Your fav online resource for high end gear is....

Mainly Stereophile and if the equipment is old enough Listener, a great magazine that unfortunately did not last.

After that probably the forums and discussions here. Over time it has given me a fair idea of what people like and or listen to or for. Who seems knowledgeable and where and who is more or less open to the fact that it is after all just their opinion.

Will search out the manufacturer to see who they say has reviewed their product. Then do a google search to see who else has, sometimes more come up, sometimes more is revealed. Also will go through about the first 30 or so hits and see which, if any are applicable to what is being sought. Sometimes it is just something new and different, sometimes it is the desire to find out more before making a decision.

Only after that do I head out and see about auditioning equipment. By that point there is a basis of opinion, not necessarily fact, that has resulted from people's and reviewer's experiences. Their rooms and equipment are varied enough that if they all end up saying about the same thing, then it probably is that piece of equipment. Then comes the question of is that the result I am looking for.

In a very subjective world of experience looking for objectivity is a fool's erand in my view. But if you get enough different people saying the same thing, that in and of itself may provide some objectivity

My first and foremost resources are my ears. If I've heard it, than I know what is best for me. When researching gear, I try to listen to my friend's systems, and go to the stereo shows, so I can audition gear myself. (I don't go to B&M stores, as I feel that is ethically wrong to use them for demo's, when I know that I will not be buying from them.)

Second, would be the opinions of my friends and online acquaintances, especially those whose sonic tastes are similar to my own. If they say they have heard a particular piece that I am interested in, and they liked it, then that gives me some more clues as to whether to pursue auditioning that piece myself.

Third, (and this is starting to get pretty far down my reliability list), are online forums such as Audiogon and Audio Asylum. While I don't trust everyone's views, I can usually get a decent feel for where they are coming from. I have found some good information from some of the members of both sites. (Usually I use these sites pretty early on in my research, in order to narrow the rather broad field of equipment.)

Fourth, would be the rock bottom of the resources that I use, which would be the print and online magazines and websites. HiFi+ used to be my favorite print magazine, (when Roy Gregory was there), followed by Stereophile and The Absolute Sound. Online magazines and websites such as 6moons, Positive Feedback, 10Audio, etc... Most of these people either get paid, or get freebies, or heavy discounts, for their reviews, so I really take their opinions with a large grain of salt!

My two cents worth anyway.

I research from many sources and look for patterns of positive comments. If you get several similar comments or observations from multiple sources, then there is a better chance that they are true.

Then I go out and listen to gear wherever and whenever I can.

I second Kurt Tank's response of yourself, friends, Audiogon, and magazines in that order.

Michael

I turn to everything from magazines to Audioreview and of course Audiogon. Still, there is no substitute for listening for yourself if possible. In my case it isn't always possible. I read many glowing reviews of the Pass Labs X250.5 for example, and it was not what I expected, and not at all suited to my perferences, even though it seemed from what I read that it would be. On the other hand, I bought Spendor speakers based on professional and consumer reviews, and they were pretty much what I had expected,and I was satisfied.