At the end of the day does gas in the face matter? Does reliability matter? Do I prefer an adjustable gas key or do I prefer an adjustable gas block?

That stuff is important to consider and figure out but none of that is why I bought these new carriers. Those things never even once entered the discussion (for me). The sole reason why I bought them is because they make at least a couple of my rifles quieter for the shooter. It depends if 8DB to 10DB is a lot or not though.

For me I like the idea of sound mitigation wherever I can get it. Without purchasing another suppressor or NFA item, with my existing gear, in a 1:1 one time swap, I knocked off 8 to 10DB depending on which rifle.