# The Absolute Sound > High-performance audio and music reviews and journalism for enthusiasts. (iPhone/iPad app by Nextscreen Services, LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-absolute-sound/id966988916 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Nextscreen Services, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/589458179) - Category: Lifestyle, Entertainment - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 2.80/5 from 93 App Store ratings · 63 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 13.0 · 79 MB - Languages: Dutch, American English - Released: 2015-03-17 - Data updated: 2026-09-05 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-absolute-sound/id966988916/reviews.md ## What is The Absolute Sound? The Absolute Sound is the world’s preeminent source of expert reviews, features, and commentary on high-performance audio and music. Since 1973, TAS has set the standard for quality audio and music journalism, helping to shape the industry and guiding audio enthusiasts and music lovers to components and recordings that faithfully reproduce the sounds one might hear in a good concert hall. Download our app for free, and get access to your digital editions via a purchase. Available subscription: • 1 Year Subscription for US $9.99 Or single issues can be purchased for US $1.99 LATINA Attitude publishes every month. By subscribing, you’ll never miss an issue and each new issue will automatically be available for download to your device as soon as it is released. Please note the following: • Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period • You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for that product • You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription • The app may offer a free trial. At the end of the free trial period, the full price of the subscription will be charged thereafter • The subscription will include the current issue and subsequently published future issues. The subscription will still include the current issue even if that issue has been purchased separately. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase You can find our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use here: Privacy policy: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/privacy Terms of use: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/terms ## Key features - Expert audio reviews - Music journalism - Component recommendations - Concert hall sound reproduction - Digital editions - Subscription access ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | the absolute sound | $9.99 | per year | **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Issue 251 | $4.99 | one-time | | Issue 257 | $4.99 | one-time | | Issue 261 | $4.99 | one-time | | Issue 263 | $4.99 | one-time | | Issue 267 | $4.99 | one-time | | Issue 271 | $4.99 | one-time | | 2022 November | $1.99 | one-time | | Ultimate Directory | $1.99 | one-time | | 2022 February | $1.99 | one-time | | 2024 January | $1.99 | one-time | | 2023 December | $1.99 | one-time | | 2023 November | $1.99 | one-time | | May/June 2024 | $1.99 | one-time | | 2024 March | $1.99 | one-time | | 2024 April | $1.99 | one-time | | Sep-26 | $1.99 | one-time | | Fall 2026 | $1.99 | one-time | | Mar-26 | $1.99 | one-time | | Jan-26 | $1.99 | one-time | | 2022 April | $1.99 | one-time | ## What do users think of The Absolute Sound? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Great magazine content **Cons** - 🐛 App constantly not working - 🐛 Subscription issues - 🐛 Lost access to purchased issues - 🐛 Login problems - 🐛 App crashes - 🐛 Perpetual spinning wheel - 🐛 Poor customer support - 🐛 App not updated - 🐛 Issues disappear - 🐛 Cannot restore purchases - 🐛 App is slow - 🐛 Flashes between pages - 🐛 Gets stuck on a page - 🐛 Repeatedly sends to advertisers - 🐛 Requires credentials, won't accept Apple account info - 🐛 No means to reset password - 🐛 No means to connect to publisher - 🐛 App looks amateurish - 🐛 Cannot download issues - 🐛 App is a scam - 🐛 Stealing money - 🐛 "Updating library" never finishes - 🐛 App won't open on new iPad Pro - 🐛 App doesn't remember subscriptions - 🐛 Request for advice ignored **Commonly reported bugs** - Perpetual spinning wheel - App not working - Constantly loses issues - Latest update removed current issues - App forgot subscription - Lost decades of issues - Cannot restore purchases after update - Cannot login to subscription - Stopped working suddenly - Username and password no longer work - No support available - Cannot access issues - Blue background engages on page turn - Terrible viewer - Slow loading - Refuses to load new issue - Flashes between pages - Gets stuck on a page - Repeatedly sends to advertisers - Requires credentials, won't accept Apple account info - No means to reset password - No means to connect to publisher - Looks and feels amateurish - App crashed again - App not updated for 2 years - App updated automatically, does not allow restore of app store/iTunes subscription - New update locks subscription out - Login not recognized - New version is useless - Cannot access any issues from several years of subscribing - Suddenly don't have access to content - Cannot log in - App will not allow download of purchased mags - App crashes - App does not work - Instantly crashes - App keeps updating library - App won't work - App no longer works - Lost all previous issues - Updating library - never finishes - Hangs on "updating library" - App won't open on new iPad Pro - App crashes when trying to open a new issue - Cannot access purchased mags - App does not remember subscriptions - Request for advice ignored **Most requested features** - Fix the app - Make the app work - Restore access to purchased issues - Allow restoration of iTunes purchases - Fix the perpetual spinning wheel - Fix the login issues - Improve customer support - Update the app - Fix the flashing text on page load - Remove the blue background on page turn - Provide a way to reset password - Provide a way to connect to publisher - Make the app less amateurish - Allow downloading of purchased magazines - Address the "updating library" issue - Fix app crashes - Allow access to old magazines - Fix app not opening on new devices - Make the app remember subscriptions - Respond to help requests ## Recent user reviews (10 of 63) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-absolute-sound/id966988916/reviews.md ### 1/5 — App Not Working! *2025-01-03, version 12711.1.5* Honestly folk, I love TAS but I’m missing out because I cannot access the content. After working for a couple of months, I’m back the perpetual spinning wheel! ### 1/5 — Again? *2023-11-12* As I predicted, when TAS switched to this platform it would eventually fail as it did with Stereophile. Now I have to unsubscribe again. ### 1/5 — Constantly loses issues *2023-11-10* Didn’t work at for a year…. Then worked fine for a few months, but logged in the other day and all but one issue had disappeared. Says I have a subscription, but does not allow me to access any issues and invites me to purchase a subscription. ### 1/5 — Caviar content served in a dirty ashtray *2023-08-10* The latest update has removed the most current 5 issues from my library, and no amount of restoring iTunes purchases or force synching will make them available without purchasing them again, and I am a subscriber. It would not be as painful to see this if the content was terrible, but the Absolute Sound is and always has been the best audio magazine available. ### 1/5 — C’mon absolute sound, you can do better than this *2023-02-05* One star because zero is not an option. Long time subscriber and can’t read the mag. No issues in my library…. TAS knows it does not work but still drags their feet on getting it fixed. ### 1/5 — Absolute Disaster *2022-12-22* The magazine is good but the app and support is useless. The app worked for zeros but died 6 months ago. Refuses to restore my subscription, refuses to download new or old magazines. Not much else to say. Avoid it. ### 1/5 — Nice mag. Terrible app. Clueless customer service. Avoid. *2022-12-06* I bought a subscription through the App Store and it worked well for 9 months. All of a sudden the app “forgot” that I am a paid subscriber and has locked me out. So far trying to get the problem resolved through The Absolute Sound/Nextscreen Services (the developer) has been futile. Seems there may be no tech support there for app problems. Prior to that I subscribed through TAS directly for many years with countless dozens of issues in my library. And now, since this current problem, every single issue has disappeared. TAS claims that my email address, the only one I ever used with them, is not associated with any subscription. Their response to multiple inquiries regarding my lost issues amounts to “too bad, stop bugging us”. Save your money. ### 1/5 — Update is a disaster *2022-12-05* Since the last update, I have lost decades of issues! Yes, decades that I had download it or no longer available to me. I have been a subscriber since issue one back in the 70s and every digital issue with the exception of the last couple of years is now gone. Harry Pearson would be spinning his grave if he knew how this is being managed now!! ### 1/5 — Restore purchases?? *2022-08-28, version 8.0.0* Again, after an update, can’t restore purchases. It was the same two years ago. When will I get access to my content? 😤 ### 1/5 — Lousy! *2022-08-18* I have had an iTunes subscription for years, and suddenly I can’t restore my purchase. ## Frequently asked questions about The Absolute Sound ### What is The Absolute Sound app? The Absolute Sound app provides expert reviews, features, and commentary on high-performance audio and music. It aims to guide audio enthusiasts and music lovers toward components and recordings that accurately reproduce sound, similar to what you'd hear in a concert hall. ### How can I access content on The Absolute Sound app? You can download the app for free. Access to digital editions requires a purchase. This can be done through a yearly subscription or by buying single issues. ### What are the subscription options? The app offers a 1-year subscription for US $9.99. Single issues can also be purchased individually for US $1.99. Subscribing ensures you receive new issues automatically as they are released. ### How does the subscription renewal work? Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the current subscription period ends. You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the same duration and current subscription rate. ### Can I manage my subscription? Yes, you can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by navigating to your Account Settings after making a purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited upon purchasing a subscription. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 12711.2.0 — 2025-03-11 To make your reading experience even better, we update the app regularly. This update includes: • General performance improvements ### 12711.1.5 — 2024-06-06 To make your reading experience even better, we update the app regularly. This update includes: • General performance improvements ### 12711.1.4 — 2024-04-08 To make your reading experience even better, we update the app regularly. This update includes: • General performance improvements ### 12711.1.3 — 2023-08-04 To make your reading experience even better, we update the app regularly. This update includes: • Minor bug fixes • General performance improvements ### 12711.1.2 — 2022-10-06 To make your reading experience even better, we update the app regularly. 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User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-05.*