Oh yeah, What Hi-Fi is a circus. A layout to be kept away from the seizure proned. I do not like that Stereophile reviewers (there may be others mags) rarely, if ever, compare similarly priced components in some comprehensive fashion. "Sure, it's not quite as transparent, or neutral, and has less bass slam than the [most expensive component ever], but it's only one tenth the price!". That's almost saying less than nothing. Then's there's that positive review no matter what mentality. I remeber a pair of $2k, kind of weird single driver, quasi-bookshelf things. They thought it was great funky-fun except that it sounded and measured like garbage. A pleasure to own, no doubt!
Most annoying Stereo magazine claim
The new thread "What's the most trustworthy stereo magazine" got me to thinking. One of the things that inhibits their credibility, and makes them pretty annoying, is when the reviewers become effusive about a product (as if it were the second coming of Christ), going on and on about a product and using canned flattery like, "it removed another veil from the sound stage." This claim and "it made me want to just listen to the music and play all my CD's again," are the most annoying to me. What about you?