Stereophile/S&V/Analog Planet/Shutterbug Acquisition

[CD2]

"committed to preserving editorial integrity while investing in digital innovation, audience development, events, commerce, and new media platforms."

In the tradition of "ignore everything before the 'but'" the key seems to what's after "while." Does anyone know what this portends?

Edit: Congratulations to John Atkinson. I learned a lot from his work over the years.

 

[amirm]

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?

Paul is in UK. As such, it is not practical for him to conduct measurements for stereophile. I don't know if they can find a substitute for JA. If that is the case, the measurement section may disappear....

 

[pablolie]

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

I can't begin to thank you for everything you published! What a legacy!

 

[andyc56]

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?

Did you know that Jason Serinus is a professional whistler and uses his whistling for healing purposes?

 

[PatentLawyer]

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

There are two reasons I’ve subscribed to Stereophile for upwards of 30 years. You are one of them. Godspeed sir, and my very best wishes for a well deserved retirement.

 

[Linnie]

In a short time on ASR I have learned more about audio than from audio magazines in 30 years.

 

[Arthur Edwards]

Paul is in UK. As such, it is not practical for him to conduct measurements for stereophile. I don't know if they can find a substitute for JA. If that is the case, the measurement section may disappear....

Paul Miller remains the Editorial Director of AVTech Media, the UK-based company that is not being sold to Pray Media Holdings. That is his full-time job.

I anticipate his measurements will replicate those published in Hi Fi News reviews of the same speakers. This has already occurred in Stereophile on several occasions already.

This will likely be the full extent of his contributions to Stereophile.

The graphs in Paul's reviews are limited to on-axis gated measurements, without a listening window or radiation patterns.

Atkinson's retirement is well deserved, though it represents a significant loss for those who relied on his measurements.

 

[AndreaT]

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

I greatly enjoy reading your measurements and learning a bit more about acoustics and electronics in the past 31 years. You will certainly be missed. Amirm is now the King of objective reviews!

 

[fatoldgit]

Paul Miller remains the Editorial Director of AVTech Media, the UK-based company that is not being sold to Pray Media Holdings. That is his full-time job.

I anticipate his measurements will replicate those published in Hi Fi News reviews of the same speakers. This has already occurred in Stereophile on several occasions already.

This will likely be the full extent of his contributions to Stereophile.

The graphs in Paul's reviews are limited to on-axis gated measurements, without a listening window or radiation patterns.

Atkinson's retirement is well deserved, though it represents a significant loss for those who relied on his measurements.

Well.. the press release says "said Paul Miller, Editorial Director of AVTech Media and incoming Technical Editor of Stereophile"

So if he isn't in the US then how can he do measurements given the Stereophile reviewers are all US based and you often see mentioned in JA's reviews "xxx shipped yyyy to me".

So if Paul isn't going to become JA's "mini me" (which as per my original question, I asked if he will expand his testing up to JA's level) and isn't going to be based in the US than that makes Stereophile just another subjective rat hole.

Stereophile without JA is like a car without wheels or a spicy vindaloo without the loo.

Peter

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Did you know that Jason Serinus is a professional whistler and uses his whistling for healing purposes?

Now I'm wondering if I should switch from aroma therapy?

 

[Arthur Edwards]

To understand the spin-off of Stereophile from AVTech Media, you need to know about the closure of Hudson News Distributors, which ceased distributing magazines and books in the US in February 2026. As a result, magazines are no longer available in airports, train stations, or bookstores in the US. Since Hudson News Distributors had consolidated small independent distributors, no alternatives remain. Stereophile now relies on Hi-Fi shows to attract new subscribers, with free issues available at the shows.

Meanwhile, in contrast to the dramatic changes in the US, the situation in the UK remains stable. Magazine distribution has not changed at all over the years.

Crucially, this disruption has shaken the entire US magazine industry, not just Stereophile.

After the February 2026 closure, AV Tech was managing two separate businesses and decided not to continue publishing a magazine without US retail distribution. However, since Pray is confident he can maintain Stereophile’s profitability in the changing US magazine market, AVTech let him spin out the US business.

 

[Fidji]

To understand the spin-off of Stereophile from AVTech Media, you need to know about the closure of Hudson News Distributors, which ceased distributing magazines and books in the US in February 2026. As a result, magazines are no longer available in airports, train stations, or bookstores in the US. Since Hudson News Distributors had consolidated small independent distributors, no alternatives remain. Stereophile now relies on Hi-Fi shows to attract new subscribers, with free issues available at the shows.

Meanwhile, in contrast to the dramatic changes in the US, the situation in the UK remains stable. Magazine distribution has not changed at all over the years.

Crucially, this disruption has shaken the entire US magazine industry, not just Stereophile.

After the February 2026 closure, AV Tech was managing two separate businesses and decided not to continue publishing a magazine without US retail distribution. However, since Pray is confident he can maintain Stereophile’s profitability in the changing US magazine market, AVTech let him spin out the US business.

Thanks a lot, this provides all the necessary context. And it makes sense for everybody involved - AVTech is looking at more profitable remainco, they can still maintain commercial synergies, if there were any. US guys see value in brands and if they do US operations properly, there is ratiuonale to become more efficient by getting local.

There is money to be made on audio media, if you do it properly - but for sure you need to have proper model suitable for 2026, not 1976

@amirm - if this info is correct, maybe it would even make sense to move the post as it explains lot of context. People speculate a lot about topic thye have no clue about, even posting charts of stock performance of some unrelated ETF <<?

 

[Ruediger]

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! ;-)

"Entrapment" or "sunk cost fallacy" is a real thing though. People really make these decisions once heavily invested, even if they know or at least suspect it won't add anything.

 

[rirelien]

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

I bought and very much enjoyed a set of speakers (Spendor SA1), which were on my radar because of the Stereophile review and your measurements.

Wishing you well for the taking things easy part! Hopefully this means focussing only on the things you enjoy.

 

[AudioSceptic]

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...

That was the idea, but I try not to get annoyed by this stuff and instead marvel at the sheer absurdity of it. It's right up there with the most extreme (other) beliefs in the paranormal.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Did you know that Jason Serinus is a professional whistler and uses his whistling for healing purposes?

"The Pavarotti of Pucker"!

 

[AudioSceptic]

In a short time on ASR I have learned more about audio than from audio magazines in 30 years.

Do you also read Archimago's Musings <https://archimago.blogspot.com/>? Very informative!

 

[SpaceMonkey]

 

[qirex]

Well Stereophile's first post after announcing this is a verbatim press release (well, almost verbatim, the first few sentences appear to be cut off) so that's not a great sign.

 

[Billy Budapest]

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

JA,

Thanks for your years of picking up the mantle from Julian Hirsch of objectivity and ultimately, holding manufacturers accountable for their claims. Enjoy your retirement!