Internet reviews are a really good way to identify some of the best, most consistently good-value products in almost any hobby or field. If you look at this sub, you would think there are only a dozen brands in the entire hardware industry (I even made a meme about it).
There is so much great gear out there that you will never find reading reviews and forums. Not that there’s anything wrong with LS50’s and Schiit and Topping and SVS and Monoprice. But I think we would all do ourselves a favor to try to listen to a wide array of equipment, especially used equipment, which is often fantastic and worth 10x its cost in sound quality.
I’m running 2x NAD class D amps that get bad reviews / press and honestly I think they’re amazing.
I have bought ‘end game’ speakers but I did try 2/3 other bookshelves prior also based on reviews online but found them not to my taste or lacking in performance.
I had a conversation with the guys at the local (high end) HiFi shop to me where I bought my speakers from ‘ex demo’ who basically shit all over NAD and class D stating that ‘it’s not hifi unless it’s Class A or AB. Has to be Naim, Linn or Mcintosh.
Talked about Mcintosh watts vs watts claimed by other manufacturers, at this point I ended the conversation, left and I’ve not been back since.