The bulb change I was referring to has nothing to do with high end units. If anything I would think their cooling systems give longer bulb life. Its just what several aquarists that run nice sps tanks have told me.
Likely others may tell you that theirs will make a year. I would guess that would be even more so on no sps tanks.
My point just was, that its to much of a blanket statement saying that any type of lighting does this or that, without elaborating on specifics of the lighting. Another thing not mentioned is how many bulbs some are using to grow such and such corals.
Lots of good lighting threads on here. I ran my standard 90g with both a pair of 250w halides and then with a SWC 6 bulb T-5 unit. I much preferred the T-5 unit but not close in intensity as the 250,s. Great for other corals though and likely sps higher up.
My friend ran an 8 bulb over his 120. Not sure where all these people get the intensity from but his clams and sps has to be in the top portion or they never did good. And thats an experience not just a guess.
That being said I have seen stunning sps tanks lit only by T-5,s usually the higher end units. I even posted a link to them during a heated discussion on growing sps with T-5,s.
Try a search on T-5,s. Lots of reading.
Either will work for you and a both top end stuff in both or regular priced, depending on what your end goal is.