Are many audiophiles only seeking approval of the next purchase?

Yeah, it's similar to religious evangelism. It seems to me there's more than a little seeking for validation. 

So what , to be validated is a normal human need , always has been and always will be .As is wanting to show everybody your new toy , nothing wrong with either .

What is clear from even light reading of almost any forum is that what sounds great to you in your home may not impress me... and in my house may actually sound poor... for a number of well understood reasons. 

Audio is not unlike Automobiles... very personalized. 

After a while, you know which posts seem credible... but at the end of the day, you can’t know if it will work for you unless you can try it in your system.... and sometimes you will try a well reviewed product and it will be disappointing.