alwaysblessI mean, I agree it can't be a great typing experience. I would never use it, but I think something should be said in favor of its sound profile. There's no way to make a sound profile that nice without making concessions to utility (KAT and MIX are just not the same). Some people just want a vaguely interesting keyboard to sit on a shelf and be proud of. I'm not that way for keyboards, but I bought a lot of hard cover Pony fiction by group-buy that I read for free on the Internet, and never once irl, just to put on my bookshelf.
harlekeinAre you referring to the quality of the products, or the designs? The products are definitely mid-grade plastic being sold at boutique prices consumed by a non discerning fanbase, but the Cherry profile itself is quantifiably better than SA profile in terms of ergonomics and efficiency.
EPonyAI own MT3, KAT, SA, GMK and have used DSA, XDA and OEM for extended periods of time.
Currently I switch between SA and KAT. Cherry profile is not doing much for me.
SA profile is high, but it's very satisfactory to use and I like the smooth ABS. GMK has great texture when it's new, but quickly develops an uneven shine. I would much prefer them if they retained their new structure or came out of the factory smooth. For this alone, I don't think it's worth the money. I'm also a split ortho Colemak user and when it comes to offer compatibility to niche layouts, GMK is also the absolute worst offering.
Ergonomics and efficiency are not objective here. I do enjoy typing on Cherry, but prefer KAT. When it comes to looks and sound, Cherry profile is pretty low on the list for me. But all of this is personal preference and being accustomed to one or another. At times I tire of typing on one profile and switch out to another again.
You can't just make blanket statements saying a profile is trash. I vastly prefer sculpted over uniform, but I know others prefer uniform. It's ignorants like alwaysbless which are just spreading toxic behavior and pushing this hobby into a boring mono-culture.