I have to say, just as a casual observation, that for the same money I can get a lot better sound now in 2022 than I could in 2002. Most low to midrange headph

I have to say, just as a casual observation, that for the same money I can get a lot better sound now in 2022 than I could in 2002. Most low to midrange headphones (€50-€100) sound very acceptable and even the lower range Bluetooth speakers (€50) sound decidedly not terrible. In 2002 this money would buy headphones with no bass, shrill highs and muddy mids. Just compare the original earbuds included with the iPod to the wired EarPods that Apple sells now. Or compare the AirPods Pro ($249) to what the same amount (inflation adjusted) could get you 20 years ago. Of course there’s still plenty of space on the high end, and still the higher you go the more you need to spend to achieve 1% better sound.