Who do you trust?

How many reviewers try a component in the context of of a desk top system, TV system, main room system, and to be fair, as many type of gear possible to get a decent and synergistic pairing so as to fairly review the component?

(This requires keeping a retinue of equipment handy so as to insure proper matching and not the usual excuse that the reviewer can imagine how it would sound.)

How many reviewers go into great depths as to the design, construction and when possible, the actual employees who build it, along with their philosophy and background?

(This requires more than just rewording ad copy that anyone can suss out since most products reviews hit the world around the same time.)

When a product actually doesn't make the grade, how many reviewers are willing to say so?

Oh yeah, 6moons.

By the way, the OPs criteria for a need for details goes contrary to the admonition of not bordering on paranoia or clinical. How one can do one without the other at least overlapping?

Everyone has an axe to grind so it's going to be interesting, to say the least, to read what unfolds.

All the best,
Nonoise

I don't know if it's a question of trust in the sense of honesty, as opposed to trust in a reviewer's musical taste. In other words, if this person likes it, am I likely to like it.

I have absolutely no informed opinion on Michael Fremer's motives or honesty, but I think I can say that he and I do not hear things the same way. OTOH, I think I am more in line with Sam Tellig's sense of hearing, or whatever's left of it. He was the one who recommended the Opera Callas monitors, which I loved, Harbeth and other stuff I consider musical as opposed to hyper-detailed to a fault.

So I don't really think of who's getting paid or whatever, because we'll never be able to verify this. It's about finding an audio critic, a restaurant critic or a movie critic who's tastes are in line with your own. I think.

Everyone honestly does the job like Michael Fremer, only facts are not that truthful at the end.
Every piece of equipment he describes is super good on magazines but not all is actually is that good at the end no matter how honestly the job was done to describe.

It's not a question of trust or the sense of honesty. It's a BIG BUSINESS.
I never bought anything base on their review, only base on manufactory specification.
You are the only one that you have to convince and trust. If it sounds better to you then that's all that matters.