Disappointing audition after great review

Once upon a time a popular reviewer concluded that my (major high-end brand of) reference amplifiers didn't reproduce a musical rendition of the material he played on his system. This review to this day has thrown a long shadow over the worthiness of this product. OK, everyone has an opinion, right? but this guy isn't just "anyone". I and i am, well, nobody. Nonetheless, I have had these
amps for some time now and they get out of the way of the signal you feed them as well as ANYTHING i have heard either tube or transistor. AND these are my 5th set of amplifiers so far. although i have been repeatedly tempted to "go in another direction", nothing i put on my stereo sounds
less than stellar, and i have been in this hobby for over 25 years, been to lots of audio stores, demos, and even some shows. Nothing sounds EXACTLY like a live jazz group or an orchestra concert, but often i am so drawn into the music (at home), that the Illusion of the final few veils has been lifted. The imperfections (i.e. acoustics) of my living space are far greater than the limitations of my components.
Sometimes I wish i could squish that reviewer's head like a grape (just for fun). Oh well, it's just that much less i care what he or many others think when writing down their "professional viewpoint" or whatever. Another example (glaring i think from reading so many divergent views) regards Magico speakers. Exquisite attention to the most minute details is spent in their design and construction. Group-A thinks they are the best of the best, while others find them to have a lifeless quality...??!! No, i personally have not auditioned them. But i have heard a number of different B&W speakers and they do not suck in the least (though some here in the forums think they are terrible sounding speakers...??).
Even a "now-ancient" pair of Matrix-801's do not suck, although i have heard speakers since then that do some things better (they also cost three times as much). In fact one of the best sounds i have heard in the past was a blue note jazz album played on 801's using Pass Aleph amplifiers.
Don't believe the reviews. Look at the specs, check out how the product is made, compare prices all you want. But forget about what "Joe Schmo" says he heard. And "borrow" copies of audio magazines if you can avoid paying money for them. I gave mine away so my friends could read the ads....

For what it's worth, i was able to attend an audio show many years ago, and spent the whole three days looking and listening to various systems. One room really REALLY impressed me, and as i looked around, several anxious attendees were waiting to sit in the center front row seat (as was I). The speakers were Sonus Faber Extrema's, Copland and Audio Research SS electronics, an SME 30 turntable, and some fairly inexpensive wires. AC Jobim and other vinyl records were being played, and the sound was exceptionally relaxed and just plain "lovely". Later I shopped around for the SF speakers but even used they were going for $10K or more, way over my budget. A few more years went by and along came Eggleston Andra speakers at a local dealer with the same tweeter SF used, but with bass down to 19Hz. After months of deliberation, I finally bought the demo pair, and when i got them into my own system they sounded absolutely phenomenal- what i had expected but even a bit more so, plus i had all the time in the world to see what they could do long term. It's a damn expensive hobby and the average person would certainly think i was INSANE for buying speakers that cost 5 figures. But i "knew" at this point what I liked and what sacrifices i would have to make to hear music this accurately and with startling realism.
there are many ways to find out for yourselves what level of quality you are willing to obtain and at what cost, but at least make a trip to a store or someone's house that knows how to put a great system together. Then you have an idea and a goal to attain, whether for now or some years from now.
After 25 or more years i can say that the newest gear that comes out has little affect on me, although a server with a thousand albums on it would certainly be very convenient. But the fundamental purpose- getting a piano to sound like it's in front of you for example, has already been reached to my ears.
Now my primary goal is this- I just want to continue finding new music to play on my system.
P.S.- BTW, the Egglestons were considered so exceptional at one time in the stereo magazines, but now you never hear anything about them. What does that mean? All the other speakers that have been reviewed since then are "so great, and this and that" (for even more money, gobs more money). But, If you already have a pair, the answer should be "so what?..."