What makes you think that audio firms with an unprecedented backlog of orders are generally in danger of going under? That’s counterintuitive. It reminds me of the Yogi Berra quote when talking about a restaurant "Nobody goes there anymore, its too crowded".
If you are unwilling to place an order and wait for it your only options for new gear will be from those dealers who stock or manufacturers who may not be experiencing a windfall of orders (which may also be a danger signal) or occasionally there is a manufacturer capable of scaling up quickly. That gear will likely be pcb based with snap/screw final assembly. Point to point/hand made gear...there is a lead time, especially if the gear is good/sought after.
Then, there is the used route which is also a great avenue but prices for great used gear is on the rise as well.
