One can predict with uncanny accuracy which class a product will receive by its price. The range of price is somewhat broad for these predictions, but one can be 100% sure that something that costs $20,000 will NEVER, EVER be placed in any class less than "A" no matter how sucky it sounds. We will be lucky if the reviewer even mentions these shortcomings as "caveats" in passing.
On the same token, a product, say a DAC, that costs $600 will NEVER, EVER be placed in class A no matter how astounding it sounds. Class B, C are a just a wee bit harder to predict, but they still fall right along the line of general price categories. Advertising revenues spent by company, various personal/professional relationships between company and reviewer, politics, etc, etc, if known to the reader, will make prediction of these "classes" very, very predictable.
This thread reminded me how long it's been since I even looked at Stereophile's Rec list, much less pay actual attention to what it says. I strongly believe I've become a much happier audiophile/music-lover since I've come to rely only on my own ears and ears of those I know well and trust.
