@ pennsy - not sure if I could disagree with a post more than I do yours. In fact, I disagree with everything in your post.
While I'm sure many high-end B&W owners would tell you they do enjoy the design qualities of their speakers, I'm quite certain they'll also tell you that they don't buy them just to sit in the corner in the event that gravity reverses and the carpet tries to fly away.
And while I wouldn't tell anyone not to buy the best amp their heart desires, I believe the speakers are more important to how a system sounds than the amp. Or, said a different way, let's get together...I'll bring a $1000 Yamaha home theater receiver and a pair of B&W 802 D3 (or a pair of Vandersteen Carbons, or Wilson Sashas, you can pick) and you can bring any $30,000 amp you like and any $1000 pair of speakers you like, and we'll see which system sounds more impressive.
And of course corporations are sold, whether they're cash cows or not. Until science and medicine can prevent human mortality, allowing people to live and enjoy their business assets forever, privately-held companies are going to be passed from one party to another. You can't take the factory into the grave with you.
As for B&W being old news...I'm going to assume you've had a little too much cough syrup today. You know that stuff has alcohol in it, yes?