When a Reviewer "likes" something


... what does that mean in your opinion. I read in one of the last Stereophile mags a comment from Mr. Atkinson where he wrote about the differences in "opinions" in forums or in printed mags. After all he ended with the argument, a component is good when a reviewer likes it.
Isn't is more helpful, when a reviewer knows something about a real tone reproduction? Or is it ok, when he used every month another CD or LP he got for free, a kind of music nearly no one wants to listen to?
Harry Pearson used in the 90's always the same records for his reviews but that was an exception I think.
What is it worth for you when - for example - Mr. Dudley/Fremer/Valin/HP .... "likes" something? Do you have the same "taste" they have?
I know it is possible to like a Turntable even when that unit can't hold the proper speed, or is extremely sensitive to any influences, there are endless recommendations written about such units...what is it worth for you?
Atkinson for example measures units, some have top datas but they can sound very boring, far away from the real thing, some have no top datas, some "tests" are shortened because a unit can reach a area which can be pretty dangerous (see one of the latest Agostino units, just as an example) but they are rated Class A in recommendations anyway....
When someone "knows" what is right or not, then his "liking" is only a personal opinion which is more or less uninteresting or?
Most customers (not all of course) would prefer to know what a unit is really able to do sonically, or not? Would knowledge destroy the joy of Hardware rolling? Or is there a reason why reviewers use low efficiency speakers when they have a tube amp for review (for example Lamm ML2.1/ML2.2 with Magico Speakers)? Is the matching "expensive + expensive" the proper way to show competence?
128x128syntax
Dear Wol_garcia: ++++ " you KNOW tube gear is BAD BAD BAD, ignoring the fact that lots of experienced listeners think (although it's often based on older design ideas) it SOUNDS great, thus obviating its badness and making it your personal issue.... " ++++

certainly that I'm not ignoring the lover's tube technology but that's not the subject.
Almost all of those tube's lovers ignorewhat they really are listening: they really ignore it, the only thing they know is: " I like it ", unfortunatelly and due to that technology deficiencies all those people are not hearing what is in the recording but " something else ". I know that they don't care on that fact and that what only cares is that: " I like it ".

The difference between all these people ( including Lewm. ) is that I learned what is happening with the recordd signal when this signal pass through tube electronics and what I learned and experienced with is something that I don't like it and is something that's far away from my main audio/music targets that is to be: NEAREST TO THE RECORDING, THAT ON PLAYBACK WHAT I'M LISTENING BE NEAR THE RECORDED SIGNAL WITH THE LESS AND LOWER LOSTED OR ADDED RECORDED SIGNAL INFORMATION.

IMHO, it does not matters that you or any one else say: " I like it ", that electronic technology is way faulty to meet that audio/music target, that technolgy was not " designed " for audio and certainly not for today audio/music needs.

It is obvious that the tube people are with different audio/music targets and could be by ignorance, ignorance not to know in deep what tube electronics makes to the recorded signal. That's all.

When they learnend I'm sure that like me they will reject that technology.

Now, if any one of you have facts that could help to say: " tubes are the right technology to reproduce what is in the recorded signal " then post it.

I say facts not " I like it ".

Dear gentlemans, you can go on sticky with that technology this's up to you.

Wh tubes performs different than other technoogies like SS? why when compared in between you prefer the tube one?: very simple, you are prefering a different way different audio/music signal/sound that has and is charged of heavy " make-up " due to that technology deficiencies and that's all but not because is better but because that simple: I like it ".

IMHO, this " I like it " is one of the main reasons why the high end real high end does not grow up faster. Today in many areas is just stopped.

If any one of us wants to start a thread about I will share with all of us all the facts you ignore about that technology and we can discuss and go in deep down there. Obviously with no that " I like it " that does not carry us nowhere.

Btw, Lewm: " you endow yourself with supernatural perception .... """

again, you are wrong and obviously you read my posts but don't understand them. I have not any supernatural perception ( far away from there ) what I have is an in deep training to be aware the system quality performance and discriminate sound from distortions that you can't do it because you have not that kind of training. Lewm, that has a name: knowledge level because an in purpose long training.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R
Dear Raul, I wrote a long response, but then I deleted it because this thread is about reviewers, not about your philosophy or mine. Anyway, you just proved again that rational discussion with you on this topic is impossible.

In any case, I don't want to be seen as close-minded; bring me a great sounding SS amplifier that works well on my rather demanding ESLs, and I will buy it (or try to build it). On topic, I have on occasion over the last 10-20 years been seduced by a review to sample a high end solid state amplifier; that's how I know. On the other hand, transformer-coupled tube amps don't cut it, either, on my particular speakers.
I know some successful and highly regarded Grammy winning producers, musicians, pastry chefs, sea captains (the Grammys for Pastry Chef and Sea Captain are relatively obscure), and ner-do-wells who like the sound of modern (?) tube amps. Like them a LOT. This may be off topic, but but I'm so damaged from reading the convoluted and florid lengthy responses that the wheels have come off my topic specific response reflex.
+1 Manitunc- You are on a roll, dude (or dudette, as the case may be). Some great posts lately.