OK OK I know reviewers have got a job to do but some of the stuff they write is tosh.

It's not difficult to engineer something with a very flat frequency response, or to achieve very accurate RIAA equalisation. So when I read something like this I think 'oh dear':

The xxxxx's wide open, glass-clear midband integrates smoothly with a strong bass and crisp, extended treble. This makes for a very neutral reading of whatever LP you care to play, with the unusual combination of a well lit and highly revealing upper midband, and very low record surface noise.

What? the? F? Well lit 'upper midband', did they fit the front panel LED'd in the wrong place

Plus I thought record surface noise performance was dependent on the stylus and cartridge.