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For the software industry at least Steve McConnell's classic Code Complete cites several studies showing that total productivity (not just per hour productivity) is maximized at just slightly above 40 hours per week, and bouts of prolonged overtime don't generally translate to greater output. My own anecdotal evidence tends to support this.

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My personal limits hover at around 30/35 hours a week. Any additional hour is spent surfing the web, struggling the urge to sleep, drinking tea, in brief various task that may easily pass for work but aren't productive at all.

I wonder if a typical trait of successful founders is to be excited/determined enough to do good work (=results/time) while putting in obscene hours. Is this true?

No. Pretend otherwise if you want by saying 'well what if it is this kind of work' but consistently working more than 40 hours per week is counter-productive. Every study shows this.

And there's no need to put in obscene hours, or expect it. As it's counter-productive... See where this is going...

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