Here's the punchline first:
I have all but decided on ordering Stu's set of Sigmas. Just still pondering it a bit because its a chunk of money.
In this pondering, I've wondered if its going to be best to drop about $300 on these particular stones or space that out with other less expensive stones and other tools or materials. I feel like the answer is already "yes, get the good stones and you won't regret it." I think there is the potential to regret a purchase of something like Norton's for example.
So all that said, with the answer almost already in place, I've been wondering what it is that makes the good stones better than the rest? Is it longevity, consistency, etc.? The flipped question is, what sacrifices are being made going with a "lesser" stone?