skype still has the best echo cancellation (that i've tried). you don't even need to wear headphones. according to a Tox developer: there aren't any comparable open source libraries.
i'd say it depends on how important a project you are working on. if it's another run of the mill CRUD app, that only get's used internally by a few people, then you'd want cheap/fast, low quality. if it's mission critical, air plane software, you take your time and get it right.
but the author is hinting in the right direction: today "slow" get's undervalued. i've been told i work slow, and yea it had a negative meaning. i interpret it as good: i take my time and do it right. maybe i was just working in the wrong company, where the software quality isn't that important versus churning out more.