If you ask the people selling them, then yes the brand name does make a HUGE difference.
However, I am not sure that the corals really care as long as they are getting what they need.
That being said, there are companies out there that make their living off of providing "the finest reef lighting available", and who are in this for the long haul. I usually err on the side of paying a few extra dollars to get something with a proven track record. If you buy one of their products, at least you can rule out one issue when you are trying to figure out why your setup isn't working as well as you hoped.
Just my .02
Andy
