I kind of wonder, if there were “improvements” to the sound a violin can make would there eventually become a new standard? As you say, the Mystique factor could play a large part in whether or not the sound would be considered an “improvement”.
It would be almost a sublime-to-ridiculous moment to see a big city Philharmonic release a recording “featuring the new Chinese Strad-alike in both string section and soloist!” Even if it sounded like it had gotten halfway to heaven.