Free trade is indeed free trade. Nobody is evil just because they wish to make a profit.
For many folks that I have talked to the irritation over VPI stems from VPI's continued middle of the road (at best) quality and constant changes to their products, claiming each different, new direction they turn to be the right one.
Folks in audio don't like to think of their passion as one that companies directly try to milk for all the dollars they can. Yet, I think many don't mind a company making a fair profit. I believe the consumers wish to have some trust that the companies supplying gear share the passion that they, the consumers do, and wish the companies would only put forth product that was truly better, not just equivalent product with a different look or technology to get them to spend more money.
There are indeed some companies that handle that consumer trust admirably, and that share the passion of the consumer to go only in a direction that means truly better performance. Of course the companies have to make money, but they temper it by thinking of the consumer and trying to do the best for that consumer.
It is a delicate balance. Those that get angry at VPI seem to feel that VPI mainly has a drive for one thing: more money. More changes, not for better performance, but just to keep the money spinning.
