Planting behind our Krause Excellerator is too much fun.  We shred stalks in the fall and then hit the field with the Ex.  Again with the Ex in the spring and plant.  No root balls, beautiful seedbed, and the beans couldn't care less that it didn't get worked deeper.  Worked straight with the rows last fall and then slightly off this spring.  Could still follow rows with planter but it was worked up enough if I got off a little and planted into a row the planter just get on planting.  No issues with roots or trash.  Just back and forth away ya go.

I don't think that would be a good plan for COC.  We've tried it some and not a had a disaster, but the COC never wowed.

Others mention too much stalks blowing around with an Excellerator.  We've never had an issue.  I think the shredder takes care of all the leaves so there's really nothing for the wind to grab.

We easily pull a 25' with 250hp at 7-8mph.  Hills here too.  Could pull it faster but Ford/Versatile 9280 with a crash box has too big of a jump to the next gear.

We're still trying to figure out when to pull the ripper.  I've always been told you need to rip every 3-4 years or you'll get compaction issues.  The cultivator/digger doesn't have a basket so it's a lot nicer planting behind the Ex.  However, the Ex won't knock down ridges from the ripper.  If I had flat ground where erosion wasn't a big concern, I'd Ex the corn stalks and rip the bean stubble.  Sounds kinda backwards.