Are advances in technology making speakers better?

I agree Jerry, and +1 on the election returns.

If one likes the quite processed sound quality of B&W speakers, their various design iterations have been getting better.

If one doesn't, they've been getting worse.

Better spanners don't necessarily make a better mechanic.

Sometimes the latest, greatest super duper material that supposed to be better than the previous version turns out to be a dog ten years down the road. One of the best things I like about B&W is that their old speakers hold up and sound great YEARS later. OP, stick with what you have! The next time you're at a hi fi show walk past a pair of $100.000.00 speakers and have yourself a little chuckle. Joe

Good horn loaded speakers were designed & made in the 40’s, 50’s &60’s(Klipsch, Western Electric, Altec),  electrostatics in the 50’s, Good acoustic suspension & ported woofers in the 50’s & 60’s, (AR, KLH, Advent, JBL) AMT tweeters from the early 70’s (ESS), good planars & ribbons in the 70’s & 80’s (Magnapan , Infinity)good dome midrange driver in the late 70’s (ATC), good full range driver in the 70’s ( Ohm) to name just some of the technology that have all stood the test of time. 
 

Cabinet technology, crossover design & component quality, internal wiring & binding post improvements have all added incremental sound improvements but unfortunately at often substantial cost increases beyond simple inflationary reasonability. 

European and American made gear is overpriced versus comparable Chinese gear from a handful of high quality Chinese mfgers like Line Magnetic...Audio-gd and Denafrips....It's not All junk coming out of that country. Can't afford Mac...Pass....etc. There are alternatives that are their SQ equal available for less $$. You're just not getting that LOGO on the gear ( which some people Must pay extra for).....to each his own. Again....look at the American and European "Reviews" of Higher quality chinese gear.......You don't have to be wealthy to get "wealthy sound"....Welcome back Millercarbon. ( I love my Pendragons with that 7 tweeter array)