Re:
"Many audio reviewers constantly rant at length in their reviews, about the live performances they attend on a regular basis... Yet they still disagree completely on what components sound good... Both Art Dudley and John Atkinson of Stereophile, listen to live music regularly... yet they have very different tastes in equipment... members of this forum and many other forums also listen to live music regularly and disagree completely... "

You have to sell the sizzle, not the steak. If they calmly agreed then wouldn't our interest in their prognostications be significantly lessened? Nothing stimulates audiophile interest better than a good reviewer catfight.

And in the end, as you have noted, everyone can find something that supports their bias. Everybody feels good about themselves and so they come back for more. All they have to do is keep spending more and more money for their endless upgrades. Which particular upgrades is not important. Audiophiles spending money is all that really matters because it makes Mr. Dudley's and Mr. Atkinson's advertisers very happy.

Happy advertisers buy more ads.

Remember what DeepThroat said: "Follow the money!"

Stereophile routinely publishes recommended equipment lists of what equipment their considered evaluations have led them to recommend.... except from time to time items will disappear from their list without explanation. Oops, now you hafta trade up.........

I was specifically recommending recitals where one can focus on a few instruments so as to learn their sound, say a concert grand piano. Maybe a Steinway if you want to narrow things more. We can be interested in different specific attributes of a Steinway, but our common reference will be that same Steinway. You judge how accurately the Steinway's attributes important to you are rendered, and I judge how accurately the Steinway's attributes important to me are rendered. If we are both satisfied then we can achieve a degree of consensus.

You have pointed out that consensus is totally lacking between Mr, Dudley and Mr. Atkinson. Their lack of any published consensus will generate greater profits for them. Not for you.

I was not suggesting complicated symphonies which do not lend themselves to such a learning endeavor.