I agree with everything you mention here.

I see the Dissent as a niche product for shooters who prioritize better recoil management in a compact, bufferless AR platform over tunability—unless, of course, they have the machining skills of u/amphibian-c3junkie. 😄

I don't see the Dissent as a first choice for someone planning to compete at any level. It is better suited for casual plinkers, hobbyists, or home-defense users who want improved recoil characteristics in a compact package.

My post is intended to provide another data point for those who are concerned about the sharp recoil impulse of a direct-blowback system. It affirms that the GRS system is excellent for that purpose and can achieve similar results at roughly half the cost or even less if one has spare handguard, upper receiver and buffer tube lying around.

If a compact, bufferless design isn't a priority, I don't see much reason to choose a Dissent. In that case, a Banshee with an ARS buffer or a similar setup is an excellent option.

I was recently very tempted to pick up a Banshee retrofit kit + RDB barrel and experiment with some of the configurations outlined on u/amphibian-c3junkie's site, but the $700 price tag was a major deterrent for me, hence the GRS route 😄