Stereophile/S&V/Analog Planet/Shutterbug Acquisition

[gaussianmist]

He has been the publisher of Stereophile since 1998.

That's strange. My copies of Stereophile say AV Tech.

 

[NTK]

That's strange. My copies of Stereophile say AV Tech.

 

[PristineSound]

Don't hold your breath waiting for that.

I can only PRAY

 

[delta76]

Just another day in business. But acquisitions and mergers usually lead to layoff. I do hope anyone who would be affected by that land on their feet quickly, whatever audio belief they believe in

 

[Timcognito]

Yes, I would sell. I can't let it disappear. Ideally a company would buy and actually expand my testing by creating a lab, hiring people, etc. I am thinking like LTT, CNET, etc. I get fair number of inquiries to buy ASR but none are of this type. I may have to take it to that point myself before someone sees the potential.

gofundme.com?

 

[pablolie]

I suspect they are adding up all of their years of operation, not just one of them.

Indeed, but omitting the word "combined" seems misleading when that is the case. Not a big deal, I know.

 

[Sal1950]

Pray Media Holdings Announces Acquisition of AVTech Media Americas and Its Iconic
Enthusiast Media Brands

Is that Pray we can kept these antiquated publications afloat?

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.

John, I wish you all be best going forward. Despite our many disagreements over those 4 decades you still remain someone I consider an industry friend and the guiding light at Stereophile since the departure of J. Gordon Holt. When my current subscription comes up for renewal there will be little left to encourage my dollars unless the new ownership takes a different direction in editorial policy.
Stay well ole buddy, go have some fun.
Sal1950

 

[KxDx]

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

Thank you for your many contributions John.

 

[mps]

@John Atkinson , thanks for all your contributions, not just at Stereophile, but here as well. I (and I suspect others here) would love to hear anything you are willing to share about how you are planning to spend your retirement if you are open to it.

 

[thewas]

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

Just read the editorial from the new issue and thank you also from my side for your so large contribution in making audio forward from a medieval approach to a better understanding of the correlation between measurements and subjective experience.

I wonder what will happen with future Stereophile reviews though, won't they have any measurements part any longer?

 

[Sal1950]

I wonder what will happen with future Stereophile reviews though, won't they have any measurements part any longer?

I really doubt it but who knows, The Absolute Sound gets by without any?
In any case a dying breed the radical subjective cult is.

 

[mpw]

John,

Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement! You will be very missed by readers like me and many others.

I believe you brought a niche skill to the job that will be very hard to replace.

As I’ve argued before, when it comes to educating audiophiles about the technical aspects of audio gear as well as sound quality there’s a sort of conundrum or paradox:

Many (if not most) audiophiles care about what equipment sounds like, but they are not technically educated and so just talking in measurements can be baffling and alienating.

This is why so many audiophiles end up discussing with each other “how this piece of gear sounds subjectively” in order to convey information. (with all its liabilities.)

In order to educate audiophiles about how gear works and the relevance of measurements, obviously your educator should be somebody who has a firm grasp of engineering and the measurements.

The problem is: The type of person attracted to the technical details - generally somebody with an engineering bent - tends to be less interested in subjective descriptions of the sound. The more they know about the measurements the less need they have for subjective descriptions! The attitude tends to be: “The measurements tell me what I need to know. They are much more reliable and precise than any subjective description. So I’m not really interested in subjective descriptions of sound. Most of it is just unreliable, flowery poetic bullshit anyway.”

On the other side… you have audiophiles (including many subjective reviewers) who may be quite good with language, eager and even talented at portraying sound qualities in subjective language…. but they lack the technical knowledge to convey the proper information about the relevant measurements. (And of course can also end up endorsing pseudoscience along the way).

So the paradox is that the people who possess the objective data required to explain why a speaker sounds a certain way often lack the subjective vocabulary (or desire) to communicate it, while the people who have the subjective vocabulary lack the technical grasp of the data.


It’s like the divide between the STEM students in university versus the artsy fartsies and the humanities.

And for me, that’s exactly where you have filled the gap all these years!

You have the technical knowledge to do the measurements and explain the relevance of the measurements, but also the interest and skill in the “how it sounds” part - putting the results into subjective descriptions the non-technical audiophile can relate to and understand. It’s a big reason why I have kept coming back to Stereophile (even while there are ever more highly technical examinations of gear available online).

I hope whoever replaces you at Stereophile has the same rare combination of skills!

Cheers.

It's and end of an era with John retiring from Sterophile. I miss Art Dudley as well.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Paul Miller has been doing measurements for decades.

 

[John Atkinson]

Just read the editorial from the new issue and thank you also from my side for your so large contribution in making audio forward from a medieval approach to a better understanding of the correlation between measurements and subjective experience.

You're welcome,.

I wonder what will happen with future Stereophile reviews though, won't they have any measurements part any longer?

As you will be able to see in the August issue of Stereophile, Jim Austin has recruited two experienced engineers to provide the measurements to accompany Stereophile's reviews.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor (for one more issue), Stereophile

 

[thewas]

You're welcome,.


As you will be able to see in the August issue of Stereophile, Jim Austin has recruited two experienced engineers to provide the measurements to accompany Stereophile's reviews.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor (for one more issue), Stereophile

Thank you for your response, which is kind as always. That is good news and takes away some of the sadness about your departure from the magazine.

 

[Timcognito]

Hey JA,
I am hoping this new chapter will be filled with fun. Your measurements, along with Kal's, Art's and your writing, kept me looking forward each issue. My only gripe was when you killed the San Francisco audio show days before in was supposed to happen decades ago. Now that is off my chest and much new and good water has past under that bridge, I wish you heart felt salutations of good luck and good health, and hope you will continue with us here at ASR.

Tim

 

[mhardy6647]

I am in the process of enabling my son to be able to take over the admin duties should something happen to me. And seeing if he can also take over doing some of the reviews (I am training him right now).

I hope he is OK with that!

 

[TLEDDY]

Thank you for your many contributions John.

An dthe same! I have been a fanboy of yours for decades! I realize that tempus fugit and the time comes to hang up the instruments and typewriter, then enjoy your future! You will be sorely missed!

Tillman in Florida

 

[John Atkinson]

An dthe same! I have been a fanboy of yours for decades! I realize that tempus fugit and the time comes to hang up the instruments and typewriter, then enjoy your future! You will be sorely missed!

Tillman in Florida

Thank you, TLEDDY.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor (until the magazine's August issue hits mailboxes and newsstands), Stereophile

 

[Nopiano]

Hope I can share this treasured picture of mine to embarrass us both, when John was still (just) Editor at HFN, and I was the fortunate prize winner of a system that won various awards at a recent London (Heathrow) show. Must have been 1985 or 1986, in the board room at HFN headquarters in Croydon, London.

Components included Celestion SL600 speakers, a Linn Sondek with Syrinx PU3 arm and Goldring Electro MC cartridge. The preamp was Meridian’s modular system (long since defunct) and a huge Musical Fidelity Studio T power amp. Sadly, all but the turntable and preamp (which I’d replaced with a newer Meridian Pre-CD) was burgled in 1998 while I was on a trip to USA.

Needless to to say, the youthful JA is on the left!