If all the statements about one system being so much better than the other one are true, could it have something to do with the difference in price? From what we know, better-sounding system was more than twice the price. Maybe, price does mean something.
Often, hearing "good" is good and then hearing "better" is noticeably better. However, going back from "better" to "good" in a short time may give an impression of a much bigger difference. Which seems to have been a timeline here.