As an ex manufacturer I can tell you some of the experiences I had.
Audiophiles come in two different groups as far as this is concerned. The first group appreciates things like RFI/EMI filters at the AC input and regulated power supplies in their power amps.
The second group would rather pay less for the individual unit and use assorted power conditioners and expensive cables.
d.b.
{SARCASM ON}
Yeah, McIntosh doesn't really give a rat's ass about their power conditioning... so true. I know Anthony at Aberdeen barely knows what he's doing with power supplies either... so sad, really.. especially since I paid $600 for it. 
So, I guess I'll just keep buying cheap gear and getting my band-aid-fix power conditioners...
I guess you could say there are those who over generalize to make a point and others that actually listen to their systems. 
{SARCASM OFF}
I just love it when people accuse me of not listening. That’s when I think all the audio meetings and presentations I went to, and all the times I went to someone else’s place to listen, or out to a retail shop to listen to whatever. I also think about all the time I spent listening to various recordings during prototype work on all the gear I designed and built. I also can reflect on all the time I spend in my Lab/office listening to music either for the sheer pleasure of it or while I am working on a project.
I can even think to my formal training in music, practicing and playing up to 12 hours a day and those ear training courses I got to take every semester. Are you aware of how much you really have to listen if you are playing music with other people? Trust me when I tell you that it gets pretty intense either when either you are reading music or doing improvisation and sometimes a bit of both. My minor was Tympani; which calls for the timpanist to change tuning on the fly. My teacher made me practice those intervals in a “quote” melody, which was without a key center and definitely atonal. I could only take an hour of that a day as it was just too morbid.
I am saving this post on my computer: and I will use it the next time someone decides that since I happen to design audio equipment and take electrical engineering seriously, that my only ability is to read a meter.
Carl: I believe you owe me an apology.
d.b.
