Avtech media ltd uk acquires home tech network publishing Including stereophile

[Arnold Krueger]

https://www.stereophile.com/content...quires-home-tech-network-ten-publishing-media

https://www.stereophile.com/content/what-happening-stereophile

"
April 9, 2018 - 4:27am
John Atkinson

Re: What is happening at Stereophile?
Following the acquisition, Stereophile's new owners took a long, hard look at the value each full-time employee brought to our ventures. As result, Stereophile music editor Robert Baird and AudioStream editor Michael Lavorgna were let go. In addition, they decided that at least for a while, our editorial coordinator and talented videographer Jana Dagdagan would stay but as a contractor rather than a full-time employee.
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

 

[Cosmik]

"
April 9, 2018 - 4:27am
John Atkinson

Re: What is happening at Stereophile?
Following the acquisition, Stereophile's new owners took a long, hard look at the value each full-time employee brought to our ventures. As result, Stereophile music editor Robert Baird and AudioStream editor Michael Lavorgna were let go. In addition, they decided that at least for a while, our editorial coordinator and talented videographer Jana Dagdagan would stay but as a contractor rather than a full-time employee.
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Gosh. When you take on a job like that, your employment status becomes pretty public, doesn't it?

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

https://www.stereophile.com/content...quires-home-tech-network-ten-publishing-media

https://www.stereophile.com/content/what-happening-stereophile

"
April 9, 2018 - 4:27am
John Atkinson

Re: What is happening at Stereophile?
Following the acquisition, Stereophile's new owners took a long, hard look at the value each full-time employee brought to our ventures. As result, Stereophile music editor Robert Baird and AudioStream editor Michael Lavorgna were let go. In addition, they decided that at least for a while, our editorial coordinator and talented videographer Jana Dagdagan would stay but as a contractor rather than a full-time employee.
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Thanks. Lavorgna's departure was long, long overdue. I never found Baird of much interest or relevance. Can't comment on Jana.

One can only hope that Stereophile will get better, hopefully keeping the good stuff, like JA measurements and Kal's excellent coverage of Mch and room acoustics. But, I am also sure, unfortunately, that the popular regulars, MF and AD, will also continue.

 

[sergeauckland]

Whilst not wishing anyone ill, I've recently cancelled my subscription to HFN (nothing to do with this announcement, I did it several weeks before). In my view, HFN has become to HiFi, what EVO is to cars. It seemingly reviews HiFi equipment entirely based on price, not technical merit, and although it does have a couple of decent technical articles, especially those by Jim Lesurf, it's just not enough to be worth reading. Their reviews of stupidly high-priced equipment seems to be what people like to read, but for me it's far more of an irritant than of interest.

There doesn't seem to be any place any more for technically driven content, so after being a reader for some 40 years, I've given it up.

Wish Paul Miller luck with the new venture.
S.

 

[Dialectic]

Gosh. When you take on a job like that, your employment status becomes pretty public, doesn't it?

Atkinson should not have announced this.

Nevertheless, Lavorgna should have been let go months ago, after he lost his cool with his interlocutors at Computer Audiophile.

 

[amirm]

Atkinson should have handled this better.

Agreed. The usual standard is to thank the individual and say they are sorry to see them go. Saying they did not pull their weight is something you say in private, not public.

 

[Sal1950]

Thanks. Lavorgna's departure was long, long overdue. I never found Baird of much interest or relevance. Can't comment on Jana.

One can only hope that Stereophile will get better, hopefully keeping the good stuff, like JA measurements and Kal's excellent coverage of Mch and room acoustics. But, I am also sure, unfortunately, that the popular regulars, MF and AD, will also continue.

Agreed, but I do worry for JA, if it wasn't for his measurement work there I would have dumped a 40 year sub long ago. Seems like it's always the guy at the top of the mast that loses his head under new ownership.

 

[amirm]

Whilst not wishing anyone ill, I've recently cancelled my subscription to HFN (nothing to do with this announcement, I did it several weeks before). In my view, HFN has become to HiFi, what EVO is to cars. It seemingly reviews HiFi equipment entirely based on price, not technical merit, and although it does have a couple of decent technical articles, especially those by Jim Lesurf, it's just not enough to be worth reading.

I to am highly disappointed in their current direction. Entire reviews are subjective with a tiny, blurry sidebar written by Paul on the measurement side. And he discontinued posting his full results in his own web site.

 

[sergeauckland]

I to am highly disappointed in their current direction. Entire reviews are subjective with a tiny, blurry sidebar written by Paul on the measurement side. And he discontinued posting his full results in his own web site.

That's the most disappointing of all. At least once we could get to the whole suite of measurements, even if he did only report a tiny part in print. There also seems not to be any real comment on the technical performance. I accept that he couldn't very well write...yet another near-perfect amplifier or DAC or whatever, but loudspeakers, especially those with a really nasty frequency response should elicit some negative comment, but never do. Don't bite the hand that feeds seems to be the philosophy, and readers aren't the ones paying the bills, the advertisers are.

As to stupidly priced cable reviews........

S.

 

[Thomas savage]

That's the most disappointing of all. At least once we could get to the whole suite of measurements, even if he did only report a tiny part in print. There also seems not to be any real comment on the technical performance. I accept that he couldn't very well write...yet another near-perfect amplifier or DAC or whatever, but loudspeakers, especially those with a really nasty frequency response should elicit some negative comment, but never do. Don't bite the hand that feeds seems to be the philosophy, and readers aren't the ones paying the bills, the advertisers are.

As to stupidly priced cable reviews........

S.

Most Hifi magazines exist to promote high end audio aspirations in their readership, I know of at least one product from a highly regarded manufacturer that was conceived by those in the hifi press. It’s promotion pure and simple and not only the physical media most forums end up going down the same road and become nothing but a mouthpiece for the industry.

Unfortunately the tail wags the dog.

I have no respect for any of it, whatever people think of ASR if there was ever even a sniff of what’s cripples the credibility and integrity of those magazines and forums here I’d die of shame.

 

[Thomas savage]

I like the Japanese mags, particularly MJ, which focus less on novelty and expense than on engineering and what they perceive (often, in my view, incorrectly) as excellence.



And what was the product, @Thomas savage?

Can’t reveal that, the revelation came from a private conversation and my own code of ethics would be betrayed by mentioning the folks involved.

 

[Sal1950]

Most Hifi magazines exist to promote high end audio aspirations in their readership, I know of at least one product from a highly regarded manufacturer that was conceived by those in the hifi press. It’s promotion pure and simple and not only the physical media most forums end up going down the same road and become nothing but a mouthpiece for the industry.

Unfortunately the tail wags the dog.

I have no respect for any of it, whatever people think of ASR if there was ever even a sniff of what’s cripples the credibility and integrity of those magazines and forums here I’d die of shame.

I toast to you for that bit of honesty and integrity Thomas!
Yes this type of thing has been going on forever and audio has no corner on the market.
But the extremes that the high end media has taken in the handshake marketing of snake-oil and pseudoscience is without precedent AFAIK. I clearly remember when JGH left High Fidelity largely for the reason of advertiser influence among other things. He wrote of his dissatisfaction with the direction that Stereophile had taken in the later years, I fear he is rolling in his grave at todays situation..
As it currently stands ASR is among only a handful of places on the web where integrity of reporting on things High Fidelity holds the day.
I am very proud to have been among one of the earliest members here and hope to have helped in some small way towards it's success.

 

[dallasjustice]

 

[Palladium]

Ugh magazines. Even without the biased content they are still a glorified binder of ads first and foremost which you still have to pay for...Good riddance.

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

Ugh magazines. Even without the biased content they are still a glorified binder of ads first and foremost which you still have to pay for...Good riddance.

I dunno. Whenever audiophiles are involved, I expect a wide spectrum of viewpoints, many quite biased, many quite nonsensical. It is just the way it is, and I can often tolerate others even if I strongly disagree. It is not hard to ignore or tune out what you do not find credible or enlightening, often with a chuckle or two. My audiophile friends are pretty much along a similar spectrum, but we get along nontheless.

I still skim through the mags - Stereophile, TAS, Sound & Vision, Widescreen Review - reading only what I want. Often, with some I am done in 15 minutes. I do that just to stay in touch, because I am fascinated by the audio/video marketplace and how A/V journalism influences it, what's new, what's hot, trends, even the slipperiness of ad copy and audio marketing hype. I know how misguided and superficial some reviewers are and always will be, since I, of course as is well known, am always right, possessing far superior intelligence and far better ears and discernment than they do. Yeah, right.

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

I toast to you for that bit of honesty and integrity Thomas!
Yes this type of thing has been going on forever and audio has no corner on the market.
But the extremes that the high end media has taken in the handshake marketing of snake-oil and pseudoscience is without precedent AFAIK. I clearly remember when JGH left High Fidelity largely for the reason of advertiser influence among other things. He wrote of his dissatisfaction with the direction that Stereophile had taken in the later years, I fear he is rolling in his grave at todays situation..
As it currently stands ASR is among only a handful of places on the web where integrity of reporting on things High Fidelity holds the day.
I am very proud to have been among one of the earliest members here and hope to have helped in some small way towards it's success.

It was HP at TAS who first transitioned from a purely subscriber-driven mag with no ads to full acceptance of the ads. JGH, as chief tester and drudge at Stereophile, made a similar transition after many years of no ads not long after that. That was well before he sold the magazine and relinquished editorial control. In both cases, circulation greatly increased thereafter. I remember it well.

I don't think JGH was ever much influenced by the ads, although putting out the now bigger mag with ads appeared to be a more difficult task with more pressures for his tiny team - just he and his wife. He was never able to sustain publication himself on a regular calendar basis, deadly with often time-sensitive ads.

 

[Sal1950]

My audiophile friends are pretty much along a similar spectrum, but we get along nontheless.

You have friends???

 

[Kal Rubinson]

You have friends???

I can vouch for that.

 

[Sal1950]

I can vouch for that.

Careful Kal, we are sometimes judged by our associations. LOL

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Careful Kal, we are sometimes judged by our associations. LOL

Why not? Carl and I (and a couple of other friends) had dinner last Sunday and the conversation was brisk and entertaining. There is life off the Internet.