This is just my opinion, but reducing the 7' of tubing and bends and restriction between the turbo inlet and the filter is light light years better than a slightly larger tube or slightly higher flowing air filter, or a box that pulls cold air but still have 7' of tubing to travel through.
There is a reason I've been dieing to get my hands on this intake since last June !!!
I borrowed a friends airfilter/ maf adaptor a couple weeks after the 13.3 at the track and honestly, I didn't feel a gain at all, and the cyborg already makes a wicked sound FROM THE TURBO, so I actually didn't even hear any difference in air filter noise. So I wasn't even going to mess with it until i got around to ordering/building this style intake. The problem with me building it was the plastic maf adaptor was like $50 shipped. The filter would have at least $50-$60 and i was going to have to track down a correctly sized filter, and i was going to have to use more hose clamps and silicone couplers than I wanted as well. No doubt the couplers, clamps, piping, filter, maf adator, and time would have added up to way more than $150, so I'm very happy Joe made this happen, and has really produced a price that is just un-beatable. I make fun of CAI sellers because $300 for a plastic tube with a filter on it is just insane, but this piece looks like MORE than $150 worth.
It should reduce turbo lag ( although, most our turbo lag we feel is mostly tuned into the pcm, a real pro-tune ( Panda, freaktune, Randy ) would prob do more for over all turbo response ). But i think its real selling point to stock turbo owners is going to be the consistent cool air Joe mentioned.
To say I'm excited is an under-statement.
PS: I don't make a profit off this item either, lol.