When something new comes up, I am always willing to give it a go. And this one is definitely a stayer. I used to play on Martin Lifespan SP's. Great strings too. But the Ernie Balls really jumps out. It is actually true: The have considerable more definition. More power. Sounds very, very good. If you look for a vintage, more woody tone, you might want to look a bit further. But for definition and bright en tightness in a (live) mix, Ernie Ball is unbeatable.