Regarding the OP’s thoughts - I agree it’s a complicated time for displays of wealth. On the other hand, wealth exists, and this is an expensive hobby. The OP is likely right that Stereophile is alienating some readers with tone-deaf reviewing during this period. Stereophile may also be catering to other readers who view such reviews differently.
After seeing millercarbon’s ad hominem attack on the reviewer (“clown”), I read In detail the full review by Jason Serinus to determine whether Serinus is in fact a clown. What I found was a well-crafted, insightful, and well-researched review that is anything but a “word salad.”
The quote milllercarbon references is from the second paragraph of the review, and is a quote from a previous review Serinus wrote about an earlier version of the item. The quote actually has nothing to do with the review and is simply stage-setting, which would be obvious to anyone who read beyond the second paragraph.
Is the language in that one quote overblown? Yes. But what about the merits of the review itself?
The reviewer goes into technical detail, interviewing one of the designers, and even nods to why the unit costs as much as it does. The reviewer describes a wide variety of listening in two different settings, with concrete and specific terms, and no overblown language. I was left with a useful understanding of the technology, strengths, and weaknesses of the unit, and where the unit might fit into an audiophile system.
After seeing millercarbon’s ad hominem attack on the reviewer (“clown”), I read In detail the full review by Jason Serinus to determine whether Serinus is in fact a clown. What I found was a well-crafted, insightful, and well-researched review that is anything but a “word salad.”
The quote milllercarbon references is from the second paragraph of the review, and is a quote from a previous review Serinus wrote about an earlier version of the item. The quote actually has nothing to do with the review and is simply stage-setting, which would be obvious to anyone who read beyond the second paragraph.
Is the language in that one quote overblown? Yes. But what about the merits of the review itself?
The reviewer goes into technical detail, interviewing one of the designers, and even nods to why the unit costs as much as it does. The reviewer describes a wide variety of listening in two different settings, with concrete and specific terms, and no overblown language. I was left with a useful understanding of the technology, strengths, and weaknesses of the unit, and where the unit might fit into an audiophile system.