It's absurd to argue that the sleeves don't make a difference.
For instance, with the sleeves, I wouldn't have to choose between greater health and endo on my hero -- it'd be a no brainer to get health regen from the sleeves, and endo from my mythirian slot. Since I don't have access to the sleeves, I have to trade one for the other and run at a disadvantage to anyone who *does* have them. (And lots of people do, I'm just being punished for resubscribing a month or two late.)
The problem is that the sleeves are the only way you can get multiple mythirian enhancements at a time -- and I don't think anyone would argue that mythirians are no big deal.
It's like if TOA gear were no-trade, and only available one month out of the year. Would that be fair to the people who weren't playing that month? (Consider that for health regen sleeves, for instance, the amount of hits regenerated over the course of a fight would be more than you could get from TOA overcapping your con & hits.)
-----signature-----
Alb Tristan <Wraiths of Albion>
Asilithiel, Speakssoftly, Kegnor, Kesteral, Badgers, Amarynthia
Hib Galahad <Juggernaut>
Hulainn, Hansil, Cythrael
"Friars are in great need of a donkey. We need something to carry our ale."