Agree with both
@Bearmont and
@mikehill, that is the trend I am seeing too. The budget stainless that is really coming up the ranks is 14c28n (similar to AEB-L), thanks to Realsteel mainly.
14c28n is a really good balanced steel, but elmax and m390 are the current top European steels, with the K390 type steels starting to get a look in. All thanks to LionSteel.
I too remember 440C as a supersteel, with the early stuff being very hit and miss. There is still a place for older steels, D2 is the perfect example, that in recent years has only really become more available.
The carbon steel religion all stems from the hit and miss of the early stainless steels, easier to obtain consistency in carbon steels.