IMHO, it's a sleeper in its $100 and under price range based upon
how they improved the original 286.
If you go to a search engine website like www.msn.com you can type in "Ty Ford" and it will show you Ty's website.
He has a detailed review of this unit on it.
During my voice tests with a Gefell UM70 and Neumann U89, I was surprised at how good the 286A mic preamp sounded. In a later session I used the 286A to record a D28S Martin with a U89, with equally good results.