Decibel Magazine Reviews

I’ve been reading Decibel on iPad for a few years now, and up until the newest update, I had very few issues with it. Sure, there was the occasional crash or failed download, but in general it always worked fine. Flash forward to today, and I opened DecibelMagazine to see that it has been completely reworked, and the new version is absolutely unusable. The download speeds (if you are lucky enough to even get the issues to download at all) are 2 to 3 times slower than they were before. DecibelMagazine has inexplicably deleted my downloaded issues multiple times, with me needing to re-download and hope that DecibelMagazine doesn’t crash. If you manage to download an issue and actually open it successfully, you’ll notice that the new interface has removed every single useful feature from the previous version. Gone is the ability to quickly skip to other sections of the issue, export or share, and even fit each page to the window. It behaves more like an image previewer than a magazine app. I don’t know what the thought process was behind reworking this already functioning app, but it blows my mind that this is the accepted result. PLEASE fix DecibelMagazine or re-release the older version. This is unusable garbage.

UPDATE: Thanks to the powers that be for responding to this review! I’m glad to see you guys are working on addressing these issues and I look forward to trying the fixes out in the future. I’ll be sure to update my review when that time comes!

I really enjoyed the prior versions of DecibelMagazine . This new one, however, is not my jam. For starters, all my prior purchases were lost and I cannot restore any of them despite clicking the restore option. Second, DecibelMagazine is not user friendly at all. I have a hard time scrolling through issues and finding issues that I’m interested in. It just feels like the sorting interface sacrificed ease-of-access for having the images of the magazine covers. This is annoying and I have a hard time finding anything. Third, DecibelMagazine itself appears to be bare-bones with little support or other features to get help, hence why I’m posting a review instead of contacting customer or tech support. In sum, the new app feels half-baked and is, in my opinion, unusable. I really do hope DecibelMagazine is reverted or greatly improved on as the Decibel does have good content but I cannot consume it like this.

In the past month or so, DecibelMagazine disappeared completely for a few days and came back with a less functional design, then got a second overhaul where only the most recent 16 issues currently available. I no longer have access to the majority of the issues I purchased including all the special editions.

Been a Decibel subscriber for years. App always works great. Until I downloaded the latest update. Now it crashes every single time I try and open it. I've rebooted, deleted and downloaded and installed it again. I'm done.

Edit: Tried new and "improved" version. I can now open an issue, but it crashes every time after about a dozen pages. Still a garbage update.

Tried April 15th update. Now won't even download. Gets stuck on "Stopped - Resume ?". Every other magazine app I have works fine, like this one used to before it got ruined. I'm done with it. Deleting and unsubscribing.

I pay for DecibelMagazine and it’s basically unusable. It constantly reverts to the cover, doesn’t zoom enough and crashes.

Decibel, it’s been a month. What’s up? When can I read my metal fix again??

Restore purchases doesn’t work and now less mags show. C’mon this is frustrating. So basically I lost all of my purchases throughout the years of being a dedicated subscriber. Considering dropping my subscription if DecibelMagazine keeps getting worse.

Not currently working. All that comes up is a screen without any icons or menus to choose from. I have about 16 digital issues I bought that I can’t access now. I hope they get it fixed soon

I’ve never been so mad and disappointed in an app update like this. It pisses me off so much that I wrote my first app review. Don’t waste your time, decibel has killed their app. They obviously don’t want people reading digitally.

DecibelMagazine updated and now I can’t read the magazine that I pay $25 a year for. I guess I need to cancel my subscription since I can’t actually use what I’m paying for. Pretty ridiculous

Absolutely awful app won’t work on my iPad and even restoring all my purchases on my iPhone that still won’t come through.

If you have the hard print magazine subscription, you should be able to get the digital version free like most other magazines! Why in the hell would I pay for this TWICE! Dumb, just dumb

Okay, so maybe I'd complain if I had already paid for a print subscription and couldn't get the digital version for free. But I didn't do that (sorry, dude). Instead, I bought my subscription within DecibelMagazine and I'm completely happy I did. This is essentially just a scanned version of the print edition, like most digital magazines. One day I'm sure you'll be able to click on the ad for that sweet Cradle of Filth shirt with the cuss words on it you had your eyes on and be redirected to a webstore, but not yet my friends. Not yet. PersonalIy, I wish there was a way to enlarge the text beyond just using pinch to zoom, but then I also wish Cliff Burton was still alive. Can't have everything, now can we? Nope. What you get is Decibel. On your iPad. Your prayers to Papa Emeritus have been answered. Now, stop playing Flick Golf on the toilet and read this instead. Your deci-hole will thank you.

I met "James" at the Chicago tour stop and told him about the problem. he followed up a few days later with this - and I'm back in business! Give it a try. Great mag, great people.

1. Browse to the 'HELP' section of the Decibel app and in the bottom-right hand corner you should see a section labelled version number. Simply hold this down for a few seconds and a box will appear asking if you would like to 'reset credentials' simply select this option

2. Delete DecibelMagazine from the device and re-download from DecibelMagazine store - not from an iCloud backup

3. Hold down the lock key on your device and at the same time, hold down the 'Home' button. After 5 seconds the device will completely shut down. Keep these buttons held down until the Apple logo reappears (hard reset).

4. Let the device restart and then launch DecibelMagazine

The above reviewer who said DecibelMagazine is "pointless", is completely clueless. It's an app for a digital subscription where you can also buy past issues as well. I love Decibel and having the entire library on my ipad makes it that much better.

Issues look amazing on iPad 4. Keep those back issues coming!!

Contrary to other review here, i find this Magazine Apps truly magnificent

Keep up the great work!

After they charged my account without telling me beforehand for a six month renewal DecibelMagazine still wants me to pay to get new issues. Customer service does not respond emails.

Keeping shutting down for past 2 months. Reloaded mags again and again. No luck.

really awesome magazine Im saddend thier arent any reviews for DecibelMagazine I spread the word

It's just a portal to buy past issues, no value-added content. Just an app ad. Lame!!!!

Great metal magazine but not the digital version. Crash, reload, crash