An interesting question, the answer to which I suspect has less to do with the speakers themselves than the folks who buy them based on reviews with out regard to how they might actually sound in their room with their equipment. When they get the speakers they just don't "sound" like they fantacized that they would using their equipment, they become unhappy, complain, then put them up for sale.
In my limited experience I have found that room and system synergy is critical and the more revealing the speaker the more critical it becomes. Room set-up for the new speakers is critical - you don't just plunk them down in the same place as the old speakers - its back to the drawing board. Room treatments less so but still must be considered - you may need less, more, or different. And matching electronics to get the sound you want is a major task.
I believe that most high quality, revealing but neutral sounding speakers can sound supurb (limited only by the room) but you have to make a dedicated effort to make it happen.
This doesn't mean that there aren't some overly enthusiastic reviewers about who will gush over something new that really doesn't have legs, but you won't find a conspiracy of reviewers from different mags all saying great things if there isn't some good reason.
In my limited experience I have found that room and system synergy is critical and the more revealing the speaker the more critical it becomes. Room set-up for the new speakers is critical - you don't just plunk them down in the same place as the old speakers - its back to the drawing board. Room treatments less so but still must be considered - you may need less, more, or different. And matching electronics to get the sound you want is a major task.
I believe that most high quality, revealing but neutral sounding speakers can sound supurb (limited only by the room) but you have to make a dedicated effort to make it happen.
This doesn't mean that there aren't some overly enthusiastic reviewers about who will gush over something new that really doesn't have legs, but you won't find a conspiracy of reviewers from different mags all saying great things if there isn't some good reason.