No, audiophiles are not responsible for the cost no object products that have appeared within the last decade.
A few years back I had a conversation with an audio dealer who stated that audiophiles were his worst customers. Basically, they spend much time listening/comparing and very little time buying. His bread and butter customers were people with disposable income who wanted a really good sounding system. They were no more interested in the equipment than a typical Lexus buyer is interested in cam shaft profiles.
A segment of high end audio has morphed into a luxury good market. High prices are part of the appeal.