Some people tend to forget content in MMOs have a shelf life. You aren't there when it was hot, it will never be the same next expansion. It becomes a never ending treadmill even with item level.

Even if you were do a lot of 2013 ARR content as minimum ilevel and no echo will not replicate the original experience because of so many skill changes and potency over time. Some skills are added, deleted, and replaced. Same ordeal with older ultimates despite the capped +5 item sync from release to cover no-materia downsync, they still do get slightly easier. Skills from level 70-80 just aren't the same as they were.