Hey James, it's a fair point, and I totally agree that there's no substitute for a long in-home audition - that's why I review things for months at a time after all. That said, with some experience and skill I've found you can parse out some of the environmental factors and get a general feel for the character of a piece of gear. I've gone back to my listening notes from the beginning and end of an audition, as well as heard gear in both a show and home environment, and other than break-in effects and some deeper unpeeling of layers, I've found them to be remarkably consistent.
And not to claim my hearing is superior or anything, but I have a number of years of classical musical training and can usually zero in on things pretty quickly. Without naming names, I've found audible issues with gear early in audition periods that the designers themselves didn't catch until I mentioned it to them.
Again, just personal impressions, take with as much salt as you like. :)
And not to claim my hearing is superior or anything, but I have a number of years of classical musical training and can usually zero in on things pretty quickly. Without naming names, I've found audible issues with gear early in audition periods that the designers themselves didn't catch until I mentioned it to them.
Again, just personal impressions, take with as much salt as you like. :)