Are banks really that different from one another?

I know this site obsesses over GS/JPM/MS a lot, but how much "better" are they compared to other BBs (C/CS/BARC/BAML/UBS/DB) on the street regarding (1) culture (2) workload (3) pay (4) structure?Is the difference just blown out of proportion on this site, or are the banks actually a lot more similar than people like to describe? I've heard mixed reviews, where some say it's night and day, others who say most banks give similar experiences. Minus prestige, are "lower-tier" banks really that different from "mid-tier" and "top" banks? Would love to hear from anyone who has experienced both sides, or has friends at these banks. 

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