What is up with Just Audio? Things have changed a LOT recently
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- A quick video this week as I prepare another review. I have noticed some big changes at Just Audio recently, so thought I would share my observations and get your feedback.
Video: • What is up with Just A...
Email: stereoniche@gmail.com
"We are immensely grateful for Lenny's contributions to Just Audio. His many talents and unwavering commitment have left a lasting impact on our company. Today, as Lenny embarks on new adventures, we extend our heartfelt gratitude and best wishes for his future endeavors."
Just audio
Well, looks like Just Audio finally made an official announcement. Lenny also addressed it in a response to his latest video. "I am no longer a part of Just Audio and am working on my new store from the ground up! "
Change is inevitable. The good news is that this will hopefully bring the vintage audio community more in the way of content on CZcams, but also another store for buying and servicing gear.
Lenny addressed the main question in a response to his latest video. "I am no longer a part of Just Audio and am working on my new store from the ground up! "
😳Nice vintage HiFi collection! Would love to come tour it sometime!
Scott, so sorry to hear about the loss of your dog.
Lenny! I extended an invite a while back, but you said you didn't travel without your entourage? 🤣 Give me a shout via stereoniche@gmail.com
I’ve been to the store a few times. They did a great job repairing my Thorens turntable for a reasonable cost. I haven’t been there since the bridge collapse which definitely affected travel to the store for many. I was also confused about the changes in his and the store’s CZcams channels too. It might just be the fact that he got so popular pretty quickly. Hopefully, he doesn’t get too distracted from the store. In this area, we need an audio store like his with vintage and new equipment that has a few technicians that can do repairs and restorations.
Just based on the channel changes, it seems as though there has been a separation with Lenny getting the channel and the Just Audio store having to start fresh with a new channel.
Scott, My condolences on the passing of the family doggie 😥🐶 and thank you for the work you do on You Tube. Just Audio was one of the first folks I followed on You Tube when I restarted my audio journey. Thanks for helping shed some light on the current confusion around the Just Audio channel. 🙂👍🏽
Thank you for the comments. As I surmised, there has been significant change at JA with the parties going their separate ways. Lenny has started his own store, so maybe in the end, this is just more for all of us in the vintage audio arena.
I've never been to the store, so take all this with a grain of salt.
As I understand it from a friend who was formerly a long-time customer of the store, Lenny wasn't an audio technician but rather an enthusiast. He married the owners daughter, and then worked that position into store manager and all-around head honcho, at which point the focus of the store changed from being mostly a repair shop with sales on the side to more of a flipping operation where they paid lowball for vintage gear, then it would get cleaned up, a thing or two fixed and then re-sold for big money. The repair end of the operation got to be less and less, and the quality of the repairs fell below their former high standard. Their guarantees were often contested when customers brought their gear back for the same problem.
My condolences about your dog’s passing. Animals are truly family.
Thank you.
Sorry about losing your dog Scott. We are going through the same thing with our 13-year-old Standard Poodle. We know we need to prepare to put her down, but we have been postponing it for a couple of months.
It has been tough. Over the years, we have had some stomach bugs that got him down a few times, but he always bounced back. We thought that was the case this time, but it turned out he had cancer throughout his internal organs. Following the diagnosis, we had days. Prior to this, we felt sure we had at least a couple more years. Relish every moment.
I stopped watching the channel. The crazy Lenny character just turned me off. I have no idea what's going on but it's all about Lenny now.
Same here
The focus certainly changed, which seemed to have been the precursor to what triggered the recent changes.
He seems like a nice guy and enjoyed his travels to NJ & PA to find some hidden stockpiles of primo vintage electronics for sale.
@@hanksta34 Maybe we can get him here for a visit. Stay tuned.
@@stereoniche Great idea. Cross pollination is good for all.
The in-store inventory vids were something I looked forward to, much the same as I anticipate your content. They've managed to obviate that anticipation. Thanks for your take on this (spot-on) and your continued content.
Things have certainly changed. I wish them well going forward.
I had 3 pieces of vintage equipment refurbished at 'Just Audio' a year ago (Yamaha CR-2020, Nakamichi 600, Yamaha CDC-805). The work was top notch and each piece is performing beautifully. Lenny was at the store both times when I dropped off/picked up the the equipment. Seemed like a nice guy! I also purchased a pair of spade connectors for my Vandersteen 1Ci+ speakers as they're a specific width for the terminals. Quick delivery with them as well.
He has always seemed quite enthusiastic, that comes through naturally. If there is a split up, hopefully that just increases the gear offered and repair services available to customers.
Hello, American friend, first of all, I am very sad to learn of the disappearance of your faithful four-legged friend......I have experienced this situation several times and it is very hard to get through! So I wish you courage and have a big thought for you......Next, I really value your channel and am a subscriber who watches them all. Good luck and long life! Claude (Liège in Belgium)
Thank you very much for the kind words. Stay tuned, so much more to showcase! :-)
Very sorry to hear about the passing of your family member. My dog, Meatball, is laying right next to me as he does every evening this time and he's very special to our family. I had noticed that the fella from Just Audio had started his own channel and that things had changed some as far as the type of content. I've gravitated more to Skylabs page in recent months in addition to yours for just keeping it more low-key and about the equipment.
Give Meatball an extra dog bone for us. 👍
@@stereoniche will do!
He has some really enjoyable video's, on both channels, as do you. I enjoy watching this classic Stereo stuff, and no Home Theater things that wander off of the subject. Thanks again.
Looks like there are now twice as much to enjoy since they are now two separate channels.
First of all, sorry for your loss. I love you and your channel and I also love just about everything Lenny does. Lately he has been touring vintage audio stores and i think that is fascinating. How about Lenny pays you a visit???? Two of my favorite youtubers in the same place!
Well, Lenny reached out, so maybe it will happen! 👍
So sorry for your loss.
Thank you.
Lenny has this fun Rock’n’roll vibe that I think is nice to have among us. He seems very knowledgeable about the gear history and has never hesitated to shine some light on other stores across the country when other channels are more self
centered. I am less of a fan when he covers new equipment brands but I can understand he needs to sustain his business/channel and it’s pretty easy to skip when it’s not our jam. it’s not the first time I see a store on CZcams trying to takeover from the content creator they employed and who put the channel on the map and usually it backfires.
Hopefully this change results in more content, but also another location that provides gear and repair services to the community. A Win-Win for all of us.
I am very sorry for your loss Scott. When our dog passed I think our son cried for three days. I also have been a follower of Just Audio for years. Crazy stuff going on over there. I have often recommended that he checked out your channel for the best collection of vintage gear in the country.
Thanks Mike! It is never easy, but time works its magic eventually. Thanks for the recommendations as well. I've tried to reach out to Lenny a couple of times, but no reply. I wish him the best whatever has happened.
I am from Baltimore and had been in their old store several times and I have been wondering the same thing, did Lenny move on ? I like to know the answer to. If he did maybe it is for the best for Just Audio.
Lenny reached out, so maybe he will share some insight.
Thanks; I was wondering the same about the Just Audio channel recent changes
I am sure we will eventually get the full story from them. They need to keep the day to day going and keep staff happy as well when there are big shifts in the business structure (assuming that is what has happened).
his prices are insane selling a less then 200 dollar new Pioneer receiver for 800 dollars
I agree. The pricing I’ve seen on equipment on his videos makes you scratch your head. Sure, I understand his staff does great work. To someone who walks in off the street are gonna say. Hell, I might as well buy new gear at these prices.
yeah I'd like to know too..I follow a few channels and i actually wondered if they were splitting ways...wish they'd just announce the changes and just remove the confusions.
Maybe this will incentivize them to talk about it, but, if they don't, we will have to assume it is for a good reason.
@@stereoniche yes.. same thought. doesn't seem like they are parting ways that's why it's strange to split it up.. unless it's just to increase revenue with another channel being watched/growing the YT presence.
My condolences to you losing your dog. I know exactly how you feel. We also lost our dog unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago.
Condolences to you as well. It was so sudden, but as time goes on, I know that it was better than the alternative. It was painful watching him deteriorate daily, I am just thankful we were able to say our goodbyes.
On Just Audios 2nd video from a few months back, someone mentioned Lenny and Just Audio commented with “Lenny is not on the Channel”. On one of the recent videos, just Audio said they are planning to address the elephant in the room in one of the comments.
If they were able to make videos many weeks/months in advance, it could be that these changes actually happened some time ago and we are sort of catching up to them.
The day the bridge collapsed I brought my 2215b to get fully serviced. I didn't see anybody I recognized, mentioned was a CZcams fan, the Just Audio store was a complete experience to walk through, though I was seeing vintage Marantz north of 3k in prices, lol... the repair facility portion is top notch and cleaner than a hospital. They did a full service on my 2215b and I have been using nonstop for months... I would not have even known about store if wasn't for CZcams and sincerely hope all is well for them
Thanks for adding to the conversation. I hope to pay them a visit myself at some point.
Simple comment: I agree. Probably not a store I would deal with. If I am going to purchase Vintage Audio Gear, I want it to be from someone who I have established a rapport with and know that if there is a problem, it will be quickly and cheerfully resolved. I have such a connection in Rochester, New York. And I would not be averse to travelling from Eastern Tennessee to Greenville SC to Cherry Vintage. Kevin (from Skylab) and his stance that he will not sell by mail sort of negates doing business with him unless I just happened to be in West Des Moines, Iowa.
I've not ever read any bad reviews about their dealings at the store. Some may disagree on their prices, but the service seems to be quite good, so you may get what you pay for in that geographic region. I plan to pay them a visit next time I am up that way. Less of a chance I will be around Des Moines, IA to see Kevn as Skylab though.
My condolences to your family on the loss of your dog.
Thank you.
I visited Just Audio store a couple times to audition equipment. They're located in suburban Baltimore, around the beltway from me.
I will certainly stop by if I am ever in the area.
Sorry about your family loss😢
Thank you.
I noticed the name change also and the store is not mentioned at all so you could be right he may be going out on his own we'll see. My condolences for your dog God called another of his angels home 😢
Thank you. Time will tell eventually on what is transpiring.
@stereoniche
I straight up asked him if he's still with JA on his video this morning and no reply as yet so probably not! 🤔
@@brucesamuelson7541 Someone else asked the question further down and Lenny replied "I am no longer a part of Just Audio and am working on my new store from the ground up! " There is more, but that is the answer we were wondering about.
I have a summer place in Bowleys Quarters which is about 8 miles from Just Audio.I like to see what they are selling things for that I have. Lets say I would have a hard time selling my minty receivers and amps that I refurb on my own (i built a shop) for the prices they are asking. Their store was the first time I saw the awesomeness of a SX1980 in person 😃. Its still my little cheat to see what eye candy they have in person.
It is a destination on my list, for sure. The videos of the store look wonderful, for me, a bit like Willy Wonka's Stereo Emporium.
Scott, sorry to hear about the loss of your dog , losing your friend is a big deal. The only bad thing about a dog is that they don’t live long enough .
True indeed. They are so intertwined and invested in us, it is tough when the finally go.
I just asked Lenny what happened, and have yet to hear an answer.. he's a super nice guy and has a great personality
Actually, he and Just Audio both posted comments. You can look at the comment pinned to the top here to see what JA relayed.
Sorry about the loss of your dog.
Thank you.
Thank you for your videos. I like your considered presentation of what you like and your amazing collection. This is in high contrast to Just Audio which reminded me more and more of a guy playing top trumps. I quit watching Just Audio a while ago.
Thanks for the feedback. As I have been reviewing the direction of my own channel recently, this was just an observation of my own from the outside looking in. I don't plan to make any drastic changes to anything on StereoNiche content which has, as you stated, been in contrast to Just Audio. It is just not my style.
I was wondering why he kept changing the name of his channel. He did it three times in this year alone. Now, the channel is listed under his real name. What gives?
Seems there has been some significant business changes. The way it has transpired, I am just guessing that a deal was struck in the "divorce" and this is the result in the dividing of the assets.
Sorry for your loss. I believe Lenny is part owner of Just Audio. Met him at AXPONA. He seems like a nice guy. I'll have to watch a few videos before I make a judgment.
I've only read good things about Lenny, so I don't think there is anything to judge, per se. It is just noticeable that some things have changed and it seems to indicate a shift in ownership/focus at some level.
Sorry about your dog. We lost our dog Holly a couple weeks ago. Audio shop pup for 14 years
My condolences to you as well. Ours was 12 yo. I always assumed he would make it to 14.
I'm very sorry about your pup. It'll be a dark day in my house when my dog passes.
A few years ago, Just Audio did a video where they bought out the inventory of another shop. They went through all the racks and showed most of the pieces. They then said to call or email to get put on a list if you saw something you wanted. Among the items was a Kenwood 600 integrated amp, so I called and the person who picked up was Lenny. He was pleasant and put my name on the list. I never heard back. I even called back 9-12mo later and they said they go through everything before selling, which felt like a brush off.
I'm not sure what to make of it. They either sold it to someone else or they're sitting on a huge inventory, which is a bad business move. I also noticed that the latest Just Audio videos don't have Lenny in them.
He bought out a store from a guy in Virginia that passed away. I think that most of that inventory is still in storage and they haven’t had the time to go through it yet. They had a hard time finding qualified technicians too. I think they have at least three techs now.
@@korling99 I can believe it isn't easy to find technicians, but I offered to buy the piece as is. They declined.
The videos of buying became quite numerous. There is only so much inventory their business could reasonably manage. Combine that with the cost of having several people traveling and staying over night for several days just to move the inventory and costs can balloon quickly.
Very sad losing your dog. They are lovable animals! Just Audio has def changed. Based on the optics, I believe Spencer and Lenny have left the company. I purchased Mofi speakers from them. It was a good experience. They gave me a great price and I enjoyed dealing with them.
Thank you. Time heals all wounds, as "they" say, and we will only have the good memories, which were numerous. Time will also tell what transpired at Just Audio, I wish them the best and hope the changes met all parties expectations.
Funnily, I've never heard of that channel before this video of yours. I've come across many audio channels on CZcams over many years but as I'm more interested in "high end" and/or acoustics perhaps those channels that cover mass market stuff I've just skipped. Anyway, many a person have tried to make a _CZcams business_ work for them. The temptation is to be like one of those big channels with millions of subscribers and hundreds of millions of views, and ensuring the channel owner a good six figure salary. Alas that is mostly a mirage as few CZcamsrs can become rich, but that doesn't stop people from trying.
I recently discovered Rick Beato's channel. Not vintage audio, but the music creation side of things. He has some great guests on occasion which is what I like the most. I am sure a LOT more to discover on CZcams.
What's funny is the guy that hosts the "new" Just Audio videos now also has a long beard 😂
Maybe it's in the job requirement to host? 😆
Hi Scott. Thanks for having the chutzpah (cojones) to bring forward a point of interest, and perceptive insight within the various vintage audio network channels. Sone viewers seem so caught up with P.C. that they shun others by gaslighting. Please feel free to express your unencumbered impressions and let the chips fall where they may. We've all seen the transformation and pivot of JA from mostly about gear to sensationalism and marketplace visibility. He's following the NYC Crazy Eddie style rather famously iMHO, as I did actually work for the man. Again, thanks for your constructive, considerate perspectives.
Thanks Dan! I certainly will chime in here and there on such topics occasionally. I appreciate your feedback.
I just checked my subscriptions and see that Just Audio had changed to Lenny Florentine and I didn't realize it. I don't really care for the direction it's taken and think I will just unsubscribe. Things don't always change for the better.
Well, as you say, any change is a risk. Some will like it, some will not.
Very sorry to hear about the passing of your dog. Having a feline companion myself, I truly feel with you. They are an important member of the family.
Just Audio...well... I stopped watching too since I do not appreciate thumbnails with weird grimaces that seem to shout at me.
Those pets certainly become part of the family. Although we know going in they will not be around for the duration of our own lives, it doesn't get any easier when the time comes. JA, well, not quite my cup of tea either, but I hope their local stores and services remain intact for the long haul.
Dogs ARE People. Sorry for your Loss. Was wondering about this topic for a while now. Thanks
Thanks!
Sorry about the loss of your dog. Hate to critcize this video, but I don't understand why you just didn't call the store and ask what's going on. I kept waiting for you to tell me what you found out. Seems like a couple minute conversation with Lenny (who is a very nice guy, BTW) would have made this a much stronger video.
I do not have any relationship with Lenny and the store employees are there to address local service questions. If information were so readily available, I am sure they would (or will) have announced it on their channel. Until then, we can only speculate.
Sorry, but I can't stand Lenny the owner. Too me, the only reason he sells vintage equipment at all is for the money, not the passion. Plus his prices are laughable at best. And those stupid sunglasses on his head are "over" cringe worthy. Seems phony as can be to me. Not a person I'd ever want to meet, let alone buy something from. When you add all those thing up, I honestly don't know how he stays in business. Just my 2 cents. BTW... Sorry to hear about your dog. I know how tough that is.
Well, I think he appeals to a younger, more diverse demographic than my content. Overall, that is a good thing, just not for everyone.
I thought Lenny was the owner. Oops. Lenny does make some good content, especially when he covers the history of products. As with many things, it probably boils down to money. Hope both channels do well. Very sorry about your loss.
Thanks for commenting. Time will tell where the business and channels go eventually. It benefits us all if they stay relevant.
I’ve been wondering the same for months now! Glad someone has said something about it! It’s almost like Lenny has become manic and can’t stick to one plan or is flying too close to the sun and is possibly no longer working with just audio?? Its gotta be because of money and youtube fame
Well, hopefully they will share it with us at some point.
Have you thought about changing your channel name to “Crazy Scott’s Stereo Niche “? Probably not.
The Magic Eight Ball says… My Sources Say No
I unsubscribed and removed their channel from my recommendations a little over a year ago. Too much annoying self promotion.
Well, it continues to evolve it seems.
It seems that Lenny is doing just fine on his other channel.
Seems so and I hope it works out well for him.
A lot of these You Tuber channels get bought by media companies. Very common in the car world. They replace the creative people with MBA business ( Stanford MBA here) guys that try and maximize income and cut costs. I have never seems it end well. Kind of stopped watching when it started getting stupid.
Could be a factor here. If so, then we will probably not get the full story, they will try to pretend nothing happened and move on.
I quit watching that channel also. It was bad recommendations for moneys sake. God is money and money is God videos like that, are very shallow and annoying. It makes perfect sense that Americans take to something like that. There's an pld saying that you can't underestimate the taste of the American public. We're seeing that with political choices; and according to many, including the man likely to be our next President, we are a joke all over the world. And iour bad political choices might even end up extincting our species one day. Certainly, bad decisions are something we have become known for. Whatever became of the Eisenhower era? Outrageousness must be in and must sit well, with your average person who's never picked up a book. or had a deep thought in their life. A perfect example of how shallow things have become. And I'll bet not 2% of those people have what guys like me would consider good sound. Unless edgy, shouty, distortiony sound is what you think of as good sound. In fact, the host of that show has that kind of sound too. All a bit too much for me. Surprising that a sedate guy like yourself, would like the phony sensational emotional fireworks of a channel like that.
State of the art spund sound quality, which I experience every day, is the exact opposite of that kind of thing too. When your sound is truly way up there, it becomes impressive in it's "unimpressiveness." Everything just sounds perfectly natural, like unamplified instruments sound in real life. All those weird little electronic sounds disappear. Your sound gets less and less weird with every upgrade. Till it gets to the point where even what you knew were subpar recordings, sound quite good, without the system itself adding any distortion of its own. Or any frequency response aberrations or electronic signature. The exact opposite of shenanigans and outrageousness. If I made any spelling errors its because I just woke up and my eyes are still a little blurry. Looking forward to your next video and smpathies for the loss of your dog, which is. probably the most adorable species on our planet
Outrageousness is in as someone at the tail end of the Gen X crowd I am out. I want to learn something and present it in a calm rational way.
Sorry to hear about your dog passing. :( Our 4 legged friends add so much to the family.
They certainly do add so much and never ask for anything in return.
His historical knowledge is good and is usually, but not always correct. Good knowledge for someone well under 60? 50? The first time I saw him, his beard reminded me of the beard of one of the Z's of ZZ Top. I don't even remember if he's from Texas. The other day they tried to set a Guiness Book Of World Records in Texas by trying to assemble a record number of people named Lyle in the same place. A very popular first name in Texas. It was a big parking lot.They came up a few Lyles short, as only 7,356 Lyles showed up. Probably some didn't feel like seeing their namesake relatives named Lyle.
My condolences about your dog’s passing. Animals are truly family.
Thank You.