Well not sure what your issue is with MC but I have found him to be one of the most accurate reviewers out there and consistently so. If he says it's phenomenal then I know, at the very least, that it is not hyperbole, regardless of how he chose to write this particular review. It shows, in fact that he was flabbergasted by it because he is usually giving very detailed descriptions of what he hears.
+1. I have only read 2 other reviews where I recall MC was so categorically impressed: Wilson X1/Grand Slamm in July 1994 (still have the article) and the Krell FPB600/650 where i recall he felt it re-wrote the benchmark on reference amps at that time, almost deserving its own class (ie, above Stereophile Class A)...its been a while, and i think it was something to that effect. The other impressed but not entirely over the top review was his Sonus Faber Guarneri. All 3 have since gone down as quite legendary in the annals of audio.
I read his review of the Audio Note DAC 5th Element with great interest. He certainly did not hold back praise there!