My thing with that stuff is this can lead to so many problems. If they’re that dismissive now, what else would they be dismissive on down the road, after money has been sent. Not a risk worth taking, even at a good price.
Just like you did, he could’ve sent me a link to that video or just told me to google a certain phrase and not wasted a second more on a back-and-forth on explaining it.
In doing so he also would’ve had off and anybody else asking the same thing.
Lots of tube pedals and mic pres out there where the it’s a glorified Christmas ornament or needs a backlight to look like it’s doing something.