Audio is mainly acoustic not the gear...
Basically good gear will do... ( aiming at the best design there is in the world make no sense for most people anyway )
But nothing will replace acoustic...
Sound is subjective until it intersects with science,
i say the same thing than you but less economically: things begin to be interesting at this intersection between subjective and objective... Why ?
Because save for some people, learning is a PROCESS in time AROUND this intersection... My subjective ecaluation has changed each week for almost the last 2 years... I was learning how to put in place the conditions to increase the value of my subjective evaluation...
Buying something and writing that this is good and this is my subjective ruling evaluation means not a lot... Only the objective process guiding us to our subjective evaluation means something FOR ALL...
Selling a piece of gear, even a good one and saying thaty only subjective appreciation means something is preposterous...Audio reviews are indicative of a trend in bulk numbers but thats all.. Each separate subjective evaluation means almost nothing save if the reviewer guide us through an objective learning path to increase our own subjective perception...But most revewers sell gear... very few educate...
It is acoustic 101 who was my guiding rule ...
I bought nothing else than basic gear and my ratio S.Q. price is over the roof...
Thanks to acoustic treatment and mechanical acoustic control and tuning of the Speakers/ room...
And vibrations control could cost very low...
And cleaning the electrical noise floor too...
i dont understand that most people cannot figure this ....
And go on buying costly upgrade or partial costly "tweak" solution...