Are advances in technology making speakers better?

Try to relax. Unless you dislike your sound then why be influenced to change? I have had my present loudspeakers 17 years and every once in a while I demo other speakers and have not found anything I really wanted to purchase. I greatly enjoy the sound I am still getting from my Von Schweikerts. Quality construction with a good design is timeless.

For me, the best therapy for Audiophilia Nervosa is to attend an audio show. I've been to two of them pre-covid (AXPONA & Tampa) and the Pacific Audio Fest (PAF) in July. This is where you can get a broad overview of new stuff and how it sounds.

In my case I'm running a pair of Thiel CS6 speakers, Velodyne sub, and a Krell KSA 300S amp with a Krell KRC2 preamp - all dating from the mid 90's.The rest of my system is nothing exotic (KI Ruby SACD, Blue Jeans cables). I can safely tell you that very few systems at the PAF, with many costing over 6 figures, sounded as good as my system. There were a few systems that outshined mine is tonality, detail, and imaging but I left most rooms thinking that my system sounded better. There were many rooms where the cabling was worth more than my entire system and the sound was certainly not spectacular compared to my system.

My answer to your original question is that, in my experience, audio has not come all that far in the last 30 years unless you spend big bucks. At AXPONA I heard a pair of Von Schweikert Ultra 11's ($325,000) in a system that was valued at over a million dollars. The sound was incredible and it was definitely better than my system in pretty much every way. But when I got home and played some of the same demo songs I was shocked at how well my system held up. The speakers that blew me away were MBL 101 E Mk II ($80k). This is one case where a different technology really is a step forward. IMO everyone should hear these speakers if they possibly can.

At PAF I made notes of which demo songs were played in which room and as I played those songs on my setup after I got home I was somewhat incredulous that most of the time my system sounded at least as good or better than systems costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yes, I know that show conditions are not great for demoing high end systems but my listening room is certainly nothing special (have no dedicated room treatment).

I'm a big proponent of going to an audio show if you can possibly swing it. It will exponentially expand your knowledge and experience base and it's just plain fun. If you really want to hear if all the hoopla around "new" audio technologies is justified it's the best way to do it.

Manufacturers have to replenish their lines for marketing reasons alone. The technology has not significantly improved or even changed in decades. 

Spend your money only if you are looking at a significant upgrade in performance, otherwise keep saving your money until you can do so or you will never get there. You should not budge until you can afford to spend at least three times what your current system cost and even then you have to be very careful not to make a sideways move. 

I have a friend who has a very very good system, his speakers are old Wharfedale, I always wonder how much more improvement he will get,  if he will upgrade his speakers? I once ask him ? If he is considering new speakers? He said never ? I like his response because he is happy with his speakers why change?

@jumia I'll share my story and hope this helps. 23+ years ago when I got into the higher end I auditioned, bought, sold many different speakers for my HT/Audio system (PSB, Definitve Tech, Paradigm, B&W). Once I was introduced to Dynaudio Audience (their entry line back then) I was absolutely blown away by their sound. I had no idea music could ever sound that good. I was done my journey was finally over (ironically the Dynaudio's replaced my B&W CDM NT's which at that time were the best I had heard). After long periods of listening, I found the B&W's to be a bit too bright for my liking. That's when a fellow enthusiast suggested Dynaudio. As soon as I heard that sweet, warm Dynaudio sound I was instantly hooked!

Well after a divorce forced me to sell my house and my rig I was out of the hobby for a very long time. A few years ago, I was back in a situation that allowed me to build a new system and get back in the "game" if you will. So, no auditioning right to Dynaudio Excite (their second level up). Got my new system up and running and expecting to pick up right where I left off 20 years ago. Except my hopes were even higher with the advanced technologies, the next level up in their line, my expectations were extremely high. Now although the sound was amazing, it wasn't quite what I remembered. I found the Excites to be a bit on the brighter side. What the hell happened to that warm sound of Dynaudio? I was a bit let down. Something was missing, something was different when did Dynaudio become more bright leaning than warm? Maybe it was my ears (and maybe it is as I am a lot older now and I've put some hard miles on my ears😬) but I just could not escape that this wasn't what I remembered. So once the Evoke line came out I had heard such great things and went and auditioned. Found they were definitely closer to that Dynaudio sound I remembered back in the day. I also listened to some others this time like Sonus Faber, B&W, Focal. Still found the Danes to be more to my liking. I sold the Excite's and went with Evoke. Though it's definitely closer to what I remember nothing to date has been able to match the magic of the Audience line. I'm very happy and content don't get me wrong, but to date I have not been able to find anything that reaches that very high bar that Audience set...

Point is newer, bigger, more expensive, more advanced, does not mean better. I'd trade what I have now for those Audience 82's, 122C, and 52's in a second...I have not found anything that makes me feel like I did when listening to my Dynaudio Audience. You know the old saying "They just don't make things like they used to"? I'm thinking you can certainly apply that to audio...

Hope this helps my friend....