No, but if you use it on the kettle, you'll get a better cup of tea!
How is anything a rip off which you have free will not to buy?
Focal/Naim were aquired by a partnership as an investment. The investment brings R&D money to the table and more stable funding for operations. However, inevitably, no stone is unturned to increase revenue and maximize return on investment. Not mom and pop shops anymore and has been said above, you don't have to buy.
Of course there is free will to buy. But in the old days I trusted Naim that everything I bought was an upgrade. Now it seems to be focussed on ROI only and that' a shame. The Luminous chords were ridiculous, but this must be the king. They didn't even bother to put a Naim logo on the cord; it's just a stock-product. The profits must be huge. And lots of people will buy it because of a placebo-effect. For me Naim has lost all of its credibility.