There is plenty of high end really bad analogue electronics out there too.
Neumann's current mics have better spec and seem more robust, better built, than ever. But the sound of the capsule simply does not make it to the XLR. Multiple active and passive components. The U47, U67, KM, Capsule, one active stage, one transformer. Less is more.

I Beta test. I have the Inverted Midas Touch. Everything I touch turns to s...
Dirac Live has the speaker position correction. On by default. I have been encouraging them to reconsider that. But this is really only audible in the CR. It is a vital feature in a car.
Unfortunately this feature cannot be disengaged when Dirac is implemented in the Minidsp box. Nor can it be viewed or turned off during the analysis procedure while creating the actual filter.

Essentially all of the examples I gave were of great people designing great products. Many of them have no idea what goes on in a CR though. Often, they come out with the product first, then address the Beta issues. Which in hardware, is too late. It would be harsh to call them deaf, but they should definitely PFL..... Pre Failure Listen!

This also applies to Speaker and CR designers. There is a huge reluctance to accept that Flat won't translate.

I have worked and continue to do so at a high sonic level in Recording/Mix/Mastering. Way back in the days or proper Hi Fi, Mary Black kinda took over from Ricky Lee Jones, internationally.

During the glory days of Recording many of us were repeatedly frustrated by pervasive failure of translation in commercial studios. We brought our own speakers in. We kept checking on headphones, in the car, on the home Hi Fi.
Ultimately I noticed the problem was being caused by the solution. i.e. The treatment and tuning of the response. I studied acoustics personally, followed by formal training. I became an Acoustics and Noise Control Consultant. I have designed only one green field studio. But have treated or re treated many many. Some commercial, most ProSumer. Much of my work is on the other side of the coin, Noise Control. Or remedial Acoustics. Many of my clients have buildings which are unusable because of the Architects' utter lack of understanding of the most basic acoustics. You cannot have a public event or even a meeting in a space which sounds like a swimming pool. One of my current clients has a vast lovely looking cafe/meeting area. Bare wood glass etc. This is the HQ of the Guide Dogs for the Blind. Can you imagine trying to communicate in noisy swimming pool with no visual clues.
This type of work, as opposed to the Arts, I call a Toilet Paper Industry. Something real people need and use every day.

There is no real similarity or equivalence to the work of my friend Thomas.
I have never heard Thomas' work yet, but based on discussions on fora and personally, I have recommended him to friends, albeit unnecessarily. Sooner or later I will visit Brussels or LA, but I have been promised a 'preview' remotely. Using Binaural Recording and, well, DSP......
DD