I had a complete set of Shapton GS stones. One of the things guys like about the Shaptons is the way they let you know that you're done with that particular grit; the abrasive sensation tends to go away, and the blade feels like it is getting sucked to the surface of the stone. The honing sensation, the way the blade gets sucked to the stone, and the way the water changes how it rolls in front of the edge as it's moved down the hone let you know that yup, it's time to move to the next grit.
That's not to say that the quality of the edge from a Shapton 4k is going to be any better than a Norton 4k, it's just the way the hone feels as your using it is so nice.
To me, hones are like cars: they'll all get you to the destination. Some just have a nicer ride along the way than others.