I went through the same thing building my system. It's hard to choose components when there are so many choices and it's hard to hear everything. Reviews are all over the place and many times prefer boutique brands over major brands. I finally made my choices based on what I could hear, reviews and value for my money. I use a Yamaha integrated amp which I've read pros and cons on but it sounds great to me and was a good value. In the end, go with you gut. Enjoy the search.
Advantages of owning equipment from major audio brands vs. boutique shops?
As someone new to home audio, the many brands of equipment is overwhelming. I learn about a new brand almost daily. Today it was Valvet and their A4 MKII monoblocks. Is it correct to assume that advantage to owning equipment from the major players is a result of the dollars they invest in R&D and the company stability, translating to piece of mind via their warranty, and the ability to get a component repaired? I would think resale value also plays a factor.
Because the small shops often sell direct, cutting out layers of profit, there appear to be some good deals on well performing kit. Other than price, are there advantages to investing in boutique brand equipment? It seems the offset to a better price might be their instability in the market, resulting in possibly owning a very heavy, expensive paper weight should they close their doors and your component need service, and a lessor resale value.