I hear ya on the repetitive thing. I liked Waking Dreams from the last album a lot, but every time I hear that section that Anneke sings (I am 99% sure that is her, going from memory), it sounds like a melody I've already heard in like 19 Ayreon songs.
So, yeah, I agree. The Human Equation and 01011001 both have a handful of good songs, but both pale in comparison to The Dream Sequencer and Into the Electric Castle, which are the only two Ayreon albums someone needs, if you ask me. Get those two albums and you have everything that is good about Ayreon.