I agree and disagree. Sometimes it can warrant a higher charge. But if you want cheap there are multiple good options for cheap good products. If the case of the Choppin I would have never bought it save for Timmy’s name and it helped Binary get into the west for me their next release. Everyone profits. I’ve seen a few iems just shoveled out like candy and that is a major concern. There is more than enough profit to be had in the industry that a collab cut isn’t always a bad thing. I’d gladly pay 10% for a vastly better product. Yet some of the worst iems I’ve tried are collabs, so it’s a double edged sword.That summarizes so well this thread (!)- reviewers patting each other backs on their glorious achievements...
95+% of headphone/IEM use is already with wireless brands names, so the ChiFi manufacturers and their dedicated reviewers seems to form "a even closer and closer ecosystem".
I now view reviewers as the surcharge to the cost of the products - the best to totally avoid.
Just buy an ew200