m-audio vs smpro audio

[lizzie]

Hey I wondered if is there is a real big difference between the m-audio octone-8 channel mic pre amp and the smpro audio pr-8 II 8 channel mic pre amp. In quality and stuff.
First is priced at $599,- and the other at 199,-.

 

[Alexi]

i guess there is
i know that the m-audio one is also a d/a converter and has burr brown chips installed

 

[crankz1]

Both of them only do A/D conversion.
I would get a Behringer ADA 8000 (it offers D/A also and it don't sound half bad) instead of the SM PR8mk2 and an Octane instead of the ADA 8000 and a RME OctaMic D instead of the Octane.
I've got a SM PR8 mk2 w/ADAT option. It's quiet as an analog pre, but there is a -75db noise floor running it digital.
The Octane has nice pres and decent converters. The RME is even better.