Stereophile/S&V/Analog Planet/Shutterbug Acquisition

[Billy Budapest]

I was thinking along similar lines. A VC group playbook:
- Buy companies
- Use their equity to get huge loans
- Bankruptcy, causing the loaned money to vanish into yachts, offshore accounts and vacation condos

It’s not a VC group.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Not the same company. Google's AI is giving an incorrect response to queries. Googling Pray Media Holdings (without quotes) gives an incorrect response. Googling "Pray Media Holdings" (with quotes) gives correct responses.

Moral of the story: stop effing using AI for research! It almost always gives incorrect information!

 

[Billy Budapest]

We can only hope that under new ownership, pieces like this one will no longer be published:
"In the opinion of this hi-fi reviewer, the debate over the efficacy of audio-quality network switches should be over. As logic would dictate, when connections are made via a network switch, the quality of its inputs, outputs, oscillators (clocks), power supplies, and pathways affects the sound of everything downstream. It's clearly audible. Everything matters."
"Even with a DAC-streamer as superb as the dCS Varèse, the Nordost QNet7 network switch improves sound, apparently by lowering the near-vanishing noisefloor of music streamed through a supposedly quiet fiber-based streaming network. Go figure."
Does this "reviewer" comprehend how his streaming setup actually works?

They understand, but they believe in the power of advertising, which is the primary function for many of them.

 

[Jim T]

".. representing more than 130 years of hi-fi
publishing history.."
What was their publication 130 years ago?

Combined.

 

[Ruediger]

We can only hope that under new ownership, pieces like this one will no longer be published:

They all need money and ad articles for extremely expensive hot air products pay well.

 

[Ziroz]

".. representing more than 130 years of hi-fi
publishing history.."
What was their publication 130 years ago?

Been reviewing them Edison cylinders for over a century.

 

[AudioSceptic]

My dealer pal has presented me with a pile of HiFi News mags dating from a small pile of ~2011 and a larger pile of ~2022 to present day, to show me the kind of beyond-unaffordable good-looking gear they review, in an attempt to show me that here in the UK, Rega is still good value, even their new pre-power combo at £14k!!! One or two reviews are fascinating, interesting even, but the rest of it is nausea-inducing, the way that price rules everything, often including their percentage ratings. I only look on the odd Stereophile review measurements, totally ignoring the subjective puff that precedes them... I need to look through them before deciding whether to recycle these HFN mags and to be honest, I'm stunned there's anyone left in the UK who can remotely afford the bling they review. One recent issue has Ken Kessler defending the high prices asked for the kind of gear they review, as he claimed there's far more millionaires around these days, if too few into expensive audio gear - I think I read it right...

If you only look at the measurements you are missing a rich source of hilarity. Try to read through the "review" part of <https://stereophile.com/content/nordost-qnet7-reclocking-network-switch> but do not try to eat or drink anything while doing so!

 

[heflys20]

I, too, head straight for the measurements most times. It saves me the headache of having to read about speaker burn or swapping to expensive cables/amps to change the tonality of the speaker.

 

[daniboun]

If Amir sells out and goes off to study earthworms in the woods instead, most of us will give up on ASR, I'd guess.

I would have cited it instead for the proliferation of chickens in Africa )))))

 

[pablolie]

To be honest: In one of last year’s issues of Audio+Stereoplay this article on loudspeaker basics was published. They cite Floyd Toole and his findings, including his book on sound reproduction. It’s not that magazine people wouldn’t know about audio electronics. It’s just not their business to teach their readers and to help them buying proper gear. Magazine’s business is to help manufacturers _selling_ their gear.

And that's the only other audio magazine I am subscribed to.

 

[Gary_G]

If Amir sells out and goes off to study earthworms in the woods instead, most of us will give up on ASR, I'd guess.

Oh, I have audio grade earthworms where the electric enters the house. They absorb interference even before it gets th my panel.

 

[Ruediger]

If you only look at the measurements you are missing a rich source of hilarity. Try to read through the "review" part of <https://stereophile.com/content/nordost-qnet7-reclocking-network-switch> but do not try to eat or drink anything while doing so!

The Nordost website is also a source of joy. My favorite are the Odin cables, which reminded me of my last Ikea visit.

 

[John Atkinson]

whats more interesting is JA is currently Technical Director... so if Paul Miller is "incoming Technical Editor of Stereophile" how does that gel with what JA does?

Peter

As you will read in the July issue of Stereophile, which will hit mailboxes in a week or so, I retired on May 1, the 40th anniversary of my joining Stereophile. And in September it will be a half century since I joined Hi-Fi News & Record Review. As I reach the age of 78 I felt it was time to take things easy.

I will still be listed as Stereophile's Technical Editor until the August issue is published.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

 

[Oddball]

Well deserved and wish you all the best. You certainly made your mark.

I am lucky to be retiring in 50-ies. Not sure what made the older generation so tough, but all the respect.

 

[fatoldgit]

If you only look at the measurements you are missing a rich source of hilarity. Try to read through the "review" part of <https://stereophile.com/content/nordost-qnet7-reclocking-network-switch> but do not try to eat or drink anything while doing so!

Note that despite, obviously, these types of devices being used for digital playback (i.e. there is a DAC somewhere), JA never does a measurements section (not blaming him)

Now I can understand that JA doesn't have the equipment/knowledge to measure networking equipment in isolation but given how wonderful the listening experience is when using these magic boxes, surely the other JA (given lack of measurements is his call) could have the real JA measure the digital and analog outputs with and without these magic boxes in the chain and show us the differences (if any)

If the subjective changes/experiences are so massive with these devices in the chain then SURELY we would see that in the measurements.

Peter

 

[SJMess]

Enjoy!

 

[fatoldgit]

As you will read in the July issue of Stereophile, which will hit mailboxes in a week or so, I retired on May 1, the 40th anniversary of my joining Stereophile. And in September it will be a half century since I joined Hi-Fi News & Record Review. As I reach the age of 78 I felt it was time to take things easy.

I will still be listed as Stereophile's Technical Editor until the August issue is published.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Well done Comrade (May 1)

Just let me say that you deserve some kind of honor (Noble Prize in Audio) for your dedication to providing measurements that have underpinned I am sure, 100,000's of equipment purchases by objective leaning audiophiles (myself included).

Question (maybe you can't answer): Paul's measurements, while they cover the basics, are not as extensive as yours.

Will he been doing the same extensive testing as you do or just an abbreviated version?


Peter

 

[AudioSceptic]

Note that despite, obviously, these types of devices being used for digital playback (i.e. there is a DAC somewhere), JA never does a measurements section (not blaming him)

Now I can understand that JA doesn't have the equipment/knowledge to measure networking equipment in isolation but given how wonderful the listening experience is when using these magic boxes, surely the other JA (given lack of measurements is his call) could have the real JA measure the digital and analog outputs with and without these magic boxes in the chain and show us the differences (if any)

If the subjective changes/experiences are so massive with these devices in the chain then SURELY we would see that in the measurements.

Peter

So massive that you have wasted the $267k you've spent on your dCS Varese if you don't also pay the extra $5k for this magic box. Frankly, it's surprising that audio streaming works at all without it! ;-)

 

[DSJR]

All I know is if they decide Stereophile is worth more in pieces, we need to make sure Kal is brought over to the ASR staff, b/c he's the one worthwhile part of the whole enterprise

If you only look at the measurements you are missing a rich source of hilarity. Try to read through the "review" part of <https://stereophile.com/content/nordost-qnet7-reclocking-network-switch> but do not try to eat or drink anything while doing so!

You made me do that and that's time I'll never get back What a load of hogwash that 'reviewer' typed! Mind you, they're using a dCS thingie, so they're lost to common sense in any case...

 

[Gary_G]

As you will read in the July issue of Stereophile, which will hit mailboxes in a week or so, I retired on May 1, the 40th anniversary of my joining Stereophile. And in September it will be a half century since I joined Hi-Fi News & Record Review. As I reach the age of 78 I felt it was time to take things easy.

I will still be listed as Stereophile's Technical Editor until the August issue is published.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

CONGRATS! 78rpm , a vintage for sure