Did you ever notice how the guys who talk trash about offset smokers are usually the same ones who never cooked on a good one? I read an old forum thread where a pitmaster said offsets give you that clean smoke taste you just can't fake on a pellet grill, and honestly that stuck with me. It takes more work, sure, you're feeding sticks every 30 to 45 minutes, but the bark and the smoke ring come out different. Your mileage may vary depending on the rig and how well it seals up. Sounds like Ray in Wichita knew exactly what he was doing.