+1 ‘gobsmacked’. Nothing wrong with it just overused these days.
I don’t see anything wrong with ‘reference’ if used appropriately. That is, if the person is saying it is their reference. Just like someone might use Budweiser as a reference for how all other beer tastes. Then they can say another beer has more alcohol, or subjectively tastes dryer, etc. Even if the reviewer suggests the gear is ‘reference’ potential for some owner, I.e. something to judge other components by, it’s still ok. But yes, used as hyperbole only, it does fit with others like ‘the best’. In other words, bastardized to imply it should be everyone’s reference as better than everything else available. A true reference could be a piece of crap, but it’s a starting place to gauge other things against.
I don’t see anything wrong with ‘reference’ if used appropriately. That is, if the person is saying it is their reference. Just like someone might use Budweiser as a reference for how all other beer tastes. Then they can say another beer has more alcohol, or subjectively tastes dryer, etc. Even if the reviewer suggests the gear is ‘reference’ potential for some owner, I.e. something to judge other components by, it’s still ok. But yes, used as hyperbole only, it does fit with others like ‘the best’. In other words, bastardized to imply it should be everyone’s reference as better than everything else available. A true reference could be a piece of crap, but it’s a starting place to gauge other things against.