I've used the M5 and the Digi002 pres and there's a pretty considerable difference. Both in my mind are pretty sterile and don't add much color to the sound. However the m5 is MUCH more detailed, especially in the high end. The 002 pres are quite usuable though, they never came across harsh, hyped, or anything especially negative. They're just not as good as the M5. If you've comparing it to the 737, which I've also used, there is no comparison. The 737 crushes the 002 pres to bits (I do have to say I'm especially partial to tubes).