people visually see colors different than one another, so every bodies opinions will be just that. an opinion of what they think looks best.
to say if finances weren't an issue, that everyone would want to run LEDs is simply funny to me. (to a point)
if finances weren't an issue, I would definitely use halides. having the money to not have to bat an eye on costs of bulb replacement, dealing with the extra heat, HRV/AC, extra electricity. i'm all for it!
having said that, if money were no issue, i'd probably run a ton of LEDs as supplements for my halides, maybe.
I use LEDs at my place right now, simply because my old house heats up so easily when the sun is out, I'm simply doing my best to keep the house more comfortable for my family. and not necessarily what I think looks nicest over my tank. albeit i'm not using high end fixtures.
when I recover from surgery, i'll be upgrading my 24G to a 65G and i'm leaning towards T5s. I haven't used them myself yet, but from what I've seen i'm ipressed. (except no shimmer!) so I might add a LED bar just to supplement. if I have the $$$
I still run halides at my Dads place, but I don't pay those bills!