I figure a lot of people might find this useful. Here at StopTech we have probably tried out more brake pads on the same car than most. I need to preface this post with a few things.

1. Tires will have more effect on stopping distance than brake pads. Brakes stop the wheels from turning.
2. These are all street pads. None of these pads are intended for track use. On the track brake temps are much higher than they would ever be on the street or a spirited back road drive. One of the guys here went out to a track day on street tires and Axxis Ultimate pads. He had them fade in every session, and it was his first track day!
3. With performance comes the dust. There isn't a brake pad that can give you the most performance and have no dust. If that pad existed, we'd all be using it. With more performance pads also comes with noise sometimes.
4. When considering pads, try not to focus on what materials the pads are made up. The chemicals can be deceiving. Instead, focus on the pads' characteristics. What is their temp range? How much bite do they have? How much dust do they put out? etc.
5. Finally, all brake pads need a good bed-in to work properly. Here is why. http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/faqs.shtml#15

Axxis ULT (formerly Ultimates) - These are are great for the price. They are used as the standard pad in almost all big brake kits we ship. They have good high bite and a good temp range for a street pad. These have more bite than the Hawk HPS or Axxis D+ pads. The down side is that these pads are by no means a "low dust" pad.

Axxis D+ - Low dust low noise solution from Axxis. Great for the everyday driver. The bite might be a little better than stock. I have not been able to compare back to back which is the only real way to tell.

Hawk HPS - Lower dust Lower noise pad from hawk that a lot of people like. Doesn't have as much dust as the Axxis ULT, and definitely doesn't have as much bite. The temp range is ok, but the ULT pads go higher.

Hawk HP+ - High bite and high MOT(Max Operating Temp). Has a little more bite than the Axxis ULT, but doesn't quite go as high a temperature. It is close though. It does go higher than the Hawk HPS, and it also puts out more dust.

Hawk Perf Ceramic - oooooohhhh aaaaahhhh this has that buzz word "ceramic" I gotta say these are some nice brake pads. I just put them in my car last night. They have more bite than the Hawk HPS, and seem to put out less dust. I haven't had them long enough to really make a judgement. They temp range is that close to the Hawk HPS. In stock caliper form, they are only available for the rear. I have a big brake kit upfront is how I got them up there.

If you are doing Auto-x, Axxis Ultimates or Hawk HP+ are a great choice. These are also good for performance street use.

If you would like something lower dust, I'd go with the Axxis D+ pads. These are low dust, low noise, very compliant pads.

I would say that Hawk HPS and Axxis Metal masters are pretty middle ground. They don't have the most performance, and they don't put out the least dust.

JDM pads (Pmu, Endless) - Can't comment since we have not had any direct experience with them.

When reading recommendations, consider the person who the recommendation comes from. What is best for one person may not be the best for another. Hopefully this will help out some people with their pad selections.