I now have my eyes on
Advanced Led
Duo lux 600 ( top shelf lights)
Tasty Led
Unless something better presents itself. I have no interest in HPS though
Yes, it's a matter of cost.
Purely from a financial stand point, HPS is the only rational choice.
if you want a robust setup that's easy, cheap, and proven- that's why people recommend HPS.
People can believe what they want to believe. I looked long and hard at all the publicly available evidence that is and my conclustion is that there isn't a *significant* difference in quality between the two.
I myself prefer LEDs, and I'm willing to pay the premium for it, but I'm aware and I accept that HPS would have been a smarter choice.
When you look over a period of several years, DIY COB kits start to catch up, but off the shelf products are mostly a ripoff.
As for your question why hell breaks loose, that's because many users here let their ego take over and turn threads into an ad-hominem filled pissing contests rather than a civilized discussion.