret the it is hard times for periodicals in general, and the Audio Amateur group in particular.
I have been a subscriber since the first issues in the early 1970's, and watched as it expanded and split into specialty mags, and then had to merge again into AudioXpress.
Being a periodical that operates primarily on subscription fees and not ads sales isn't easy.
If more DIYers subscribed perhaps it could expand again.
I for one will continue to subscribe. The AA family of magazines has provided me with insight into ideas and topics, long before they were integrated into commercial designs and became topics of discussion on the internet.
Some very significant work was first introduced there by the likes of Mr(s) D'Appollito, Linkwitz, Pass etc, etc
I think they are missing a golden opportunity by not selling pdf transcripts of articles.

[loninappleton]

I agree with the sentiment. And also that Ed Dell has done a great service for the audio community.

But I'm jiggered if I ever saw the pieces you mention. I did not note the month on the issue I recently perused at the bookstore.

aX has published a vast array of test studies, projects and reader letters and articles from designers and engineers in the audio world.

It still has projects but they are just perhaps maybe over my head now. I do not know much of electronics and the speaker designs were my reason for getting the subscriptions when I did.

I wonder how much shrinkage the magazine can tolerate as a publication.

[Scottmoose]

Very little more one would imagine, before they go to the wall.

[Lee35210]

Everyone on these forums owes a BIG debt of gratitude to Ed Dell and his family of magazines. I have been a subscriber since early 70's ( with a lapse in late 80's early 90's) Some o0f my issues are barely holding together. Even with a degree in electronics, most of what I've learned has come from those pages.


GET A SUBSCRIPTION!!!

[loninappleton]

Originally posted by Lee35210
Everyone on these forums owes a BIG debt of gratitude to Ed Dell and his family of magazines. I have been a subscriber since early 70's ( with a lapse in late 80's early 90's) Some o0f my issues are barely holding together. Even with a degree in electronics, most of what I've learned has come from those pages.


GET A SUBSCRIPTION!!!

Yes, if we all only would or could and that that would accomplish something.

I do not prefer that all content be web based. I find article reading on screens difficult.

Ed has a service for subscribers of I think it is cdrom based
archives. I'm one who couldn't afford a $50 or whatever magazine sub. to carry forever with only marginal (for my level of usage) content.

[HK26147]

I share Lee35210 view:
What price do you put on knowledge;
Side benefits: The amount of money I have been able to save, by implementing the tips/techniques/ and ideas from those pages.
If you can and are willing to buy the high price gear that OK, but I saw a whole lot of innovation in those pages before it hit market.
Case in point the MTM. *
I have taken advantage ( on numerous occasions ) to the Yard Sale items and purchased/saved money and found enough parts to keep my equipment/projects functional for decades.

* While Feb 2009 issue only had 1 article related to Speakers "Simulating Inductors and Networks" it did have Joe D'Appolito's yard sale. In the past I have purchased items from him and used the opportunity to ask a couple of questions.

The March issue has an interview with Erno Borbely - he has some interesting comments about this forum.

[MJK]

Originally posted by Lee35210
Everyone on these forums owes a BIG debt of gratitude to Ed Dell and his family of magazines. I have been a subscriber since early 70's ( with a lapse in late 80's early 90's) Some o0f my issues are barely holding together. Even with a degree in electronics, most of what I've learned has come from those pages.


GET A SUBSCRIPTION!!!

I have every issue of SpeakerBuilder and audioXpress. In the early days, SpeakerBuilder was a great source of information on speaker design, theory, and hardware. I learned a lot from each issue and studied the articles and even the advertisements.

When they merged the magazines to become audioXpress the technical quality and content dropped significantly. Lately it has got to the point where I spend less than half an hour reading through an issue. I renew my subscription every year, I can afford it and I just can't pull the plug.

But I think the days of printed media are coming to an end. My local newspapers have raised thier price by 50% in the past month and the number of pages has dropped significantly. Younger people I work with don't buy newspapers at all, they read the Internet. The Audio Engineering Society now offers the option of Internet only access to the magazine at a reduced rate. My favorite Jazz magazine (Cadence) dropped from monthly to quarterly, I don't like it but can't seem to pull the plug on that either. I see the day in the near future where audioXpress, my local newspaper, and many of my magazines just stop coming to the house as printed media.

I think that audioXpress is probably doomed. If they do not do something to produce better cutting edge articles that people are interested in reading and can learn from, the number of subscribers will probably continue to drop. The iPod generation (three of them live in my house) does not care about audio, video games and computers are of interest. It was a shame to see SpeakerBuilder stop, I don't see audioXpress bouncing back unless significant changes occur.

There is not much to offer a new subscriber, you can't learn much about speaker design or building from the current issues.

[jan.didden]

I think AX is a great resource that complements the I'net. Take the Feb 09 issue with the Impasse preamp by our own member SY. Yes, there is a thread here about that design, but it is fragmented and fleeting while on paper you have the full monty at your fingertips. Both resources neatly complemeny each other. For me, nothing beats a magazine, in the end.

I haven't seen the March issue yet, but take my Borbely interview. It would not be the same on the screen. And Ed Dell will also bring out a Tube special (later this spring if I'm not mistaken), Speaker specials, and other focussed issues. And how much does it cost, really? Less than a pizza a month? Peanuts.

Get a sub!

Jan Didden

[planet10]

Originally posted by janneman
Feb 09 issue

I still haven't got my Feb 09 issue...i've been a subsctiber back to the early 70s and 'll be continuing to renew my subscriptions.

I think that aXp's very existence is important to diy. Every issue usyally has at least one interesting aerticle or review.

One thing we can do is to actually write some articles, Nelson, Jan & SY are already doing their bit. Many of the existing threads could easily be made into interesting articles -- for instance, i have much of the material gathered from the big Thor thread, for an article titled, "Revisting the Thor". The one missing piece are some actual measures from ome of the alternate cabinets that have been built (and the time to hammer it into an article)... the idea was, if it came together, was to have the stipend from aXp to be donated staright to the forum.

dave