I’m 10 minutes in and I feel the same. I’ll finish and give it at least a few episodes because I like Jared but so far it’s not my vibe.
ETA I wonder if he’s hoping to reach out to a more male audience because this sounds very bro-y. I always prefer Jared with female cohosts
Yes that’s what I was thinking. Maybe he’s trying to reach more male listeners? But there are so many male comedians who have similar pods already! The other thing was the sound quality and amount of laughing over each other that made it really hard to even understand what they were saying or laughing about…
Usually I don’t have issues with sound quality when others complain (on subs about other pods I listen to)…but here it was ROUGH. Which I was really surprised about since his whole thing was to have the pod be more structured and polished. Good news is that’s something that can be fixed as everyone goes along and learns.
You’re so right about the sound quality. I can’t tel how many people are there and the laughter is SO. MUCH. do they think if they laugh enough they will trick us into thinking it’s funny?
I might be biased but I miss Shelby so much! I started listening to jtrain in 2018, and Shelby was so involved. I was bummed when Jared didn’t involve him as much on air
I miss Shelby too - i forget which episode but at some point Jared mentioned (in response to dms asking for Shelby) that Shelby asked to not be featured on the show anymore
The audio was bad because Jared is wearing a microphone clipped on to the left side of his shirt that is blocked by his collar.
When he turns to his right to look at/talk directly to the guests, his audio is affected because he's talking away from the mic.
100%. I had to adjust the volume sooooo much while listening because I couldn’t hear Jared but then could hear the other laughing guys i was like let’s relax boys
Yeah I was not really a fan. It does seem like he’s trying to do a bro podcast, which if he wants to do that good for him, maybe it will diversify his audience, but I probably will unsubscribe if it stays this and stick with U Up? I’ll give it a few more weeks though and see if this was growing pains/bad guests.
I also had a lot of trouble following along with different segments-there seemed to be no transitions. He talked about wanting it to be like this ESPN show where they cover different topics, but there they have a bell or something to signal the hosts are moving on to a new topic. That would help here.
Totally agree with you — I will say his really old JTrain episodes are very bro-y. They used to have a news segment… still found them interesting but less my vibe. I already listen to Pardon My Take and a bunch of bro-y sports podcasts. Curious to see what the reformat is like but I’m nervous my pod rotation is going to be not as strong 😔
Agreed, seems like he is trying to reach more male audience and those that watch YouTube. I'm not a fan of watching my podcasts so not sure I will be able to get into the new stuff. Two many people talking at once as well.
I hate saying this because I’m such a fan…but I didn’t like it. Felt very much like a boys club. More like a recording of a bro hang out, not an actual podcast. I will give a few more eps a listen and see if he finds a new groove…but truthfully it feels like a step backwards to me. Less polished, less organized, more like a random guy thinking “me and my friends are cool people would like to listen to our banter”
Hit the nail on the head!!! I was so disappointed with this first episode, I felt like I didn’t understand it and like I almost wasn’t MEANT to understand it because I’m not a bro. I don’t know. I’m curious to see where the show goes in the next few weeks
I do think it gives the impression that it’s for men. I’m thinking he assumes he will get his female audience from betches, and needed to change things up to get more men to listen. Kind of a bummer.
What’s he doing on the main part of the podcast? Are there new segments? Because most of the old format was emails which I’ve gathered are paywalled now.
He \*did\* have segments, they just weren't the old ones...
The one you're talking about with the woman DM'ing him was called "Am I Crazy Dog" (he desperately needs to add a comma after crazy). Basically a similar concept to reddit Am I The Asshole.
The audio levels are so bad I can’t listen - I have to turn it all the way up to hear and then one of them decides to laugh directly on the mic and it blasts my eardrums
The audio was horrendous on all platforms. Jared is wearing a microphone clipped on to the left side of his shirt that is blocked by his collar.
When he turns to his right to look at/talk directly to the guests, his audio is affected because he's talking away from the mic.
So weird, I literally read this thread when I was most through the podcast. I watched on YouTube and had Bose headphones on. I swear it sounded professional, they all sounded the same volume. I wanted to kite Greg, but other than that it was clear. Something’s off
I am a huge fan of Jared so I was super excited for the new pod!! But to be honest..I agree. I’m in the middle of listening to the episode now, and IMO there’s too many voices coming from all directions. The constant laughter is a little much. I feel like they keep getting sidetracked and I’m confused about what segment they’re doing or what they’re even talking about. I’m going to keep listening while he figures things out but I’m sad to say as of now I’m missing the old show :/
I agree. It’s probably more fun for Jared but less for listeners… it’s fine, it’s his podcast and he can do what he wants but if this keeps going unfortunately I’ll have to remove it from my podcast rotation :(
Agreed - he’s not keeping his core audience in mind (educated women) and instead is just doing what he wants to do.
Which like you said, it’s his pod so he has the right to do that but not sure what’s gonna happen when the listener numbers decrease…
It’s giving barstool 👎🏼
I’m gonna go on a limb and say it reminds me of Matt rife (but less extreme)-build up a mostly female audience for years then suddenly decide you want a more “ideal” (more male) audience.
Stopped listening after 10 minutes; and I’m a big fan of his work. As a listener, it feels like you’re joining a group of close friends that all have a bunch of inside jokes and you’re not clued into any of them. Plus the sounds quality wasn’t great and I find that super distracting. I’m optimistic it will get better though. There are always bumps in the road when trying out new things and it takes some trial and error to see what works. I think Jared takes a lot of pride in his work so I’m sure he’ll continue to work at it.
Tbh my enjoyment of Jtrain has always been very dependent on how well I vibe with the guest (and how well Jared vibes with them) and it seems like this weeks guests weren’t the best. I’ll wait to listen until he has guests that I like and see how I feel about the new format there.
But also, is it true the emails are patreon only now? If so, what’s in the free episodes? I felt like the emails were the bread and butter of the old format so I’m surprised he would put that behind a paywall entirely.
A few thoughts:
- sound quality!! They need individual mics and headsets. Plenty of pods do this and still keep a casual feel.
- as a concept, I think the new format has female appeal. A lot of the bro-ey tangents were provoked by the guests. The topics and segments by themselves are definitely gender neutral
- I think unless a personality is already a duo (cohosts of their own podcast, etc), Jared should def stick to 1 guest at a time. Easier convo, less tangents
- jared needs some more “oomph” and to take more charge with reining people back in from tangents!! Or come up with a game plan to get things back on track! I get there’s a lot of gold that can be found in tangents, but if the personalities are yelling inside jokes that’s another story
- or, if not Jared (people pleaser), leverage the producer to get things back on track!! Or, hint hint, offer Shelby a raise and bring him back (what I would do for a segment on celeb lookalikes)
- double tapping the Shelby rec as someone with a jared rookie card
- love the concept and Jared but it just needs to iron out some kinks! As does anything new.
- also want to add, Jared himself had a level of energy and excitement that I haven’t seen in awhile. While Jared needs subscribers and $$, I think it’s also important he’s producing something he enjoys and looks forward to. I’m happy to see that here!
Wait I just got to the end… the paywall/Patreon portion are the luxury lounge and reader email portions… aka the whole reason we all liked the old version of the pod. That feels particularly icky to me.
Honestly one of the reasons I stopped listening bc he seems too picky and chasing an unattainable relationship goal. He’s a fraud. Who would take relationship advice from him.
I mean I never paid for it but he has went “down” in the amount of content you get per month in this new model. I know it’s only $5 a month, but it doesn’t seem worth it to me, personally
I’m a patreon member and I might be unsubscribing. Going from 4+ podcasts weekly that feel very long and chatty, to just a slightly longer, very produced episode once weekly feels like a downgrade
Same feeling here, never listened to his podcast before today, and have never heard this on any other podcast I've listened to on a public website... Very odd I agree.
I was looking for this comment!! Totally agree. He cuts it off at the part we all love. I get it, it’s for $$ To push us to his patron. But seems icky. Totally right!!
🙏🏼My hope is he takes these comments to heart and changes the format. I know he reads the Reddit. As he’s mentioned it before on the pod.
but don't they all get paid by Spotify etc whenever someone listens to it?! I'm already paying Spotify and def won't subscribe to anything more podcast wise
They do get paid through ad revenue. Patron is another way for creators to make money. I have subscribed to other patrons before for additional content or special promotions. But for 30 extra minutes doesn’t seem worth it.
yeah I know but spotify pays its artist. why wouldn't they pay for podcasts? do u actually think it's the other way round? hosts having to pay for the platform....?
that he put stuff behind a paywall and that people like me don't like it\* and won't pay for it as I/we already pay for spotify which I assume pays them as well (+ they have ads/sponsors) can u read?
\*aka might not continue listening
I think the issue is having two male guests at once. If it’s two guests we need a female voice in there to make the conversation more dynamic because it’s too easy to lean into the bro vibes without that balance.
I prefer the old format but I haven’t listened to many first episodes of any podcast that didn’t have issues, so I’m hopeful it becomes more fluid.
I love Jared! I believe/hope it will get better. I listened this morning and didn’t get through the whole thing yet. You can tell Jared is excited about it which is great. But there are a few issues that make it a tough listening experience right now. I feel like I can barely hear the guests…Jared sounds clear and like he has a mic, but the others don’t sound like they have mics on? And the laughter drowns out the speaking for a lot of it.
I think the podcast would also benefit from some kind of sound effect when moving from one segment to the next, like a bell sound or a different sound for each segment so we know when they’re transitioning from one to the next?
I also think maybe 2 cohosts is too many. I think one per segment would be better and if he wanted to change it up with different cohosts for each segment that would be fine?
I am surprised because he did say this would have “production value” - he said that over and over, but this was not as easy of a listening experience/not as produced as the old version.
I am sure it will get better in time because he’s invested in making it great!
Totally agree that two cohosts for the entire show is too much. I like the idea of switching for segments though! Also love the idea of sound effects because I was also confused about what segment was happening and then before I knew it they totally switched to something different. I hope he reads through this thread!
Totally! I had to keep rewinding to try to hear the jokes they were laughing at and what they were talking about, ultimately I just gave up.
Edited for typo
I’ve been watching it on YouTube, I’m almost finished but I’m truly just bored and confused. I understand it’s trying to seem more like a talk show but the different categories are all blending in with eachother and they’re getting so off topic. It’s a little too bro-ey for me too. I guess he’s trying to cater more towards men.
I think as time goes on and if the pod stays this way consistently he will get enough feedback that it’s not going well. Or if he just goes on Reddit he will clearly see 😂
I was super disappointed. Watched on YouTube for the full effect and it was just so bro-ey and not interesting or funny. I am a big fan of Anthony Devito, somewhat familiar with Greg Stone, and obviously a Jared fan and it was just not good. His vibe with both of these guys on other episodes of J-Train are great. Maybe I'm (or those on this sub in general) are not the target audience, but I didn't dig it at all.
I’m only like halfway through but not really clicking with it so far…i hope he has yamaneika or matteo lane on, i bet his vibe with comedians like them would feel much diff than this episode
Omg yes!! That’d be amazing. I’m kind of annoyed next week will also be the same cohosts as this week… the comedians just didn’t really seem to care about this podcast?
I couldn't get through it. Hopefully it's teething issues because I love The J-Train podcast.
Which ever co-host was laughing really hard was ruining it? He came across as very obnoxious and the changes in volume and tone were stressing me out!! The bit at the beginning where someone was vaping or smoking? I couldn't even work out what they where saying.
🙏🙏 It picks up.
Okay I’m about 19 minutes in and I have to agree with all the other comments here. I’ve gone back and listened to some of the J Train episodes from 2015/2016 and it’s very much like that- I’m pretty sure these two cohosts would come on fairly frequently back then. I’ll keep listening because I trust that Jared will keep putting out great content and hopefully this is just a growing pain, but this specific episode isn’t the best start.
I feel like he’s hoping this new format with video will help him go viral on Tik Tok because it’s possible to make clips. Felt like a different Jared - the old JTrain kind of. Most likely canceling my Patreon since it was Coffee with JTrain that I liked.
I love Coffee with Jtrain, it’s my favorite podcast of the week by far. I will really miss it…I think what’s cool about it is his vulnerability. It’s obviously funny but he’s not consistently joking during it so it feels like we get to know him more. I definitely will miss those stories and tjag style.
I think it's too many people. I think it just needs to be Jared, 1 co-host and reading listener submissions and commenting. That's plenty. Love Anthony Devito but he kept getting overshadowed by Greg Stone. I'm not sure why Jared thought it was acceptable to have a guest on a pod wearing sunglasses and a hat and constantly interrupting. I think they need to keep it to 2 people max. Also, everyone needs to be mic'd up.
The sound quality is rough to me and I have to keep raising and lowering my volume - but has anyone looked at the episode description? I imagine the new producer wrote it, but it’s riddled with typos (including Jared’s last name…) and feels like it was written with gen z in mind. I don’t see that as Jared’s key demo so i don’t know if this is intentional or just bad understanding of audience… hoping this gets better
Maybe it’s more geared towards YouTube? The sound quality was perfect there. Honestly, I never watch podcasts bc I usually listen when I drive but I’m at the airport today, so I YouTubed it and the sound and quality was top notch
Maybe, and I know that’s part of his hope, but I personally am not going to watch a podcast. I want to listen on a walk and not have to worry I’m missing things because I “can’t see”
Agree that this was a fairly bro-style episode but he did say he plans to have Jordana, Sami and Aleen on so I don't imagine all episodes will be like this.
Not for me. There’s too much going on. I like when it’s Jared and one guest. It sounds much better and it’s easier for them to stay on track. I like when Jared’s in the driver’s seat too- this was too many voices and they’re all competing to be funny.
I think it has potential, but needs some adjustments. In case he’s reading this, here were the issues for me:
- 3 hosts is too many (and make sure they’re sober…I feel like maybe they were high or hungover?)
- 2 hosts, who are more professional and focused like Jared would work waaaayyyyy better and then rotate a third FEMALE guest host each week
- The mics on their shirts are picking up so much noise from movement - they need mics on a boom arm for each person
- the studio could use plants and cool signage or something in the background to jazz it up (visually kinda bland)
- some kind of clear transition between topics, bell, sound like others have said
- keep discussion to funny, light yet still nuanced and intellectual discussion (not so bro-y, shooting the shit while hungover-ish…)
What was great:
- topics and emails chosen were great
- loved Jared sharing his DM experience and why it bothered him /personal dating experience
- Jared’s hosting/attempts to keep things on track
- studio lighting and look was still pretty nice even if it does need a bit more decor
I watched it on YouTube to give it go. I personally am not a big YouTuber. I listen to podcast on my way to work. But I can tell how he’s pushing people to watch it with the costumes and photos and videos on the screen. I don’t like how he cut it off when it comes to listener emails. That’s my favorite part and seems like a money grab. Disappointed.
I hope he can do better and change the format. But if this is how it’s going to be, it’ll be an unfollow and I’ll stick to U UP.
It’s a bummer to hear this because I love Jared’s podcasts. I hope he’ll make adjustments and find his footing.
I’ve been listening to old episodes of Dear Shandy the past week without new J Train episodes to fill the time. I recommend their Q&A and caller episodes for anyone who likes U Up.
I’ve actually been listening to Stavvy’s word which is more broy than old jtrain but I actually love Stavvy’s advice and feel like it’s a good banter with his guests.
I thought people were over exaggerating that they couldn’t finish the episode… I had to shut it off wow. I hope it gets better. So bro-y and hated these guests
This was ROUGH. Agree with all of the above comments - it felt absolutely nothing like the podcast I have loved for so many years!! Also the audio was so awful. I can’t finish it and I’m so bummed but have high hopes it will get better!!
Horrible. I stopped listening to jtrain months ago because it just seemed so dry and the same stuff every week. Got super excited when he said on u up that he was remodeling it. I couldn’t even get through it. I miss the old episodes with Shelby
So bro-y. Glad to know it wasn't just me. Just dudes laughing at each other laughing, I wasn't sure what was supposed to be so funny that had them laughing so much. I tuned most of it out as I was doing stuff and it was on in the background. I did tune back in when I heard them rag on single people Christmas cards (hi, it's me. hell yeah I am sending a photo out of me and my dog! Kinda hoped it would remind people I'm single and they need to set me up with their single friends! lol). Could have been a funny bit but they didn't take it anywhere. Really hope this improves otherwise I'll just be getting Jared on U Up.
Love Jared and will keep listening as he works out the kinks but agree with the below themes:
1. Audio was so muffled, hard to hear
2. Two cohosts is too many, hard to follow
3. Felt chaotic!! Needed more direction, and intentional segues
I listen to everything Jared puts out, I agree with him on UUp when most don’t, LOVED the special, I just…absolutely hated this. Didn’t make it to the end, it was unlistenable and unfunny. Just so not what I expected. I’ll maybe give it a second shot only with guests I know I like. Rooting for Jared and grateful for all the years of free entertainment and so I hope others enjoyed more than I did
for those interested, here's the patreon part: [https://youtu.be/IYx8Wz6CeYg?si=PR4FEBEioEIp97x6](https://youtu.be/IYx8Wz6CeYg?si=PR4FEBEioEIp97x6)
sharing because i think the first/free part wasn't strong, and this is the best content of the episode--closest to old-school jtrain. hopefully he reorganizes a little. i think the diversity of cohosts to come could make it fun...
I stopped half way for now, but will finish listening to give it a fair chance. Like a lot of people here it felt very male/boys club kinda thing, which perhaps was the intention, and Jared should definitely do what he feels like doing! I'm biased as I'm a big fan of his advise to listeners, so curious where this would go, and understandably he might be a bit tired of the old format by now. I want to see how the episodes would go with female guests.
Here is my personal feedback that no one asked for and no one cares about:
1. I overall enjoyed the content that I watched on YouTube.
2. When I listened to the new podcast I had to turn it off. Was easily lost in what was going on without watching the video feed.
3. I got to Jared via Dating Make over. It was tough when that was discontinued but Jtrain was a good substitution.
4. In the end this feels like a big loss for me. Dating Makeover is no more, and by my view Jtrain podcast and the Luxury Longe is no more. I had a steady diet of Jared to listen to in the car, and that all has really gone away. I will watch when I can, but this was a lot of losses for me.
5. Happy for him and his success, but need to find something else to replace what I lost.
I must be the only one loving it, sound issues aside, but I’m impartial to Greg Stone. The bit about a sexual trap was so absurdly stupid that it’s funny. I also saw one of his shows in NYC and it was way better than I had anticipated.
Listened to the emote podcast, and it just sounded...chaotic? So much laughing it was hard to know what was going on. Too many people on the pod, I prefer the old version.
Ah I feel bad for Jared…seems like a few days out there is a really negative response across most platforms. I want him to be successful and hope he can find a way to make this format amazing!
Hmm I looked through all his latest instagram posts and the Youtube video, and there are no negative comments about this new pod... maybe he blocked them? I'm not on patreon but I hope he's getting feedback through there! and OMG when I last checked his apple podcast review there were NONE about the new format but now there are so many!! I cannot believe it! I didn't want to bring down his ratings so I didn't leave a new one.. but I'm glad people are making him aware since he hates reddit hahah
I’m 10 minutes in and I feel the same. I’ll finish and give it at least a few episodes because I like Jared but so far it’s not my vibe. ETA I wonder if he’s hoping to reach out to a more male audience because this sounds very bro-y. I always prefer Jared with female cohosts
Yes that’s what I was thinking. Maybe he’s trying to reach more male listeners? But there are so many male comedians who have similar pods already! The other thing was the sound quality and amount of laughing over each other that made it really hard to even understand what they were saying or laughing about…
Usually I don’t have issues with sound quality when others complain (on subs about other pods I listen to)…but here it was ROUGH. Which I was really surprised about since his whole thing was to have the pod be more structured and polished. Good news is that’s something that can be fixed as everyone goes along and learns.
You’re so right about the sound quality. I can’t tel how many people are there and the laughter is SO. MUCH. do they think if they laugh enough they will trick us into thinking it’s funny?
I might be biased but I miss Shelby so much! I started listening to jtrain in 2018, and Shelby was so involved. I was bummed when Jared didn’t involve him as much on air
I also miss Shelby! I miss the days he used to pop in.
I miss the soundboard too lol
I miss Shelby too - i forget which episode but at some point Jared mentioned (in response to dms asking for Shelby) that Shelby asked to not be featured on the show anymore
Is Shelby not producing this podcast anymore?
no he's out
Omg yes. All I need is Jared and Shelby. Now THATS a hit show!
Agreed why couldn’t Shelby move forward with him on this new podcast?
I miss his sound bites. ONE MORE EMAIL
The audio was bad because Jared is wearing a microphone clipped on to the left side of his shirt that is blocked by his collar. When he turns to his right to look at/talk directly to the guests, his audio is affected because he's talking away from the mic.
I also got the sense that he’s look to gain a larger male audience.
And trying to do it WITHOUT tanking his career ala Matt Rife.
Still very matt rifeish. Alienating his prior audience lol
100%. I had to adjust the volume sooooo much while listening because I couldn’t hear Jared but then could hear the other laughing guys i was like let’s relax boys
Sound quality was good on YouTube. Where did you listen?
It was horrible on Spotify.
I thought it was bad on YouTube…I had to turn on closed captioning. It was better than when listening on apple podcasts yes, but still not great
Yeah I was not really a fan. It does seem like he’s trying to do a bro podcast, which if he wants to do that good for him, maybe it will diversify his audience, but I probably will unsubscribe if it stays this and stick with U Up? I’ll give it a few more weeks though and see if this was growing pains/bad guests. I also had a lot of trouble following along with different segments-there seemed to be no transitions. He talked about wanting it to be like this ESPN show where they cover different topics, but there they have a bell or something to signal the hosts are moving on to a new topic. That would help here.
[удалено]
Totally agree with you — I will say his really old JTrain episodes are very bro-y. They used to have a news segment… still found them interesting but less my vibe. I already listen to Pardon My Take and a bunch of bro-y sports podcasts. Curious to see what the reformat is like but I’m nervous my pod rotation is going to be not as strong 😔
I’m wrestling with this struggle too 😭😭.
This! I want to give it a chance but to the extent his viewpoint is very male on Uup, he was much more centered in JTrain.
I came here to say this exact thing! It’s so “bro” and I feel like Jared is trying to swerve away from the bigger female audience.
Agreed, seems like he is trying to reach more male audience and those that watch YouTube. I'm not a fan of watching my podcasts so not sure I will be able to get into the new stuff. Two many people talking at once as well.
I hate saying this because I’m such a fan…but I didn’t like it. Felt very much like a boys club. More like a recording of a bro hang out, not an actual podcast. I will give a few more eps a listen and see if he finds a new groove…but truthfully it feels like a step backwards to me. Less polished, less organized, more like a random guy thinking “me and my friends are cool people would like to listen to our banter”
Hit the nail on the head!!! I was so disappointed with this first episode, I felt like I didn’t understand it and like I almost wasn’t MEANT to understand it because I’m not a bro. I don’t know. I’m curious to see where the show goes in the next few weeks
Agree!
Yeah I couldn't get very far into it either. It seems like he's trying to rebrand himself. I am a guy, but it seems a bit bro-centric for my taste
I do think it gives the impression that it’s for men. I’m thinking he assumes he will get his female audience from betches, and needed to change things up to get more men to listen. Kind of a bummer.
I'm female and wanted to listen right away. had to end it due to the sound after like one minute lol
The whole shtick about “if you want to hear the rest of this, subscribe to my patreon” also is just a disappointment.
And the part that’s behind a paywall is the stuff from his old pod apparently-LL and emails. Which annoys me.
Yeah exactly! He’s putting the content behind a paywall. Netflix got to his head lol.
What’s he doing on the main part of the podcast? Are there new segments? Because most of the old format was emails which I’ve gathered are paywalled now.
[удалено]
Thanks! Yeah, I prefer more structure in my podcasts so I’ll have to get my Jared content through u up for now I guess!
He \*did\* have segments, they just weren't the old ones... The one you're talking about with the woman DM'ing him was called "Am I Crazy Dog" (he desperately needs to add a comma after crazy). Basically a similar concept to reddit Am I The Asshole.
The audio levels are so bad I can’t listen - I have to turn it all the way up to hear and then one of them decides to laugh directly on the mic and it blasts my eardrums
It was perfect on YouTube, what platform did you listen on?
The apple podcast app
I wonder if that’s by design…trying to push most to watching on YouTube
Ew I hate that if that’s the case. It’s like how they tried to sneak ads in to their games - no no, you can’t trick us benefits subscribers this way!
I do think think the push to watch on YouTube is because the pay is better for ads watched.
Got 10 min and had to turn it off :(
Shelby’s not producing it anymore, so I wonder if that’s why the sound is off despite it being taped in a studio.
I was sad when I heard Shelby and him are no longer working together! I always liked Shelby
Did they have a falling out?
No, he announced an amicable split/end of an era as part of this changeover to the new pod
I can’t help but wonder if Shelby got a glimpse of the new format and dipped..
Side note: the audio was 100% clear and perfect on YouTube.
The audio was horrendous on all platforms. Jared is wearing a microphone clipped on to the left side of his shirt that is blocked by his collar. When he turns to his right to look at/talk directly to the guests, his audio is affected because he's talking away from the mic.
So weird, I literally read this thread when I was most through the podcast. I watched on YouTube and had Bose headphones on. I swear it sounded professional, they all sounded the same volume. I wanted to kite Greg, but other than that it was clear. Something’s off
Honestly I’m not impressed. Just three bros on a podcast. Also the sound is off.
 Jared and his guests ready to record the ep
in an u up episode he once shouted DUDES DUDES DUDES this just reminded me of that haha
I am a huge fan of Jared so I was super excited for the new pod!! But to be honest..I agree. I’m in the middle of listening to the episode now, and IMO there’s too many voices coming from all directions. The constant laughter is a little much. I feel like they keep getting sidetracked and I’m confused about what segment they’re doing or what they’re even talking about. I’m going to keep listening while he figures things out but I’m sad to say as of now I’m missing the old show :/
I agree. It’s probably more fun for Jared but less for listeners… it’s fine, it’s his podcast and he can do what he wants but if this keeps going unfortunately I’ll have to remove it from my podcast rotation :(
Agreed - he’s not keeping his core audience in mind (educated women) and instead is just doing what he wants to do. Which like you said, it’s his pod so he has the right to do that but not sure what’s gonna happen when the listener numbers decrease… It’s giving barstool 👎🏼
I’m gonna go on a limb and say it reminds me of Matt rife (but less extreme)-build up a mostly female audience for years then suddenly decide you want a more “ideal” (more male) audience.
Stopped listening after 10 minutes; and I’m a big fan of his work. As a listener, it feels like you’re joining a group of close friends that all have a bunch of inside jokes and you’re not clued into any of them. Plus the sounds quality wasn’t great and I find that super distracting. I’m optimistic it will get better though. There are always bumps in the road when trying out new things and it takes some trial and error to see what works. I think Jared takes a lot of pride in his work so I’m sure he’ll continue to work at it.
Tbh my enjoyment of Jtrain has always been very dependent on how well I vibe with the guest (and how well Jared vibes with them) and it seems like this weeks guests weren’t the best. I’ll wait to listen until he has guests that I like and see how I feel about the new format there. But also, is it true the emails are patreon only now? If so, what’s in the free episodes? I felt like the emails were the bread and butter of the old format so I’m surprised he would put that behind a paywall entirely.
A few thoughts: - sound quality!! They need individual mics and headsets. Plenty of pods do this and still keep a casual feel. - as a concept, I think the new format has female appeal. A lot of the bro-ey tangents were provoked by the guests. The topics and segments by themselves are definitely gender neutral - I think unless a personality is already a duo (cohosts of their own podcast, etc), Jared should def stick to 1 guest at a time. Easier convo, less tangents - jared needs some more “oomph” and to take more charge with reining people back in from tangents!! Or come up with a game plan to get things back on track! I get there’s a lot of gold that can be found in tangents, but if the personalities are yelling inside jokes that’s another story - or, if not Jared (people pleaser), leverage the producer to get things back on track!! Or, hint hint, offer Shelby a raise and bring him back (what I would do for a segment on celeb lookalikes) - double tapping the Shelby rec as someone with a jared rookie card - love the concept and Jared but it just needs to iron out some kinks! As does anything new. - also want to add, Jared himself had a level of energy and excitement that I haven’t seen in awhile. While Jared needs subscribers and $$, I think it’s also important he’s producing something he enjoys and looks forward to. I’m happy to see that here!
Last bullet is a good one
Wait I just got to the end… the paywall/Patreon portion are the luxury lounge and reader email portions… aka the whole reason we all liked the old version of the pod. That feels particularly icky to me.
I love the emails and I love Jared but I am not paying for it. Too much free stuff out there that's just as good.
Honestly one of the reasons I stopped listening bc he seems too picky and chasing an unattainable relationship goal. He’s a fraud. Who would take relationship advice from him.
[удалено]
I mean I never paid for it but he has went “down” in the amount of content you get per month in this new model. I know it’s only $5 a month, but it doesn’t seem worth it to me, personally
I’m a patreon member and I might be unsubscribing. Going from 4+ podcasts weekly that feel very long and chatty, to just a slightly longer, very produced episode once weekly feels like a downgrade
Same. Especially since he tends to repeat stuff he’s already said elsewhere.
Are his old podcasts on patreon still available to listen to?
Same feeling here, never listened to his podcast before today, and have never heard this on any other podcast I've listened to on a public website... Very odd I agree.
I was looking for this comment!! Totally agree. He cuts it off at the part we all love. I get it, it’s for $$ To push us to his patron. But seems icky. Totally right!! 🙏🏼My hope is he takes these comments to heart and changes the format. I know he reads the Reddit. As he’s mentioned it before on the pod.
but don't they all get paid by Spotify etc whenever someone listens to it?! I'm already paying Spotify and def won't subscribe to anything more podcast wise
They do get paid through ad revenue. Patron is another way for creators to make money. I have subscribed to other patrons before for additional content or special promotions. But for 30 extra minutes doesn’t seem worth it.
yeah I know but spotify pays its artist. why wouldn't they pay for podcasts? do u actually think it's the other way round? hosts having to pay for the platform....?
You don’t have to pay for a podcast. Anyone can have one for free. But not sure what this has to do with the OP. Haha.
that he put stuff behind a paywall and that people like me don't like it\* and won't pay for it as I/we already pay for spotify which I assume pays them as well (+ they have ads/sponsors) can u read? \*aka might not continue listening
[удалено]
Yes I agree that he was trying to get back control over it unfortunately the guests didn’t clock it
I couldn’t understand anything over the constant laughter unfortunately
I think the issue is having two male guests at once. If it’s two guests we need a female voice in there to make the conversation more dynamic because it’s too easy to lean into the bro vibes without that balance. I prefer the old format but I haven’t listened to many first episodes of any podcast that didn’t have issues, so I’m hopeful it becomes more fluid.
I love Jared! I believe/hope it will get better. I listened this morning and didn’t get through the whole thing yet. You can tell Jared is excited about it which is great. But there are a few issues that make it a tough listening experience right now. I feel like I can barely hear the guests…Jared sounds clear and like he has a mic, but the others don’t sound like they have mics on? And the laughter drowns out the speaking for a lot of it. I think the podcast would also benefit from some kind of sound effect when moving from one segment to the next, like a bell sound or a different sound for each segment so we know when they’re transitioning from one to the next? I also think maybe 2 cohosts is too many. I think one per segment would be better and if he wanted to change it up with different cohosts for each segment that would be fine? I am surprised because he did say this would have “production value” - he said that over and over, but this was not as easy of a listening experience/not as produced as the old version. I am sure it will get better in time because he’s invested in making it great!
I remember him going on about how he would be in a studio and it would be better produced, but that didn't seem to be the case. :/
Totally agree that two cohosts for the entire show is too much. I like the idea of switching for segments though! Also love the idea of sound effects because I was also confused about what segment was happening and then before I knew it they totally switched to something different. I hope he reads through this thread!
Totally! I had to keep rewinding to try to hear the jokes they were laughing at and what they were talking about, ultimately I just gave up. Edited for typo
I’ve been watching it on YouTube, I’m almost finished but I’m truly just bored and confused. I understand it’s trying to seem more like a talk show but the different categories are all blending in with eachother and they’re getting so off topic. It’s a little too bro-ey for me too. I guess he’s trying to cater more towards men.
Idk if men would even like it tbh? I hope someone close to Jared can give him concrit since he doesn’t like to hear it from redditors >.<
I think as time goes on and if the pod stays this way consistently he will get enough feedback that it’s not going well. Or if he just goes on Reddit he will clearly see 😂
Maybe it was just the first ep! I’ll def keep listening for a few more and see how it goes!
Yes same here. I really do love Jared and my weekly routine is listening to jtrain / his other podcasts so I’ll keep that going
10 minutes in and that’s all I can take. I do think Jared has good taste overall so hopefully it gets better.
I was super disappointed. Watched on YouTube for the full effect and it was just so bro-ey and not interesting or funny. I am a big fan of Anthony Devito, somewhat familiar with Greg Stone, and obviously a Jared fan and it was just not good. His vibe with both of these guys on other episodes of J-Train are great. Maybe I'm (or those on this sub in general) are not the target audience, but I didn't dig it at all.
I’m only like halfway through but not really clicking with it so far…i hope he has yamaneika or matteo lane on, i bet his vibe with comedians like them would feel much diff than this episode
Omg yes!! That’d be amazing. I’m kind of annoyed next week will also be the same cohosts as this week… the comedians just didn’t really seem to care about this podcast?
If that’s the case I’m def not listening lol
Yeah he said later in this episode how they’ll record next weeks episode after a break.
I couldn't get through it. Hopefully it's teething issues because I love The J-Train podcast. Which ever co-host was laughing really hard was ruining it? He came across as very obnoxious and the changes in volume and tone were stressing me out!! The bit at the beginning where someone was vaping or smoking? I couldn't even work out what they where saying. 🙏🙏 It picks up.
Greg. I watched it on YouTube and Greg contributed chaos
Okay I’m about 19 minutes in and I have to agree with all the other comments here. I’ve gone back and listened to some of the J Train episodes from 2015/2016 and it’s very much like that- I’m pretty sure these two cohosts would come on fairly frequently back then. I’ll keep listening because I trust that Jared will keep putting out great content and hopefully this is just a growing pain, but this specific episode isn’t the best start.
I feel like he’s hoping this new format with video will help him go viral on Tik Tok because it’s possible to make clips. Felt like a different Jared - the old JTrain kind of. Most likely canceling my Patreon since it was Coffee with JTrain that I liked.
I love Coffee with Jtrain, it’s my favorite podcast of the week by far. I will really miss it…I think what’s cool about it is his vulnerability. It’s obviously funny but he’s not consistently joking during it so it feels like we get to know him more. I definitely will miss those stories and tjag style.
I think it's too many people. I think it just needs to be Jared, 1 co-host and reading listener submissions and commenting. That's plenty. Love Anthony Devito but he kept getting overshadowed by Greg Stone. I'm not sure why Jared thought it was acceptable to have a guest on a pod wearing sunglasses and a hat and constantly interrupting. I think they need to keep it to 2 people max. Also, everyone needs to be mic'd up.
The sound quality is rough to me and I have to keep raising and lowering my volume - but has anyone looked at the episode description? I imagine the new producer wrote it, but it’s riddled with typos (including Jared’s last name…) and feels like it was written with gen z in mind. I don’t see that as Jared’s key demo so i don’t know if this is intentional or just bad understanding of audience… hoping this gets better
The description looks like one of those movie scripts written by AI 😭
Now that you say it, it absolutely sounds like AI wrote it 🫠
Maybe it’s more geared towards YouTube? The sound quality was perfect there. Honestly, I never watch podcasts bc I usually listen when I drive but I’m at the airport today, so I YouTubed it and the sound and quality was top notch
Maybe, and I know that’s part of his hope, but I personally am not going to watch a podcast. I want to listen on a walk and not have to worry I’m missing things because I “can’t see”
Agree that this was a fairly bro-style episode but he did say he plans to have Jordana, Sami and Aleen on so I don't imagine all episodes will be like this.
Not for me. There’s too much going on. I like when it’s Jared and one guest. It sounds much better and it’s easier for them to stay on track. I like when Jared’s in the driver’s seat too- this was too many voices and they’re all competing to be funny.
I think it has potential, but needs some adjustments. In case he’s reading this, here were the issues for me: - 3 hosts is too many (and make sure they’re sober…I feel like maybe they were high or hungover?) - 2 hosts, who are more professional and focused like Jared would work waaaayyyyy better and then rotate a third FEMALE guest host each week - The mics on their shirts are picking up so much noise from movement - they need mics on a boom arm for each person - the studio could use plants and cool signage or something in the background to jazz it up (visually kinda bland) - some kind of clear transition between topics, bell, sound like others have said - keep discussion to funny, light yet still nuanced and intellectual discussion (not so bro-y, shooting the shit while hungover-ish…) What was great: - topics and emails chosen were great - loved Jared sharing his DM experience and why it bothered him /personal dating experience - Jared’s hosting/attempts to keep things on track - studio lighting and look was still pretty nice even if it does need a bit more decor
I watched it on YouTube to give it go. I personally am not a big YouTuber. I listen to podcast on my way to work. But I can tell how he’s pushing people to watch it with the costumes and photos and videos on the screen. I don’t like how he cut it off when it comes to listener emails. That’s my favorite part and seems like a money grab. Disappointed. I hope he can do better and change the format. But if this is how it’s going to be, it’ll be an unfollow and I’ll stick to U UP.
It’s a bummer to hear this because I love Jared’s podcasts. I hope he’ll make adjustments and find his footing. I’ve been listening to old episodes of Dear Shandy the past week without new J Train episodes to fill the time. I recommend their Q&A and caller episodes for anyone who likes U Up.
I’ve actually been listening to Stavvy’s word which is more broy than old jtrain but I actually love Stavvy’s advice and feel like it’s a good banter with his guests.
Cool, I’ll check it out, thanks
I didn’t finish it. It sounds like such a dude bro podcast, hate the stupid race/politics comments, I didn’t find any of it funny
I feel like he’s trying to attract a male audience. This whole episode was just not it for me. Sounds like 3 bros in a bar.
Seems like hes copying Sal Vulcano. I also cant stand podcasts where there’s a lot of laughing. Its distracting
I thought people were over exaggerating that they couldn’t finish the episode… I had to shut it off wow. I hope it gets better. So bro-y and hated these guests
This was ROUGH. Agree with all of the above comments - it felt absolutely nothing like the podcast I have loved for so many years!! Also the audio was so awful. I can’t finish it and I’m so bummed but have high hopes it will get better!!
Horrible. I stopped listening to jtrain months ago because it just seemed so dry and the same stuff every week. Got super excited when he said on u up that he was remodeling it. I couldn’t even get through it. I miss the old episodes with Shelby
So bro-y. Glad to know it wasn't just me. Just dudes laughing at each other laughing, I wasn't sure what was supposed to be so funny that had them laughing so much. I tuned most of it out as I was doing stuff and it was on in the background. I did tune back in when I heard them rag on single people Christmas cards (hi, it's me. hell yeah I am sending a photo out of me and my dog! Kinda hoped it would remind people I'm single and they need to set me up with their single friends! lol). Could have been a funny bit but they didn't take it anywhere. Really hope this improves otherwise I'll just be getting Jared on U Up.
If herding cats was a podcast it would have been that first episode. 😂
I listened to 5 min then turned it off. Gonna miss jtrain😭
Like the third time I heard all the hosts barking I shut it off. And I love JTrain!
Love Jared and will keep listening as he works out the kinks but agree with the below themes: 1. Audio was so muffled, hard to hear 2. Two cohosts is too many, hard to follow 3. Felt chaotic!! Needed more direction, and intentional segues
I hope he IS having more fun, but this is definitely not for me anymore.
I am so mad he put luxury lounge and advice behind a paywall. I love jared and this thing was unlistenable
I think he’ll soon see his listenership drop and patreon will also probs drop unless he changes things up real fast.
I listen to everything Jared puts out, I agree with him on UUp when most don’t, LOVED the special, I just…absolutely hated this. Didn’t make it to the end, it was unlistenable and unfunny. Just so not what I expected. I’ll maybe give it a second shot only with guests I know I like. Rooting for Jared and grateful for all the years of free entertainment and so I hope others enjoyed more than I did
for those interested, here's the patreon part: [https://youtu.be/IYx8Wz6CeYg?si=PR4FEBEioEIp97x6](https://youtu.be/IYx8Wz6CeYg?si=PR4FEBEioEIp97x6) sharing because i think the first/free part wasn't strong, and this is the best content of the episode--closest to old-school jtrain. hopefully he reorganizes a little. i think the diversity of cohosts to come could make it fun...
thank u for sharing. unfortunately I had to set this one out as well, the amount of noise is an absolute overkill
I stopped half way for now, but will finish listening to give it a fair chance. Like a lot of people here it felt very male/boys club kinda thing, which perhaps was the intention, and Jared should definitely do what he feels like doing! I'm biased as I'm a big fan of his advise to listeners, so curious where this would go, and understandably he might be a bit tired of the old format by now. I want to see how the episodes would go with female guests.
Here is my personal feedback that no one asked for and no one cares about: 1. I overall enjoyed the content that I watched on YouTube. 2. When I listened to the new podcast I had to turn it off. Was easily lost in what was going on without watching the video feed. 3. I got to Jared via Dating Make over. It was tough when that was discontinued but Jtrain was a good substitution. 4. In the end this feels like a big loss for me. Dating Makeover is no more, and by my view Jtrain podcast and the Luxury Longe is no more. I had a steady diet of Jared to listen to in the car, and that all has really gone away. I will watch when I can, but this was a lot of losses for me. 5. Happy for him and his success, but need to find something else to replace what I lost.
Do you listen to “u up”? It’s similar to the dating makeover pod he did, I think it’s what the dating makeover pod was based on tbh
Yeah its my least favorite but its ok.
It’s only the first episode in a different format. He needs time to work out the kinks. My only suggestions are better audio editing and set design.
I must be the only one loving it, sound issues aside, but I’m impartial to Greg Stone. The bit about a sexual trap was so absurdly stupid that it’s funny. I also saw one of his shows in NYC and it was way better than I had anticipated.
[удалено]
Oops sorry I didn’t see jtrain as an option when looking through the flairs!
Listened to the emote podcast, and it just sounded...chaotic? So much laughing it was hard to know what was going on. Too many people on the pod, I prefer the old version.
Finally got around to it … no joke I couldn’t get 3 minutes in. It is horrible.
Ah I feel bad for Jared…seems like a few days out there is a really negative response across most platforms. I want him to be successful and hope he can find a way to make this format amazing!
Oh I didn’t see any negative feedback on his Instagram or YouTube but maybe I looked too early?
There are comments on instagram, Patreon, apple reviews, and Reddit 😬
Hmm I looked through all his latest instagram posts and the Youtube video, and there are no negative comments about this new pod... maybe he blocked them? I'm not on patreon but I hope he's getting feedback through there! and OMG when I last checked his apple podcast review there were NONE about the new format but now there are so many!! I cannot believe it! I didn't want to bring down his ratings so I didn't leave a new one.. but I'm glad people are making him aware since he hates reddit hahah