Thanks for the input fellas. It kind of confirms my suspicions. Coincidentally, I was curious about this topic and after initiating this thread I performed a paraphrased search into Google resulting in many a similar question asked as mine. The fellow I have been talking with about his XT crankset is probably under the influence of a subjective psychosomatic effect. I didn't want this thread to get the lockdown like the other one I started about the feel of steel vs titanium. We could probably wrap it up here... tnxs.