I think marketing has a tremendous amount to do with this. As mentioned, the tech sectors are focused on phone and mobile applications...there certainly aren't any ad campaigns featuring mod hipsters sitting in their Corbusier chairs getting their heads blown back by Pioneer speakers. That may not effect what is available but it certainly effects what is perceived to be available.

(As a side note, if you want to see how much emphasis is placed on mobile technology today, commit to researching a phone purchase---hell, just Google, "Droid Razr vs. iPhone"---you'll see vitriol similar to the Great Cable Debates)

I suspect it's noteworthy too that a lot of kids today have little to no idea of what live music really sounds like.

Plus, not to avoid the elephant in the room, but as to the characteristics of "audiophile equipmentent" and "audiophile preferences" I've often felt that when some henpecked audiogeezers use the phrase WAF what they really mean is, "Keep your stupid hobby quiet and unobtrusive or get ready to sleep on the couch"...