It can take weeks of listening to tease out subtle differences of even relatively significant differences between components.
However, if someone writes that their jaw dropped when component or wire or tweak X was inserted into their system, that person should be able to identify X in a blind test.
I think that reviewers should participate in a well designed blind test every couple of years just for fun, for bragging rights, just to see what the pros can and can't hear. A lighthearted mood should be maintained during the test and no one's job should be dependent on the results.
However, if someone writes that their jaw dropped when component or wire or tweak X was inserted into their system, that person should be able to identify X in a blind test.
I think that reviewers should participate in a well designed blind test every couple of years just for fun, for bragging rights, just to see what the pros can and can't hear. A lighthearted mood should be maintained during the test and no one's job should be dependent on the results.