Kex

Quite true and the other addition to that is that preferences to what we hear and gravitate to extends with our very "taste" in music. Some people are moved toward the sound of different instruments musicians, singing voices etc. One person loves rap or metal another can only accept opera and classical while each will hate the other's taste. Music is a series of tones at different speeds and levels.

All that said, a critic can and should be able to let you know within a subgroup which is good and which is spectacular. So you find the critic who "hears it like you" and then the reviewer can be valuable to let you know what is the better buy. So if you like High Efficiency horn speakers with lower powered triode amps then the reviewer who loves that stuff may be able to tell you which is the best $1500 - $3,000 amp to look into while maybe avoid the one that is "dry or overly neutral" read "bright and annoying". Obviously if the critic BOUGHT such a system then chances are he likes it a lot more than Quad and Krell. Thus, if you love Quad chances are he's not the critic for you.

My problem is I happend to have Quad, a Tannoy Dual Concentric, Audio Note so far in my top three favorite speakers LOL. I'm becoming a speaker slut.

And it may get worse - I am going to CES in January 6-11 and I will be auditioning many new to me speakers.