Thought I would throw my two cents into the mix...
Personally, I too am an atomizer kind of guy. Only because certain old habits die hard and I have not really tried cartos with the syringe filling and all, just seems like more procedures, and I have enough as it is, making my own juice, etc. I will probably try cartos in the future, as atty's have always been a hit or miss kind of thing, some lasting weeks, others lasting days. That's why I recently ordered a slew from LF in the LR510 by EM and by Joye, to compare and try to find some consistency. No question in my mind that for me, the Riva with LR510 atty's is the way to go.
Now, on to flavor, which seems to be your biggest complaint (and perhaps throat hit). What I can say, in my case, after alot of experimenting, is that the poly fill in the carts that you may be using with the atty, is a flavor destroyer. It can also dry out quickly, get harsh, not flow well, etc.
I am sure you don't want to fiddle around too much with a new system, but sometimes fiddling until you get something that works for you, in a consistent way, so that you don't have to make vaping a full time hobby, is worth the hassle. What I found is that an alternative filler is usually the answer for better flavor and performance (unless you are a dripper, don't know if you have just tried that method).
There are many fillers that people use and recommend, the blue foam being one (which I have not tried). Personally, I use the PTB as a filler, which is the Lipton Pyramid Tea Bags. It is amazing how much flavor I get compared to the stock polyfil. You can usually find them at the store, though it may take a little searching. Amazon has them in bulk, but I would get my hands on one or two first and see if it is worth it for you. Basically, you empty the tea out, and use the almost nylon-feeling bag, slicing the sides, rolling it up, fold in half, and insert into the empty cart, fill with juice and vape away. There are more details to the procedure, and I would be happy to walk you through it should you ever like to try. It never gets that plasticky, burning taste, and it really flows well, and last a long time. And it becomes very easy to do, perhaps once a week.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I do believe that your taste issues (or lack thereof) may come from the polyfil in the cart. I am not the best example regarding juice, as I like a darker chocolate/coffee/almond mix (with a dash of cinammon for extra kick) with a good 30% VG and a lot of flavoring from Capella. It is definitely harder on atty's, but I just love it. I tend to stick with one flavor once I have found it, rather than trying a wide variety (sort of like sticking to one brand of cigarette that you like).
I certainly don't blame you for being confused. I found my niche with the Riva and have been away from the forums for quite awhile, and come back to zillions of new devices and mods, and cartos, and techniques etc. Believe me, I am confused too by the mass acceleration and variety of systems in this relatively newborn vaping world.
So I say, keep at it, and try to simplify, finding a nice, simple device/battery/atty/filler/juice that works for you, and stick with it for a while, until you feel very comfortable, and then can experiment again with something different or more exciting...
Everyone has a little different style and technique that they prefer, and I really respect the opinions and helpful attitude around here, with Katya and Paula and others, not to mention the fine people at LF who really go the extra mile to provide the best vaping experience for their customers...
Good luck, I hope i haven't just confused you even more, and always feel free to continue asking questions around here...
Aloha,
Kona
