I ended up buying a Shimano Tranx last Friday and have made about 200 casts with it. I don't have a alot of time with the reel but have a good idea of its capabilities.

Advantages:
It is built to take punishment. The craftsmanship is second to none. The tolerances are tight and engaging the reel is crisp.
I purchased the faster model because I like speed. It moves small blades fast. I would not try to burn anything larger than magnum 8s with it. I like small bucktails and they produce some of my biggest fish every year.
The castability stands out from anything I have ever used. You will get your farthest casts ever with this reel. The Trinidads and Avets that I have used had power but didnt have the castability. The longer casts will help anglers encounter more fish on any given day.
A concern among many anglers is the possibility of the handle engaging. I didnt have this happen once. Maybe once parts start wearing this could be an issue but I doubt it.


Disadvantages:
The reel is heavy. Tipping the scales at 20ozs. This is 7.2ozs heavier than the Calcutta TE. It weighs one ounce less than the Abu Garcia 7000i but weight is the only thing comparable between the two reels.
It is a hard reel to attempt to palm especially if you have smaller hands.
It is hard to burn the 12s and 13s. I would purchase the slower model if that is your goal.
Shimano is making me use a right-handed reel and hopefully in the future they will come out with a left-hand version.
I would have liked to see the Tranx with manual engage instead of clicking over the handle. The possibility of the handle engaging would never happen under a manual engagement.
I am not a fan of the disengaging levelwind. I have heard that it isnt an issue since the spool is further back from the levelwind compared to other muskie reels.


Overall:
This reel will change the way people fish. You will be able to fish faster, longer, and more effective with this reel. It comes with a hefty pricetag ($500) but in my opinion it is worth it. People that had a hard time fishing blades for long periods of time will be surprised at the pulling ease when using the Tranx.