So I've mentioned this in other threads. I'll mention it here too.
In my racing days, I got relatively cheap aluminum frames, slapped Ultegra or Dura Ace on them, and away we went. They were fast, responsive, and light. Maybe they rode rough on 23's @ 120psi but I was like 24, who cares. They weren't sought after or special.
Lately, being done with racing I've been riding high end steel or custom made steel. There is no question that they ride better and are more comfortable. It's probably not frame material but frame quality. We also know more about tires now, so the standard 25-28 certainly help. It really isn't a fair comparison.
I did end my racing on a Litespeed Vortex. Around 2005-6. I hated that bike. It was squirrelly and slow.