Your example, asserting that components were rated a certain way, that 20% are likely to fail, was just plain silly. I felt compelled to correct you. Components are differentiated by quality (some cheap capacitors are just crap, regardless of their rated MTBF) and ratings, but your assertion that somehow the components of the past are inherently better is just nonsense. You've convinced yourself that older audio components are inherently superior WRT longevity without data or evidence. You are correct that inexpensive AVRs make a trade-off between functionality and build quality that may not be optimal for performance, usability, or longevity, but the higher-end components you're comparing them to are not comparable to cheap AVRs or $400 32" LCD monitors.
You're also delusional, Mr. Shoote, about those Sony ES components you're displaying. I have owned several, because a family member worked for Sony, and I got them relatively cheaply with a employee discount. In fact, I still have an ES pre-amp/DAC from that era sitting in a closet. The A-stock ES CD player I ordered was DOA. The MSRPs when these components were new were quite high, and if you're comparing them to recent, comparably priced components, especially taking into account inflation, they wouldn't compare well at all in performance. As for your speakers, well, to each his own.
