Hey guys...
After reading the posts since this thread came out it is appearant to me that what one person feels is not the same as another. This very thing came out plenty times when the subject of CF seatposts have come out. Some claim they can feel the difference a CF post over an aluminum or other post, when other say they could not. Who is right? Yes, wheel one may be lighter than wheel two, and wheel one may be more aero than wheel two, but these two things do not guarantee that wheel one is faster or better than wheel two, especially in all riding conditions. How would you rate a wheel if one measured faster than another, but the losing wheel "felt" faster, despite being measurably slower?
I think we would all agree that a lighter wheel is better than a heavier one. Whether a boutique wheel is better than a custom built one is comparing apples to oranges. If you would compare a custom set of wheels between two wheelbuilders, all things being equal, your decision would boil down to who has a better reputation, who has more experience and which costs less. How do you compare a set of custom wheels to a set of boutique wheels that are most likely machine made using that critieria?  It is simply not a very fair comparison to make.
Bottom line, to me, is that if you can afford a boutique wheelset these days, you have a lot of great choices available, however it will not guarantee a won race or a superlative group ride over using a custom wheelset. It is the engine, ultimately, that gets you there first, not just a fancy set of wheels. That being said I would not argue against the psychological advantage that belief can play into this equation. That is a debate for another thread. 
Okay, I am done venting, now it's time to ride...later!
...Mark
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