Clone Kings… or Clowns?

I love that so many companies are trying to make classic circuits in new ways to make them affordable to any level of engineer... But I ask you (and them)... have some of the dominant gear manufacturers created an environment where more emphasis is placed on LOOKING like the real thing, rather than being the best, most bang for buck "clone" it can be? Are they really just selling props as much as legit audio tools? I'm not taking a definitive position here, because the answer is both yes and no. It's complicated, and I still say a world where you can get a decent 1176 knock off for $250 or a solid 47 inspired tube mic for $500 is awesome, even if nerds and cheeseballs get rich doing it.
(Despite the admittedly click bait-y title... I'm glad Warm is around and mean no disrespect to Warm Audio or this episode's cover star Colt Capperrune! With the title of this video I'm really asking... Maybe I'm not their target customer?)
Watch Colt's Warm 44 vid here:
• NEW Warm Audio WA-44 i...
I HAVE NO AFFILIATION WITH ANY MANUFACTURER, RETAILER, OR OTHERWISE. I'm just an old guy who's been buying gear and recording music for... oh... 35 years... from bedrooms and garages and automobiles... to world famous studios with iconic engineers.