We don't know what prompted MF to depart Stereophile. It could be an issue of 'internal politics', but it is bad news in any event for the publication. If I recall correctly, Stereophile's distribution figures are about double those of TAS. I've only ever bought TAS off the news stand when visiting America and I would consider Stereophile the better publication, at least for me. Things were much better with John Anderson at the helm, even though JA remains on as technical editor. Losing Art Dudley (R.I.P.) was a tough blow too, but this is accentuated by the news that MF is now leaving also. I was very sorry to see Robert Baird's column being discontinued some time ago. Wes Philips (R.I.P.) was another excellent audio writer whose reviews I also enjoyed. Herb Reichert has been an excellent addition to Stereophile and his writings are always interesting to read.
It is difficult to know who will replace MF at Stereophile? He is without doubt the most passionate and enthusiastic of audio journalists. His video footage of the recent AXPONA and Munich shows are testament to that. Some have suggested Michael Trei as being a natural replacement, but I have no experience of his audio journalism. As soon as the news is announced 'officially', I think I will take out a digital subscription to TAS.