Does the Audio press ever excite you anymore?

Interesting how the PS Audio DAC got such a seemingly bad review a few months ago, yet ended up a Class A rated DAC in the newest issue Oct. 2023...not sure if the mags have really changed, or just losing interest in them after a few decades...

Haven’t been excited by/about the audio press for years. The writers of yore though - some of them at least, from Stereophile and TAS in particular - had the younger me glued to the pages through quite a few reviews and the both entertaining and enlightening writing in there, some of which I used as a "double check" measure for products I was interested in, in conjunction with listening impressions at local dealers. Later on I started developing an interest in products and ways in home audio reproduction that weren’t readily covered by audio magazines, and coupled with a progressing sense of audio press/audiophilia fatigue and a same-same feeling I slowly "devolved" out of the whole thing. Now and then I do however watch YouTube videos from OMA and others.

The audio press have been saying the same thing using the same or similar terms for as long as I have been involved.  That's over 50 years.  Some of the worst writers are still active.  

It's a very curious Role they play.

They display a lovely amplifier or speaker they just received and they're in love with it.  When was the last time you see them not being in love with something.

It's a little bit compelling to watch these guys manipulate attitudes. I don't trust anything they have to say. When I do listen I hopefully will learn something about how a device works and put together but they rarely talk about this.

Clearly they are all compromised, and biased. 

There are a few writers that I enjoy reading their reviews. Herb is one and Dave McNair at Part Time Audiophile.