Name brands that are not so well known are skipped

"if a brand is not well-known and represented by a very small company, a potential buyer will have many concerns, such as longevity of the company, customer service and resale."

I can attest to the truth of that statement by Mrtennis, at least as far as it concerns me. I know my conrad johnson gear doesn't offer the sex appeal nor the elite exclusivity of boutique brands, but they've been reliable performers. Phone calls to cj, even on issues not directly related to the performance of their gear, have been met with knowledgeable concern. I did send my preamp back for repair once and found the cost and turn-around to be very reasonable. Also, I prefer a design that is not so complex that only it's designer is competent to work on it.

By the time I would do a keyword search on Audiogon, I will have already spent much time on the forum, reading reviews, and otherwise researching the product. For me it would be the end of the search (I'm in buying mode), not the begining. When I scroll the listings, I'm looking for equipment I am already familiar and want to see if it is available - I don't want to learn about gear in a classified ad (where most equipment is "incredible" and "crushes" the competiton) from the person selling it. I learn about equipment in the forum discussion, online and print advertising, and online and print reviews. The fact that a piece of gear is from a small manufacturer, building by hand, doesn't matter too much to me - most of this industry is a cottage industry with the exception of a few "giants" - 10 or more people? Most of my equipment falls into that category (many one or two person operations), but these small companies are strong brands due the quality of their gear.

The beauty of tube technology is the ability to produce circuits that are easy to repair. Equipment that is point to point wired has the highest potential to make it through the ages regardless of who made it (as long as it was properly made). There are hundreds of Scott and Fisher amps still around and in good condition. I wouldn't worry about the amp's maker disappearing. Be concerned about how the amp is constructed. Construction details are extremely important. A good design that is point to point wired is superior over those made on printed circuits. I've dealt with enough lifted traces and burned boards for a lifetime. Glued wires belong in computers, not tube audio gear.

I agree that point-to-point is more reliable, easier to repair, and easier to modify; not sure if one approach is any better or worse for sound quality. I imagine one advantage to circuit boards would be consisteny from prototype to units on the market and less variance between units due to more precise duplication of circuits from unit to unit. You do make a very valid point (no pun intended) that point-to-point gear eliminates much possible obsolence in repair down the road.

P.S. All my gear non digital electronics is point-to-point.