+1 on the suggestions above. I would be a little less concerned with strict number rating systems, though. Even when people try to be objective, they could rate the same experience differently on different days just based on their mood, how much earwax is in their ears, or the weather.
It's better to read many reviews from different sources, read all the reviews by a particular reviewer so you get a feel for what sort of gear they like (and how it compares to your own taste), and experience as many different pieces of equipment as possible so you always have at least a somewhat applicable reference (e.g. I've heard X, and X is supposed to sound like Y, and Reviewer 1 says that Z sounds like Y). Also, knowing how to read objective measurements can be very useful for those times when the written review just doesn't touch on something you'd like to know. That said, misreading measurements is worse than not reading them at all, so be careful.
