OTOH…99% of digital audio/cables/vibration control and just about everything else in audio is available for online purchase with minimum 30 day hassle free return so imo the value of fora reviews compared to in home demo are close to zero. It’s mostly plug in play, too.
You friggin buy whatever meets your various requirements based on a few different recommendations/mentions. Use your Visa card! Play in your system for a while and if you don’t like, send it back.
That is news to me. I would not know how I could have gotten from a dealer an in-house demo of my Tambaqui DAC, or a purchase of the DAC with return policy.
Fortunately a friend graciously lent me his for two weeks for trying it in my system. After that I bought my own.