Buchla isn't merely expensive. It's LAMBO expensive! Which is a tad weird, because the original SFTMC "box" was built for a pittance taken from a Rockefeller Foundation grant in the mid-1960s. So...why am I expected to spend $500 (the amount of the grant!) on a new 158? R&D? Nope. Components? Nope. HYPE??? ....uhhhh...
The same problem exists all over in modular, though. Things that Roger Arrick can make for sensible prices are also (pretty much) made by Moog for insane nosebleed ones. If you could even get them as separate modules from Moog, that is, and not part of a massively-overpriced "vintage reissue" model. Or I could buy Serge stuff from STS up in Wisconsin...but why would I if I can get Serge-based gear from elsewhere, since Rex wants to go nuts on prices while still maintaining their costly fixed-module-panel form factor? And then there's Cwejman...don't EVEN get me started there!
Robert at AE is definitely making money...but it's ETHICAL money. The AE stuff doesn't require mindwrenching price-tags, so it doesn't have them. The "hype factor" about their stuff isn't something based on pure hype...but on the enthusiasm of their user base, which keeps growing. I feel loads better about supporting that sort of thing...and besides, his gear rocks.