There were some good products made awfully well back in the day but you are right since 90% of what is available is about as good sounding as the best available back in the day and as reliable (though made in China of cheep plastic is a given)
I would also say there is some DAMN nice stuff available now, maybe even better than ever

 

You know people like old school.. but at the beginning Rockford would send parts to peoples houses and that's where the amplifiers would get assembled.

I will take overseas dedicated amplifier machine assembly line built amps over that any day.

 

^^hell yeah...humans aren't really that good at routine, monotonous jobs...they get bored...machines don't get bored, lazy, drunk, pissed off or daydream!!