Customer Reviews

The Absolute Sound

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

TAS reviewers tell you what a piece of audio gear actually sounds like, over time, in a home, and they usually compare the unit under review to other gear as well. Anyone that has owned a highly revealing audio system knows that audio gear - from sources like DAC's or cd players to preamps to amps to speakers - often have a strong sonic signature. Sometimes the signature is immediately apparent (e.g. Thiel speakers are obviously lean, powerful and highly detailed). Other times it can take hours or days for the character to reveal itself, or the differences will vary depending on associated equipment (e.g. Thiel speakers need a lot of power to reveal their strengths; some other speakers are more efficient and sound fine with lower powers amps).

Even inexpensive gear will have differing sonic signatures, representing the different possible trade-offs undertaken to shave expenses.

The value of such a magazine can be startling. For example, when you try out the "speaker docks" in the Apple Store - and I'm a HUGE fan of Apple by the way - virtually none of the units in the store are remotely as lifelike or enjoyable as you can get out of equivalently priced gear from Audioengine or M-Audio (e.g. Audioengine 5 or M-Audio AV40). Possible exceptions are the units by B&W in the Apple Store.

Some folks (like me) enjoy comparing gear and reading hobbyist magazines. Others might just want to look up a review for guidance on a quick decision. For either group TAS can be a blessing. Not everyone shares this interest, or cares to rely on the observations of others as input to a decision. YMMV.

Recently I subscribed TAS for two years but all I received was two issues when there are another 5 issues available now! I contacted them many times and the customer service apologized and told me that they send the issue right away, but another two months passed and I received nothing after same thing happened another time I asked for cancelation they did it without trying to find any solution!
It seems that it happens a lot and they are used to it.

I have heard several of the components recommended by the Absolute Sound. The reviews seemed right on. Consumer Reports recommends very inexpensive sound systems and says that they sound good. My feeling is that they are terrible compared to the much more expensive systems recommended by the Absolute Sound.

This is an interesting magazine because while it often offers reviews for products that I could never afford, it does sometimes expose exotic products as worthless, and will even praise a very simple and inexpensive product over a more expensive one.

TAS continues to be one of the finest humor magazines in print. The lengthy, absurdist equipment "justifications" (actual "reviews" would feature more facts) are worth the asking price. The fancifully colorful adjectives and adverbs used to describe the "sound signature" of the zeroes and ones produced by various boxes of capacitors/resistors spec'd by tone-deaf engineers are rivaled only by those used in imaginative reviews of expensive wines and wristwatches. Priceless, like its subject matter.