Q&A: Photek Softlighter II or Paul Buff PLM?

Sydney, Australia-based photo assistant Diego asks:

You seem to use the Photek Softlighter a lot. How would this compare to the Paul Buff PML Soft-Silver with the White Diffuser?

While they are similar (both sub-$ 100 Octa killers) they are pretty different under the skin, So which model you'll prefer depends on how you'll use it…