I don't think either ones faster or slower....It all depends on factors like strain, lighting, nutes, etc...
Yes I agree... A buddy and I take clones off the same mothers, EXACT SAME grow chamber setups, but he grows in soil and I grow hydro. At the end of veg (15 days) I'm about 3-4"es above his grow... His is about 6-8", and mine are around 10-12"es.... So I would say every 2 weeks of vegging in soil, you could cut off 1-2 days if using hydroponic.. BUT!! We dry and cure in the same room, his always testes sweeter, to where mine is just a little harsher.. Not much, but you can tell a difference side by side smoking.... BUT!! My yields are ALWAYS A LOT BIGGER!! Like by several ounces!! THE REASON WHY: In soil you just do not have the total control of exactly what the plant/strain needs... Example: Say you're growing a new strain, well some strains can handle say 1500ppm, and some CAN'T, so how you find out what it can handle, in hydroponics you can raise that PPM daily watching for nute burn or salt buildup, as soon as it shows signs, you can back it down for the VERY NEXT watering within 2-3hrs, not 2-3 days as in soil grows waiting for the soil to dry out a little, so you do not start another problem with too wet too long soil...... In hydroponics, you can change the PPM and the PH on the fly (if you will) and making daily micro adjustments to the PPM and PH, giving the plants EXACTLY what they need at ALL times... Hope that helps..
Thanks man... Just wanting to help sense I have experience in both worlds... But really it depends on what you're growing for.... My buddy grows in soil because he NEVER sells a dam dime bag of a 12 plant crop... So the taste is more personal to him... Where I will sell enough to recoup the cost of the grow (elec, nutes, water, time spent), so I personally do not care about that little difference in taste (even though his does taste REAL NICE), but I'm more after the higher yields... Also in hydroponics you will spend a LOT more time tending and monitoring your garden.. So really each and every person must weigh, do I want a real sweet tasting burn, lower yields, but easier maintenance, or do I want to give up that taste a little for a higher yield, faster grow, but spend a lot more time in tending??? They both have their ups and downs...