newbie re sony master/slave- in what respect?

hi, i await my slinke (probably today) and so i thought i did realize the limitations of the sony interface, etc. but my 350+300 arrived yesterday and i must say that after using them and reading the manuals, i can't find much that the master controls the slave over.

. you can't to 2 changer hit list . cant' do 2 changer program . xfade is ackward . etc,etc.

i know this is preaching to the converted, but why consider these 'ganged' at all? they appear to be more of a way to use a single remote, which after all can be done with a $10 universal remote. or is it the 'power' of s1 II re controlling/being controlled by other sony devices?

am i missing some great, stealth feature?

thanks, tom.