[Obsidian Dragon]

In general, the preamps and converters in the 003/003R are better than those in the M-Audio Firewire 1814. Now "better" is a highly subjective term here. By "better" I mean that they are a newer generation of electronics and components and also have technically superior specifications. I believe that they are quieter. Whether they sound "better" is up to you and your ears. You are not getting any additional functionality going from Protools M-Powered to Protools LE so the benefits of switching are small. Personally, I would use the money for room acoustic treatment or microphones instead.