Mainstream reviews-why so few?

Because , from my limited experience and a perspective built up over 30 yrs around stereo, eqip that is featured in full page ads and as well featured in the mags reviews, all this eqip tends to be much less than the expectations I had hoped for.
I only purchased one stereo mag in the past 20 yrs, and that was for the Tyler Linbrook Systems 2 review by Sally Reyonlds.
And that was the only thing I read or looked at in the Stereophile issue.
If a brand is featured in a mag, its very likely not in my consideration.
Cayin as mentioned would be the rare exception. But you really do not see many of their ads in a mag. Besides whatever they say is the god honest truth. No fluff, no hype.
End of rant

Personal opinion:

Whether or not something's been reviewed in the audiophile press is considerably less important than my own impressions at the time of listening. That's the ultimate test. If it sounds good and it seems to represent a good value, then those are the things that sway me.

OR, I can just ask Tvad or Duane or Swampwalker or Marco, etc..i.e.one of you really smart guys.....

As the presence of audio dealers decreases and the proliferation of factory-direct marketing increases, it becomes more and more difficult for those of us who reside away from metropolis to audition the equipment we hear about. Further, many of us, restricted by the lower wages and lesser economies of the hinterlands, buy only used equipment. We simply cannot afford to buy this stuff new. My program is unable to absorb significant depreciation. I find that if I buy used equipment wisely, I can try it for little or no money by simply returning it to the used market if it fails to satisfy. This policy, of course, relies upon other people to make the initial purchase and then resell at some point. Factory-direct, free trial periods can also serve in this way and products purchased directly from the manufacturer typically maintain a higher resale value than those which are sourced through traditional dealer networks.
I do not read the audio mags any longer because I have developed my own alternate review process by personal contact and word of mouth. As a result I have no use for Michael Fremer's estimates and declarations nor do I care to read measurements and graphs. All that matters is my satisfaction with my chosen entertainment.
So if I own the product and I find that it fulfills my needs and wishes, I don't have a desire to know whether or not a skilled writer thinks I should like it. It doesn't matter if it deviates from an amorphous, arbitrary absolute sound. My interest lies with whether or not I want to keep it and whether or not I can recover my investment if I choose to sell.
Just imagine buying your food according to the "Absolute Flavor". Why isn't it enough to just like the taste without giving yourself indigestion and a possible ulcer over the possibility that something else may come slightly closer to the "Absolute Flavor"?
We are the lunatic fringe. We drive ourselves nuts over differences that may or may not exist and most certainly don't matter outside of our asylum. Everyone of us, including the newcomers, have a level of sound reproduction that vastly surpasses that which can be found in the other 99.99999% of American homes. I wish my health was as high on the continuum as my audio system is.

bartokfan, there is no logic only the coincidence of your personal experience. if it works for you fine, but personally, i would not restrict myself to unadvertised products.