Squidboyw: I certainly agree with you that in the end, what is most important is how the owner, not the reviewer...feels about the equipment. But reviewer's opinions...and especially those of highly experienced reviewers like HP....ARE important to some of us. I am glad that Irishdog loves his DV-50, but he may not have had the unique opportunity to compare it systematically with other high-end multichannel SACD players. In this regard, we might glean some important information from the opinions of those like HP who have. Personally, I like to read a ton of reviews before I make buying decisions...but, in the end, i do let my ears decide.