The optics used were 45mm Gaggione LLC49R and Yajiamei 37mm. The reflector was from newest Armytek Viking. All resulted in good beams, little to no artefacts.
E21A on VR21SP4 can’t be driven as hard as the VR16SP4 because of the smaller gaps. 2A/LED seems near the limit for R9080 and 2,5A/LED for R70.
- Clemence
Why did you make the gap smaller again?
Popular demand to make it easier with optics.
- Clemence
Finally had a little time for quick testing the VR21SP4 with some optics I laying around.
4x E21A sm403 D220 R9080
The contestant:
So, quadtrix E21A boards (VR16SP4 & VR21SP4) are not that hopeless for medium range thrower. To get rid off the center cross there are several options:
- Add diffuser or diffuse the optics used (including texturized the reflector when possible)
- Use colour mixing optics (OP reflector, special TIR with multi facet/pebbled surface)
Hope this helps
- Clemence
I am a bit surprized that you gave this higher priority than a regular quad, for quad carclo
Quad config is not as good as quadtrix config for colour mixing. I prepared all these boards for the CCT switching lights and for the upcoming colour E17A (I hope E21A as well).
- Clemence
Thanks Clemence!
That first pic looks so perfectly soldered and just clean! :+1:
I borrowed your order for the pic and beam shots. I always test all soldered LED orders at 100% rated current for 1 minutes each.
- Clemence
Did you measure the lumens?
No, because I don’t have the right equipment to do so. You can use Texas_Ace measurement for comparison figure.
- Clemence
- Clemence
NOTE:
Actual stock Carclo 10622 beam was so much uglier with blue hot spot. While on the other hand the frosted 10622 (yes I frosted it myself) was so much better with no red band at all. My camera limited dynamic range can’t reproduce the actual looks.
- Clemence
Blu hotspot with optisolis? What is the cct on that and is the tint as red pink as E21A?
Blue-green hot spot to be exact. This Optisolis can only be used in medium to flood setup. TIR still very useful to direct the beam out front and make the transition smoother than no optic at all (mule). Tint is very neutral IMHO. My guess it’s not far from BBL. You’ll see Maukka’s test result soon, his sample already OTW.
- Clemence
So far, the Optisolis doesn’t seem as enticing compared to the E21A, but I’ll wait for Maukka’s test.
Indeed, Optisolis is not easy to implement in flashlight world unless very specialized optics used. In my opinion E21A still the best when very high CRI LED for flashlight is needed.
- Clemence
Clemence, could you explain what you mean here, please? What transition?
Without TIR optic as in mule setup (just flat lens) the beam would be full circle with hard cut-off. With most TIR optic you should get gradation with center weighted intensity.
Any optics should help to throw the beam outside the flashlight rather than just absorbed in the cavity as heat. Let’s say we can get the same beam profile with mule and TIR optic (super even and floody). There must be a difference with output, because the TIR optic will direct the beam off the front more than a simple flat lens. This is especially true if the LED shelf cavity is deep and non reflective (black, matte, etc…)
Note: Frosting/diffusing any TIR optics should be done after the collimation (top surface only), except for some severe cases. Because frosting the LED cavity in the TIR optic would upset the designed geometry and lessen the chance to move the light to the front. Most TIR optics designed with uniform lambertian light distribution from the LED die.
- Clemence
I assume that he means to say that with an optic, even if heavily frosted, you do get an actual beam which is bright in the middle with the brightness slowly fading away to the side, while without optic you do not have a visible beam at all, just flood light from front to side (although right in front of the led the brightness is higher than at the side)
Edit: clemence beat me to this answer, and said it better 
+1 Jos, and a mule’s outside perimeter beam shape will also follow the bezel’s shape (shadowing).
- Clemence