He's mentioned Nike and Harley-Davidson as brand role models before - and I guess they are: very established international brands that have long transcended their orginal core products.
But who told him that buying consumer electronics has-beens would help him achieve that status? I'd have understood if he had bought, say, someone like Bang & Olufson (I find them unremarkable soundwise, but their look/styling makes wives happy) or Bose who already have an established lifestyle image.