Hmmm...I have heard about the soapy flavour, but I haven't experienced them in piedras personally. They're not a great smoke, they're machine made and they're kinda rough looking, but if you're looking for some cuban tobacco flavour at a great price, these are not a bad place to start. One thing I will say is that they do improve dramatically with time, they don't become a great smoke, but after a year or two they become decent and I think people are sometimes too quick to dismiss them for their fresh characteristics rather than waiting...though I will admit there are much better smokes to wait around for.
At that price point, you should also check out the PL panatelas which are handmade and Fonseca KDT Cadetes, which become great little smokes after a couple years. That being said, I like piedras, not as much as some others, but at that price point, and if you'd like to try a couple, send me a pm.