While I'm a happy sand filter owner, the answer really has two parts:

1) Which ever filter you get MUST be properly sized and not too small for your pump.
2) After proper sizing, personal preference is really the key. You can get excellent results with both.

My dad ran with a DE filter for 15 or 20 years (I don't remember and he's gone 10 years now). He was happy and had good results with little work. I have a sand filter and have great results with little work.
We also have contributors who swear by their cartridge filters. It's all about what you prefer. It's not that the builder is wrong...technically. But Ben's suggestions of an oversize sand filter, running on low speed, with a bit of DE in it, will give you just as good results as a DE filter.