Someone should make an inexpensive set of reference equipment to test audiophile gear.
That way, we'll know if we're getting BSed. As is, reading spec sheets and reviews is a bit wobbly,
For example, Tp4 knows with absolute certainty that the vast majority of Monitors come with trash level factory calibrations, and they drift extremely quickly, especially from NEW condition. You can see this readily with a basic colorimeter.
I'd imagine analog audio has even less stability. but there's no ref equipment to check with since high accuracy analyzers are more expensive than most of the gears.
If people can't test at large, the market can't elevate.