I realize I could have been clearer re 16 to 20t jumps between chainrings--what I really was referring to was the slightly annoying factor of having to shift a lot more gears at the back when you do a chainring change. From my 16t diff experience, there was usually a 2 cog upshift needed , sometimes 3, when going from the midring (my 40) to the small ring (24).
With my 9 spd triple bike with a 50/39/26, usually a 2 cog upshift is done at back.
Whats nice with the usual 10t jumps is how more smoothly things go, and often a 1 gear rear upshift means things transition nicely.....I guess this falls more into the pleasureable aesthetics side of riding, the tactile thing. I know chaindropper things work great, but overall, I'd say that I prefer smaller jumps between chainrings.

so ya, I meant the enjoyable factor of less diff between rings, not the mechanical "can it do it" thing.