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For me, solid-state high-end equipment has been perfect. Before I switched over to high-end gear, I would wear out a consumer CD player in about two years and a reciever in about three years.

Welll, my CJ and ARC stuff is tubed, and I biamp my speakers—so there's always the element of chance.

Other than some shipping damage, I've never had a problem with the quality components I've purchased since I have got into high-end gear around 1997. Prior to that time, I had nothing but monumental headaches and problems with Pioneer, Sony, and Kenwood, just to name a few. It amuses me to hear people make comments like "my $100 Pioneer has lasted 10 years with no trouble," or "I can't understand why anyone would spend thousands on one component". Funny. For every Sony, Pioneer, etc that lasts ten years trouble free, I can show you 50 others of the same model year that barely lasts two. One thing I've learned is that you definitely get what you pay for. This hobby is no exception. At least now, with the higher-end components, I have reliability—and the sound quality to go with it.

My amps were built in 1979 and have not had one failure. While I've had speaker failures, most of that could be attributed to mis-use. Sure, panel lights go out and what not, but I'm mightily impressed with my "luck" so far, now almost 35 years since I started, in that I've pretty much not had any failures.

I say "somewhat" reliable as a whole. As I commented last week I have had old tube equipment that was spending more time being repaired than in my system, but since cross-grading to transistor based equipment I have had no problems at all! Touch wood! I have had a reasonable run with speakers, with only one pair requiring repairs in 15 years.

Really haven't experienced any problems with the current system. Knock on myrtlewood. I did have problems with previous Yamaha and JBL products that seemed to be continuously the same issue. But with my mostly McIntosh system the only isssue has been a few burnt-out bulbs.

None of my audio products has ever failed me. Can't say the same about my video stuff, however.

Vandersteen 2Ce Sigs: perfect. Adcom GFP 750: perfect. Rotel RMB-100s: perfect. CAL DX-2 CD player: mostly fine. It can't read some of the CD-R formats, but it's old, and I wouldn't consider that unreliable.

The only problems I have had in the last 15 years has been a broken drivebelt on my second turntable and the input selector buttons getting all crackly because of dust build-up. A pretty good record, to be honest.

Denon DCD-1500, Quad 606, Monitor Audio 352s. Used every day since 1987 and never missed a beat.

Reliable? Ha! The ports on both Revel F30s came unglued in transit, a Parasound JC1 blew up after the first half hour and the replacement's transformer buzzes loudly when it feels like annoying me. Levinson equipment has a mind of its own—my first 320S preamp had one foot shorter than the others so it would wobble on a flat surface, the display emitted a high pitch squeal and a couple of seconds after turning the knob, it would continue to go up or down a few clicks. The drawer on my Levinson 390S (no matter how often you recalibrate it) will sometimes close the instant it is opened. Do any other owners notice that with HDCDs, it'll start to play them non-HDCD then after a second or so, switch in the HDCD circuit causing a jump in volume? Quite exciting, really.

I often must make many improvements to get a unit to fail.

10 year-old Naim electronics haven't missed a beat!

A few components have been perfect, but most have had at least one problem. The biggest issue has been damage during shipping. A few items arrived destroyed, most have a ding or chip, if one gets through unscathed, I consider myself fortunate.

would be perfect, but let down by my first cd player, a long time ago. don't know about cool, as long as it sounds ok and is consistent day to day.

It's a mixed bag. Over the years, many things have needed repairs, including CD players, tuners, amps, preamps, and speakers. But my experience has also been that breakdowns aren't that frequent. In fact, I can't recall anything I've ever owned that's needed repair twice. Can't say that about any car I've owned.

Had my ups and downs with second (3rd & 4th) hand buys but nothing purchased new has been a problem. I have found good gear from reputable companies which is maintained correctly usually provides decades of reliable service but everyone has a lemon now and then. My biggest fear of used purchases is getting a habitual problem child.

My MartinLogan, Conrad-Johnson, SOTA, Ortofon, Fidelity Research, Revox, Thorens,Marantz, JBL, Infinity, Nakamichi, Shure, and Koss experiences have all been great. I have hardly had a hiccup and just wore out cartridges or tape heads with use (still do). My only problematic piece is the Sony SCD 777 SACD player. It is tempramental and doesn't want to read discs on occasion. It sometimes loses its mind but I still love the damn thing.

I've only had two pieces of high end audio ever break. One was a Naim NAC62 pre, the other was a Linn Kairn pre. I have been very fortunate with my other components, but I know many others have not.

The only product failure I've had was a bad phono board in an integrated, which the importer replaced promptly and the dealer installed, after offering my an outboard phono pre as a loaner.

The first time I went to a friend's house to hear his new Futterman OTL amps was quite an experience. He had these great IMF towers with real deep and clean bass. After playing for all of 30 seconds one of the B139 oval woofer landed at my foot, about 10 feet from the speaker. That's when the room filled with dark blue smoke and I figured our listening session was over. If it doesn't work, it doesn't mater how good it sounds.

Allison Fours; I've had them for 28 years and have replaced woofers twice and still going strong... Tandberg 2055 receiver-lasted 22 yrs. needs some minor repairs... Sennheiser-MiniStar MS 100 headphones about 25 yrs old and still sound good... HK 191 Cassette Deck- about 20yrs. old, replaced belts once, still plays well... Dual 4035 turntable at least 15 yrs.old and still used regularly... Have some other older equipment that I have passed on to my kids or put in retirement as I upgrade to newer equipment...including Denon CD player, Onkyo Cassette, 15 watt Pioneer receiver and Sennheiser HD 415 II headphones ranging in age from 25 to 10 yrs. old

Other than the occasional tube going bad, all's been well so far.

I've had good luck with my purchases since the very beginning, in the late 1950s. The only notable exception are the EL 34 vacuum tubes, sourced from China, that I tried in my power amp. While the tubes themselves operated okay, they did cause regular fuse failures. Russian or German EL34s and Russian 6550s are kinder to my amplifier's protective fuses. The Russian 6550s are now my tube of choice and all of my fuses remain intact.

A lot of my equipment is more than 20 years old and still alive. Some pieces are "boat anchors," some continue to perform. The following have been trouble free: Audiostatic, Oracle, Syrinx, AKG, Proceed, Anthem, and Plinius. The following have had minor maintenances issues: (corroded switches, pot) Marantz, Michaelson, and Austin. A Nakamichi 700 was reconditioned with the last available parts a few year ago, A Dayton-Wright preamp had a pot problem which the company refused to address and my worst experience was with a Tandberg 3300. It was fantastic for about three years, followed by two years in various shops and a quick sale when it was said to be ready to go.

Perfect: I've had a Mac amp and preamp, bought new 1991, that lasted 14 years, without blowing even a bulb! Mirage speakers have lasted 10 years and still going strong. Sonus Faber speakers—fourmonths and I hope they make the grade. Music Hall turntable: 2+ years, no problems. Magnum Dynalab tuner: 11 years and not even a blip! MSB D/A converter: 5 years, no problems.
Less than perfect: Two Sony ES CD players!I need a Mac CD player, I guess.

Not reliable: My Mitsubishi receiver that died & Svetlana EL-34 tubes that twice blew. Very reliable: My 10 year old Conrad-Johnson MV-55 tube amplifier, 50-year-old NOS tubes, 40-year-old Scott 350 tube tuner, contemporary Creek passive preamp, and Totem Arro speakers!

Buy good stuff, get great sound, get lasting results.

Some of my gear has worked for so long, I have retired it just so I could buy new stuff. The Hafler, ARC, Adcom and VPI stuff seems to last forever. I am not including replacing tubes. The CD or CD/DVD players I have owned have never lived up to that longevity standard. I would say it is because they have been from Japanese companies but my Accuphase T101 tuner still pulls in more stations cleaner than anything else I could want. My next disc player will probably be from an American manufacturer. I will probably wait for the format wars to slow down before I buy.

Reliability is one of my major considerations when I buy. I look for a long track record, both for reliability and for profitability.