Metric Halo 2882 Vs. Uln-2?, more inputs vs. better pre-amps? Options

[j8tlag]

I've been looking for a decent portable FireWire recording interface for my G4 PowerBook. After about 6 more hours reading last night, it would appear that the Metric Halo has the best A/D converters for the money and portability.

However, I'm torn between the 2882 (more inputs + $200 more) vs. the ULN-2 (supposedly much better pre-amps than the 2882). Already read this post: http://www.macmusic.org/agora/forums/index...halo&s=&lang=EN

I'd really prefer to have the 8 analog inputs in the 2882, so how much better are the mic pre's in the ULN-2, especially for recording pop vocals? Would there be any significant difference between these two units, when using external pre-amps such as Focusrite with either one of them?

Otherwise, if the 2882's pre-amps are that noisy as some have claimed, what is the use of having the better converters?

Any opinions based on actual field use or "blind test" comparisons would be greatly appreciated if available.

Thank you!