Stereophile's 2021 products of the year

I was more curious about the fact that the Marantz 30 integrated made it to their class A list at $2499 - this is a class D integrated without gan fet technology...maybe there’s something special about it or is this just a Marantz loving reviewer. Always find it funny that they like to put the KEF Ls50 in class A and the KEF Reference In class B lol - I’ve heard them both extensively, including the Meta version. The reference is for sure and by far the better sounding speaker. 

Stereophile was great when I first got it back in the mid-80s it was the size of a Reader’s Digest and this was the first time I read in a magazine or they were reviewing a very expensive piece of equipment and they actually said it was a piece of junk and don’t buy it

"they actually said it was a piece of junk and don’t buy it"

They basically still "say it", but with measurements (far less liable) with this new VAC Sigma 170i IQ integrated amplifier review.

But "say it" with the measurements instead, if readers can understand them, which to me is even better.
Because if you just "say it" your just taking the reviewers word for it like Absolute Sounds.

Cheers George

I've read Stereophile and TAS for decades. One criticism I hear is that there are no longer any bad reviews. Stereophile has directly addressed this.

Stereophile leaves it up to the reader to make sense of the measurements, so he/she can make their own decision (less liable) if it's junk or not for his or her use.
Measurements don't lie or do poetic licence.

Cheers George

I do read Stereophile. I do find objective statements that make sense. Also you learn particular reviewer's preferences and incorporate that filter in reading them, though a mag's reviewing guidelines help minimize the bias. 
Hearing equipment (best in your own system) is the most enlightening review. When I've done that and I read a reviewer who matches my impressions then validation of the product review occurs.
The mags choose items of audiophile interest to review. They cover a lot of ground. But they actually review only a smidgen of available products. Thus their "recommended" lists only draw from reviewed products.

Several folks here apparently believe they are in on a big secret that ads buy good reviews. I personally haven’t found that to be true. And if it were, what do you think the people at Big High End Advertiser think when gear costing 90 percent less gets the same “A” ranking? Isn’t that a problem, too? Do you really think the staffs at Stereophile or The Absolute Sound accept kickbacks? That the whole thing is a con? Or could it be that people just have different opinions and hear sounds differently. The alternative is to maintain that you yourself are the font of all right thinking. Ever had a salesman diss your preferred model? “Don’t believe those idiots at Consumer Reports, listen to me!,” is his pitch. As if he only has your interests at heart. Folks, didn’t we just through the “Fake News” phase? The only faking going on there are the charlatans that want you to accept their “alternative facts”.