Reliability - what’s your experience been?

In my 40 plus years in this hobby I have been very lucky

I had a VTL 50/50 , went back to Chino 3 times...  almost was my first and LAST tube Amp

Anthem Amp 1.  Great amp, however if a tube failed it would almost surely take out a cathode resistor.  Easy fix.   Chris from Sonic Frontiers was kind enough to send me a dozen

Sony DVP9000  great player but I needed to service the drawer mech several times.  Laser finally gave out

Velodyne HGS 10.  Ticking noise. Common problem.  Sent it to EBC in NJ and they repaired it reasonably 

Not bad considering all the gear I have had over the years. 

Most equipment has been fine since I got into HEA.  It’s the digital network stuff that can drive me crazy, the software hardware not playing nice together.

Brands that have failed me:

Classe Audio - the stuff made in China not Canada. SSP - 800 (twice).

P S Audio - happened quite quickly BHK pre amp buzzing

The Cary gear I have owned (two preamps and two amps) has been very reliable. (Actually, I haven’t put enough time on the latest preamp yet to fully make that determination.)

I once owned a pair of Audio Research VTM 120s that sounded great but had a nasty habit of blowing a random grid resistor when I turned them on.

I have a Rega Jupiter transport that I no longer use, but it has lasted forever.

A digital cable went bad on me once.

My Carver CDP took a crap, but it had a lot of miles on it. My B&K digital HT pre started doing wonky things before I gave up on HT.

I got this HP desktop I am presently typing on in 2012 (Windows 7!) and it is doing some goofy things here and there, but it is still my only PC.  

Amps, Preamps, and Speakers. The most reliable.

CD players the least.

Spoke with a Hi End repair tech, he told me CD players have the highest failure rates vs Tape Decks and Turntables.