Is it me or new audio gear is too perfect and give ear fatigue?

Noticing this thread again. Let me say categorically high quality contemporary gear and fatigue = no. Fatigue in the past was common. In general, in all but budget gear or really incompatible gear no fatigue should never happen. Natural and unfatiguing is the rule of good gear these days. 

I have heard many fatiguing systems like you describe. Typically the higher end the less “fatigue” will be involved. The inexpensive stuff typically has a very high noise floor (this is subtle to hear directly for the non-trained ear… it just manifests itself as fatigue) and high frequency distortion. These go away with high quality detailed oriented equipment. But you can easily still be left with over accentuated details and a lean threadbare presentation with good bass slam.

I have left many an audition shaking my head in disbelief. On the other hand 40 or fifty years ago I would have left extolling all the virtues.

To me one of the long term draws of the pursuit is learning about sound and music as well as equipment and sound reproduction. Each like an onion… you peal back one after another layer and find more aspects of musical reproduction. In my youth I crave the obvious… details and slam. As I got much more experienced imaging, soundstaging, overall balance. But as I learned what real music sounds (acoustical) I started realizing capturing the musical essence has to do with rhythm and pace, mid range bloom and balanced presentation. No end… just keeps getting better.