"Keeping up with Joneses" definitely holds true for us so called audiophiles. Upgraditius and cognitive dissonance are two big driving forces for many that treat this as a hobby in relation to their purchases. For Jane Doe and Joe Schmoe (the MP3 market) on the other hand I don't see that. Education, accessibility and affordability (storage) are bigger driving factors IMO for this group of people.

I’m armed and I’m drinking. You don’t want to listen to advice from me, amigo.

-Max Payne