Are audiophile products designed to initially impress then fatigue to make you upgrade?

@onhwy61 + 1 at 100%
And IMO a great system of the past will still trump most really good systems of today, certainly a financially rewarding option.

@bipod72

I hear you on the bike stuff. I suppose skiing and golfing are two other hobbies where new "innovations" are promoted almost annually.

Once folks were riding carbon, road bikes seemed mostly consistent for a while but the past few years have seen a lot of changes. My latest is all-road/gravel, through axle, disc brakes, 2 sets of wider carbon wheels, tubeless 28mm tires for road and 38mm for gravel. The hardest part is trying to find parts for older styles. I couldn’t even find a decent set of carbon wheels for my SuperSix Evo last year because of the rim brakes.

More $$ doesn’t equal great sound. It can, but if you don’t understand how much each component and artery in your system matters, it will not reach its potential. I’ve owned tons of great gear…all types, most of the big names and some boutique. The revelation that allowed me to truly enjoy my music was getting a pair of JBL 4429’s…just awesome sound, so alive and totally musical. Then Cornwall IV’s…revelational! My music sounds so alive and dynamic with exceptional clarity and harmonic complexity. After that, my experience with gear and cables guided me to the components I needed to make them rise above. It still befuddles me how damn great they can sound in my room…the beautiful cherry veneer is icing on my cake.

I can just see the marketing and engineering/r&d departments of these manufacturers working hand-in-hand with each other to accomplish what you're describing. 

Johnk I favored going to Axpona and to my audiofriends ,so I can listen to different systems , it’s an opportunity to find out what sounds your ears preference.Reading helps not much.Before one system really does impress me on the first day.I will go back to that system for the next 2 remaining days.Many times I end up not liking the system on the 3rd day.You will know on the third day if indeed that’s what your ears prefer.

Any