Lest we forget, price, and a person's ability to acquire costly and scarce goods are widely recognized status markers. But the specific message that it sends may be interpreted in a variety of different ways, depending on the recipient!
My own peak years of craving high-end/luxury goods occurred when I was in my 20s and 30s. But today, I'm more concerned about stuff which impresses me, rather than some audiophile community. Behold, my newest IEMs, which deliver some of the best headphone sonics that I've experienced to date:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/jbl-endurance-run-2.49492/
Yup, infinitely varying room acoustics for speakers or outer-ear interactions for headphones will always matter much more than the equipment cost. Of course no manufacturer is going to emphasize this for obvious $ reasons.
I also heard rumors the headphone industry was especially furious at the Harman curve research being publicized.