[davidp158]

The 002 pres are an improvement over the 001 mic pres, but I only use them as a last resort. I have a few decent outboard mic pres (Presonus Digimax, Focusrite Penta and Great River MP2NV), and much prefer them over the 002 mic pres. Obviously, there's a big cost difference, and I think the 002 pres are pretty good for the overall cost of the unit. I just find that compared to my other mic pres, they are a bit lifeless and dull. They are cetainly adequate for a lot of applications, but I'd recommend budgeting for at least one good mic pre. Expect to pay $500-750 for any improvement over the 002 pres, and $1000 for a really noticeable improvement.

Dave