Over engineering - is it a bad thing

I am guilty of this in some ways.

Apart from depleting your monetary reserves is there any harm?

You know the kind of thing;

The heat sink that is way too big
The fattest power and 0V wires you can physically solder
The largest VA over specified transformer that will fit
The 100V capacitors when 63V will do

Willy waving has never been my thing (or at least i'd probably had too much to drink and can't remember it) but i like well engineered things that are built to last and have the smallest chance of failing so that i can enjoy them for many years to come. Not to mention electrical safety, especially with a very young family to consider. That reminds me of walking in to the room and seeing a teddy go round at 33 1/3 rpm on my LP12.

What harm can a 100V cap do when only 63V is needed, surely it will have a longer life. The over sized transformer ? Well we have Naim to blame for that. Teddy Pardo uses transformers that are tiny in comparison and seems to get good results (must be the gyrators).

My biggest claim is using ridiculously low gauge wiring for power and 0V connections to the point where it becomes totally impossible to solder and i have to rip it out and use something a bit smaller. I blame Julian Vereker, Ced Taylor and Mr Tibbs for this.

Any thoughts?

By the way i think Mr Les W has it about right.

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Over engineering - is it a bad thing