Has anyone tried tuning down to A?

I read some old topics about how tuning down half a step has really improved the sound of the oud for many people, so I tried it and it was very nice. Then I read about Farid al-Atrache tuning down to Ab (and I discovered this myself by trying to play along with him as well) so I decided to try, but only tuned down to aeBF#DA so as not to lose too much string tension. It sounds fabulous. I am very new to the oud (two-three weeks) so maybe I am missing some subtelty but I have been playing guitar for eight or nine years so I do have a clue about sound.

I have a single sound-hole oud (and the instrument is carved out of one piece of a very old tree), and tuning down really let the bass out nicely, but still retaining nice high frequency resonance and sustain. I was playing outside, on a wooden floor, and when I played (especially open string B and F#) I could feel the floor strongly resonating! Also looser strings make it easier to pick fast, and the oud is much more comfortable to play now than it was. Finally, I also think it is easier to intonate properly on it, but maybe I just improved a little .

I have heard people talk of tuning down half a step, but has anyone gone this low?