What is so amusing is that people have the need to grossly exaggerate - the Philips is/was of a quality that you would have to pay over $2000 these days to get something equivalent; the current NAD units are roughly similar, and at times worse internal construction - with a pretty miserable power supply. Only clever engineering in some areas manages to get them performing better.I see you haven't met fas42 before... You will never get any clear answer to any of your questions. Nor will you ever get any data. fas42 is able to transform any system even a $20 Home Theater In a Box to surpass anything. You will nver find however how he does it.
Which gives you all the clues you need, for what I do. Having a practised eye, I can see shortcomings in the construction, I don't wet my pants with excitement seeing shiny front metal panels a half inch thick, and very pretty internal arrangements of the bits and pieces. You see, I worry about engineering, where it counts - not where it gets a tick of approval from the cognoscenti.