I came from direct drive inboards to the ESP. When it comes to retrieving skiers, it's a matter of what your technique is. I watch people with inboards power turn back to the skier, making monster wakes in the process. I learned long ago from the guys who use the slalom course right in front of my house to settle the boat to come off plane in a straight line away from the skier but in mirror's view, then slowly turn around to starboard (driver side) and idle back to them with the skier to that side of the boat. It makes zero wake directed at the person in the water, keeps them in sight and safe, and takes no more time to get to them. If you do that, the SPS should be great. If you want to power curve a turnaround back to them then the ESP will definitely do it and is the only way to go, but at idle they're going to be the same.