Once again DSatz gives me a lot of experience based information and good things to consider. This is indeed a good place to learn.
When it comes to pricing, I sort of like comparing with other things in life. Say, as an example, eating a burger with fries. I can make it at home, I can eat it at McDonalds or I can eat it at a guide Michelin rated gourmet restaurant. It is basically the same thing, only differs slightly. But the pricing is quite different. Then again, I know that McDonalds makes a fair profit, most star restaurants barely goes into black. And my personal economy, cooking at home, is as always a disaster. In all cases a very low-priced base food, potatoes, are translated into something quite different, french fries. It is my choice where to buy it, no one is trying to fake pricing or hiding that from me.
This also goes for mics. The prices are public, it is my choice to buy or not. It might be that the basic materials are very simply and has a low price. The raw material costs for a mic capsule are not very high, a very small amount of brass, a few screws and a piece of plastic. Add what is probably less than a dollar of gold on the membrane and it sure adds up to less than 10 dollars. Yet it costs a lot more.
Another comparison. I pay about 20 dollars for a finished bassoon reed. The reed is made from simple raw materials, a short piece of a bamboo like grass ( Arundo Dorax ) that grows wild in many parts of the world, sadly not where I live. Add some short pieces of brass wire, some cotton thread, a little clear nail varnish. It only takes a few tools and some work. I can buy the raw materials for less than 2 dollars and attempt to make the reed myself. Go figure why I buy finished reeds.
There is not really any need to be upset about an openly advertised price on an item you do not really need and where there are several alternatives. I am not talking about KC5-s but about microphones where there are a lot of alternatives.
Anyway, my ramblings.
// Gunnar