OP -- there's a big lesson I learned a while back -- some people make and/or sell audio gear. A well regarded audio designer, however, has usually spent many years and thousands of hours studying and experimenting to perfect their craft.
With that being said, I don't know the Tortuga guy (and I don't own one), but he's an engineer and audio designer. Obviously, the audio designer's stuff will cost more, but would you rather buy from a guy who actually knows what he's doing, or from a guy in China who sells cheap stuff on ebay? The answer depends on the level of sound quality you're seeking. If you buy cheap stuff, that's what you can expect your system to sound like.