Not trying to flame or anything but did you not notice the J/K at the end of my post?
People dont give the LT1 and LT4 enough credit they are great engines in their own right and VERY capable of putting out HIGH HORSEPOWER when built right. Are they as good as the LSX? NO, the LS Series is better in just about every respect, and I agree it IS the best V8 GM has ever made. The Opti-Spark gets a bad rap but if you can find a more accurate way to time an engine with a distrubutor I would like to hear it. Very accurate and if taken care of will last a VERY LONG time.
By the way, your LS idles smoother because it DOESNT have the tradtional SB Chevy firing order. The software, and PCM have some to do with it but it is mostly the firing order. Ever notice how LSX engines sound different than Gen 1 SB's and LTX engines???
AGAIN I am NOT trying to FLAME anyone, I get a little upset when people degrade the LT like it is a piece of crap or something.
BESIDES its not WHAT engine you have its about how much MONEY you got. There are Gen 1 Chevy small blocks out there that would walk all over ANY LS in a stock application.