You're so right about the Heritage, Randy. I wish so badly that every other publisher would shamelessly copy it 😂 I love it so much but don't read the ESV. Thanks for the review!
Thank you Pastor Randy for yet another excellent review! I think that the Alpha will become a go-to recommendation for folks looking for a compact, double-column everyday carry! The Heritage is an amazing edition! I think the NLT Select/Caxton has it every so slightly best in my opinion, but like you I really wish they both came in multiple translations.
I have hesitated to buy this one. But, the font is a much nicer size compared to the Pitt Minion. I may have to go ahead and do this. ESV is my favorite translation and that size would be a great every day carry bible. Great review Randy.
Thank you, Randy. I love the look of this Wellington leather and I love the simple blind stamping. Really wish there was a NKJV with this kind of leather binding.
Nice review. The only thing keeping me from buying one of these is the font size. At my age I generally need at a minimum a 10 point font but prefer 11 to 12 point. All depends on who the printer is and what type style they use.
Thank you for the comparison with the Schuyler Personal Size Quentel. I am searching the universe for a small but readable ESV with a zipper. But there is no way I can afford $200 for a Bible. I'm not sure if I care for their tan/green colors, either. I don't know why they can't just make a basic black. Even if I had the $, I could never justify the cost. Maybe someday I will find a used one for a decent price. My main Bible is my beloved ESV Study in large print. But if you've seen that thing, you know it's not something you carry with you! Not only is it huge/weighs a ton, but it would be easy to damage. I do have my ESV "large" print (8 pt.) compact in fake leather. It's not the best as far as size/ghosting, but I can still read it, at least for short reading sessions. But I don't want it damaged in my bag and it's impossible to find a cover that fits. I have it in its original box, which sadly got damaged when I got caught in the rain. I even contacted Crossway to ask if they had any extra boxes that I could even buy. They did not. I guess I'll keep searching/waiting.
Out of curiosity, would you go with this for the Diadem if you had to pick one? Btw love your reviews, you measure it and you do a critical review instead of just gushing about how great everything is.@@BibleBuyingGuide
@@RustyShackleford-1689 Thanks Nathan! I appreciate it very much! I prefer the print quality and overall size of the Alpha. If I didn't need cross references, it's the one I'd choose. The Diadem's poetry looks better because of the higher word count per line, but the darker font and extra white space in the Alpha's text is more important to me. The Diadem is a better choice for all-around use. If it was my only Bible, I'd go with the Diadem. If I had access to references somewhere else, I'd go with the Alpha.
Last question if you're still reading these: Would you try to preach with the Alpha? I learned the hard way the problems of a larger bible with podium space. I am interested in the Diadem, but the reviews about the chaos of the verse numbers, footnotes, and reference numbers have me concerned. The Clarion seems too think. I want a small footprint, and while I like cross-references, I won't be looking up those while preaching as I prepare with a program that has cross-references, commentaries, and all that stuff. I @@BibleBuyingGuide
The Schuyler Canterbury is single-column in Psalms and double column elsewhere, but it's not a poetic setting. So no I don't think it exists. The Zondervan Passagio setting is vice versa - it's double column for poetry and single column elsewhere. Because single column poetry leaves a lot of white space on the page.
The butchered poetry setting in Crossway's Bibles have been a deal breaker for me. Every time I think of getting a crossway, the poetry setting pushes me away. Would definitely choose the Schuyler PSQ over the Alpha.
The Alpha is basically a premium edition of the Large Print Compact with slightly larger margins. It's unfortunate that you have to pay such a high price to get a Bible with better quality paper and print. The Chinese produced large print compact is vastly inferior to this. The paper and opacity is pretty poor. I wish there was some middle ground between $20-40 versions vs. this $260 version so I didn't have to spend and arm and a leg for a bit better reading experience.
Have you looked into Cambridge Bibles in calf split leather? The overall quality is good and the prices are about half of those with goatskin. The paper is less elegant but by no means cheap.
Oh, is that basically it? I have the Compact Large Print and can still read it, but not as easily as before. No way I can afford or justify these expensive Bibles. Something like you've described here would be great.
I like the KJV and the hcsb Bible because I know that hcsb took out words but at least they put it in footnote and I like the NKJV also but we know it still God words God bless you ❤❤
You're so right about the Heritage, Randy. I wish so badly that every other publisher would shamelessly copy it 😂 I love it so much but don't read the ESV. Thanks for the review!
Thank you Pastor Randy for yet another excellent review! I think that the Alpha will become a go-to recommendation for folks looking for a compact, double-column everyday carry!
The Heritage is an amazing edition! I think the NLT Select/Caxton has it every so slightly best in my opinion, but like you I really wish they both came in multiple translations.
The Heritage is absolutely the best Bible text block in existence.
I have hesitated to buy this one. But, the font is a much nicer size compared to the Pitt Minion. I may have to go ahead and do this. ESV is my favorite translation and that size would be a great every day carry bible. Great review Randy.
Thanks! This one is a lot more readable than the Pitt Minion.
Thank you so much for this video I've been struggling on deciding on the alpha or the thinline!
Thank you, Randy. I love the look of this Wellington leather and I love the simple blind stamping. Really wish there was a NKJV with this kind of leather binding.
The alpha looks nice, wish it was single column. Maybe they could do more line spacing and smaller margin to fit the same text on each page.
Nice review. The only thing keeping me from buying one of these is the font size. At my age I generally need at a minimum a 10 point font but prefer 11 to 12 point. All depends on who the printer is and what type style they use.
Thanks!
Same here. Can't do that little print anymore.
Can we get this in a red letter? I just enjoy it so much lol
Thank you for the comparison with the Schuyler Personal Size Quentel. I am searching the universe for a small but readable ESV with a zipper. But there is no way I can afford $200 for a Bible. I'm not sure if I care for their tan/green colors, either. I don't know why they can't just make a basic black. Even if I had the $, I could never justify the cost. Maybe someday I will find a used one for a decent price. My main Bible is my beloved ESV Study in large print. But if you've seen that thing, you know it's not something you carry with you! Not only is it huge/weighs a ton, but it would be easy to damage. I do have my ESV "large" print (8 pt.) compact in fake leather. It's not the best as far as size/ghosting, but I can still read it, at least for short reading sessions. But I don't want it damaged in my bag and it's impossible to find a cover that fits. I have it in its original box, which sadly got damaged when I got caught in the rain. I even contacted Crossway to ask if they had any extra boxes that I could even buy. They did not. I guess I'll keep searching/waiting.
Great review! I really like the size of this Bible, I only wish there were cross references.
Randy compared the Bible with a few others that have cross references at the end of the video.
You should always mention the rough price for each bible, one of the most imp factor.
I do sometimes, but it changes a lot. You can see the current price by clicking think link in the description.
I thought the diadem was 32gsm and the alpha 28gsm? Interesting the diadem seems to show through as bad if not worse.
It might be 32. I'll confirm before writing the full review.
Out of curiosity, would you go with this for the Diadem if you had to pick one? Btw love your reviews, you measure it and you do a critical review instead of just gushing about how great everything is.@@BibleBuyingGuide
@@RustyShackleford-1689 Thanks Nathan! I appreciate it very much! I prefer the print quality and overall size of the Alpha. If I didn't need cross references, it's the one I'd choose. The Diadem's poetry looks better because of the higher word count per line, but the darker font and extra white space in the Alpha's text is more important to me. The Diadem is a better choice for all-around use. If it was my only Bible, I'd go with the Diadem. If I had access to references somewhere else, I'd go with the Alpha.
Last question if you're still reading these: Would you try to preach with the Alpha? I learned the hard way the problems of a larger bible with podium space. I am interested in the Diadem, but the reviews about the chaos of the verse numbers, footnotes, and reference numbers have me concerned. The Clarion seems too think. I want a small footprint, and while I like cross-references, I won't be looking up those while preaching as I prepare with a program that has cross-references, commentaries, and all that stuff. I @@BibleBuyingGuide
Is there a Bible that manages to be both single column poetry and double column non poetry?
The Schuyler Canterbury is single-column in Psalms and double column elsewhere, but it's not a poetic setting. So no I don't think it exists. The Zondervan Passagio setting is vice versa - it's double column for poetry and single column elsewhere. Because single column poetry leaves a lot of white space on the page.
The butchered poetry setting in Crossway's Bibles have been a deal breaker for me. Every time I think of getting a crossway, the poetry setting pushes me away. Would definitely choose the Schuyler PSQ over the Alpha.
The Alpha is basically a premium edition of the Large Print Compact with slightly larger margins. It's unfortunate that you have to pay such a high price to get a Bible with better quality paper and print. The Chinese produced large print compact is vastly inferior to this. The paper and opacity is pretty poor. I wish there was some middle ground between $20-40 versions vs. this $260 version so I didn't have to spend and arm and a leg for a bit better reading experience.
I agree. We need the "best quality for the price" option.
Have you looked into Cambridge Bibles in calf split leather? The overall quality is good and the prices are about half of those with goatskin. The paper is less elegant but by no means cheap.
@@edjiang excellent choice. I love the Cambridge calf split leather.
Oh, is that basically it? I have the Compact Large Print and can still read it, but not as easily as before. No way I can afford or justify these expensive Bibles. Something like you've described here would be great.
Aaargh! The skinny wimpy ribbons.
I like the KJV and the hcsb Bible because I know that hcsb took out words but at least they put it in footnote and I like the NKJV also but we know it still God words God bless you ❤❤