I don't have a sharpmaker to compare, but I get great hair popping edges with my Lansky Deluxe kit (that is standard ceramic). It took me only a few sharpening sessions (maybe 2 hours) to get highly proficient with it, I couldn't recommend it more highly for an unskilled sharpener who wants to get impressively sharp edges today. The only steels I have used it with are VG10, 1095, Aus8, 8Cr13 mov, 440A and a few unknown stainless kitchen knives - no problems with any.
If you go with the diamond Lansky kit (maybe better for s30v etc), I would suggest you also add the ceramic extra fine stone as that one is a great finishing stone that leaves a pretty polished edge that I doubt you will match with the diamond stones. Another essential addition is also either the 1) Lansky Super "C" Clamp OR the 2) Lansky Universal Mount. These will hold the blade clamp in place while you do your thing. I'd also pick up a decent strop to finish and bring back edges on your blades.
In order to get crazy awesome results with the Lansky system IME you will have to learn to detect burrs before switching sides and moving up in grits, which I think is an important step in improving with freehand. Of course the preset angle guides are a crutch that you will eventually have to let go of when you begin hand sharpening, but otherwise I think working with the Lansky system has helped me get a better idea what I am doing and what is going on whenever I try sharpen by hand now.
Final piece of advice - if you go Lansky - don't listen to the directions and do the bullshit 'X strokes per side' switching technique the first few times you sharpen a blade, instead - blast at one side until you work up a burr, then switch sides and work up a burr again, then move up in grits and repeat. Then once you are done with that all the way through your finest stone, now its time for the X strokes per side (only on that final stone) just to remove the final burr. Works like a charm that way.
). Once this is understood, apply what you've learned to progressively finer edges. In all reality, the fine side of most combination stones will be plenty sharp enough to shave arm hair and perform 90% of your chores. Advance as your skills in angle holding, recognition of tactile and audible feedback, understanding of burr formation, geometry etc become more fleshed out. It really is an experiential kind of skill, you'll learn fastest by doing.
