Hi DDK,
Thanks for chiming in. My thoughts are based on the well-marketed gear one finds in the USA that I have heard or aware of. After all, vast majority of people purchase gear that they find in magazines (authority based persuasion), read about in forums that others chat about (social proof based persuasion), that their friends have (multiple persuasion principles acting in combination: liking, authority, likely social proof proof), get from a dealer with whom they share their taste or trust (authority, liking, and reciprocity based persuasion), googling something they have heard of, a brand they have a romantic connection to or resonates with who they are, etc.
But you and I may not cross too many social networks outside this site, so you may be aware of stuff that others do not get a chance to be acquainted with. Out of curiosity, and based on your highly enjoyable turntable installation threads, are there any speaker/ amp combinations one can actually purchase today that you would recommend? Thanks