7 years ago this month, we were the first company in the USA to have first hand experience with the Tangent Theta optics. I told people then in no uncertain terms they were the best available for their designed application. People screamed at me, called me names, said they were too expensive, and said they would go bankrupt within 2 years. Yet, I steadfastly maintained they were the best rifle scopes I'd ever seen. That was true then. It's been true ever since. It's still true today. Those that have not had an opportunity to use everything available, should have no reasonable expectation of being able to properly assign products to a hierarchy.
In a capitalist society, the concept of a cheaper thing being better than an expensive thing, is something that doesn't often track with reality when all considerations are applied. For instance, the hensoldt 3.5-26 is significantly more expensive than a Tangent Theta P-series. It's glass is as good or better than the TT, but its turrets often not as good. However, it is a significantly shorter OAL optic, more in line with the TT315P in length. It's $7,000 price tag would indicate it's significantly better than the TT. In some ways, it is... and one of those ways is the ability to have a high magnification yet maintain its short OAL, which makes it one of the most uniquely capable scopes in the world when used in combination with a night vision or thermal clip on. Someone that has not used ALL of the aforementioned optics would have almost no reasonable way of knowing the differences. While those differences may be irrelevant to some, they are world altering issues for others.
First hand experience knows no equal. It's one of the most irrational things in the universe to try to make proclamations about something you've never touched. Especially if those proclamations are derogatory in nature. There's no harm in postulating assuming to the positive. Everyone can make educated guesses without much harm. However, there is absolute harm in being derogatory and impertinent toward things you can in no way be sure of due to your own lack of experience.
Financial considerations are a large part of what many are forced to use when weighing a potential purchase. However, if no one were financially constrained, I find it difficult to believe people would champion a lesser product. I think people would be considerably more objective in that instance. I also believe that a great many shooters will never ask the questions which scopes like the Tangent Thetas were designed to answer. After all, if you aren't asking the question... you won't need the answer. Though many of us were asking those questions, and Tangent Theta has given us answers that we are very happy with.
Happiness is individual. If you're happy with your chosen optic, it's a good thing. If someone's asking more than you're asking... you don't get to try to convince them not to ask. It just doesn't work that way. Despite how good the Tangent Thetas are... I'm still asking more. I'm still waiting for either them, or someone else... to provide a higher degree of performance across a wider range of adjustments. When that time comes for that product to become a reality, you better believe I'll be standing there ready to hand them a six figure order to help secure their future success. Some of us demand the best, and those that provide it should be thanked, not vilified.