Yes, I've read about that study. It confirms for me that the audiophile mindset is actually part of a bigger picture of psychology and personal narrative. Advertising agencies understand this well. The picture of the D&D 8c in the living room posted earlier is all about that narrative -- there is nothing in that shot that makes a rational argument about why they sound superior.
I actually like the approach of the second article you linked in that it concedes that the modern instrument may be objectively better but that music making and listening is heavily psychological and we should accept the influence of an instrument's reputation on its "sound". I like this especially:
"It’s also worth seeking to understand what violinists value most, as the researchers wrote in their earlier study. A musician’s relationship with an instrument goes beyond measurable acoustic features, and can be deeply personal. This became painfully apparent when the prodigy Min Kym temporarily stopped playing and fell into a depression after her Stradivarius was stolen in 2010."
It
is a deeply personal relationship. To be separated from an object that acts as a conduit for personal expression, that has become part of your identity, can be traumatic. If my apartment was on fire and I had the choice to save either my hi-fi or my classical guitar, I'd grab the guitar with no hesitation.