The 3D printing community is really two different groups: people who like to actually print things and people who like to tinker with their printer.
The 3D printing community is really two different groups: people who like to actually print things and people who like to tinker with their printer.
I hate this false dichotomy. Plenty of people like both.
People that buy expensive consumer grade printers are just satisfied with mediocre results because they don’t know any better.
To get great quality prints you need to actually know how the tool you are using works and what are its strengths and weaknesses.
I agree entirely with your first two sentences (I like both).
But I disagree pretty hard with the rest of it. An X1C spits out prints that are higher quality than my ender 3 would do, in a variety of materials the ender couldn't handle, even with a HUGE amount of time understanding the ender and how it works (incl upgrading or replacing just about every component).
Further - I think some of the divide is between the folks printing models, and the folks printing functional parts.
When I print nice models (ex: toys for my kids or gifts) then sure - I tweak still because appearances matter.
But if I just want a functional print because I need an enclosure for an electronics project, or I want a hanger for my wall, or I need a new footpad for a desk... Mediocre is a-ok.
And again... The X1C is not spitting out mostly mediocre parts. If anything - the "learning" you need to do mostly lives in the slicers/models at this point.
If I can get great quality prints without having to tinker, I don’t see how it’s a false dichotomy.
You can get decent prints, but that is true of every modern 3d printer basically.
Or the expensjve consumer grade improves to a point where you can get quality prints too, and you just become the old man yelling at clouds.