[Review] Armytek Wizard Pro Nichia - The best headlamp ever!

Sweet light. The tint comparison was especially helpful. Looks like Armytek was able to source a good batch of the Nichia 144A. The Clemence modded Tiara Pros with the E21A 9080 are my most used EDCs and the 144A will not match the E21A in tint and color rendering but I plan to add this to my collection since I always wanted a HI CRI Wizard.

I did full runtime on my previous review, this time it’s only Turbo2 and step down due to overheating. I did this tests with Sanyo, and in previous XHP50 review with Armytek cell. If you enlarge runtime graphs, there are all informations on them.
My XHP50 version had LVP, so I guess this has it too. I used unprotected cells, Armytek cell is unprotected as well.

Could you share here tint comparisons with your Tiara and Wizard Nichia if you get it? :slight_smile:

Thanks for the clarification.
A good way to confirm if the Nichia light has LVP is try run it on a lower mode after the turbo has shut off. If the low mode cuts off too, then check the voltage of the battery.

ackchyually The E21A wizards pro from clemence are better :nerd_face:

I personally don’t like tints like 4000K or below. My ideal range is 4500K. What clemence Wizards do better?

The Wizards and Tiara’s from Clemence use CRI 9080 LED’s, so the colour rendering is higher especially in the reds.
The Armytek 144am probably uses a CRI 9050 LED. So the R9 (red) is CRI 50 minimum, vs the 9080 will have an R9 CRI of 80+.

Yea I always wanted to buy the Wizard Pro with E21A from Clemence but it was always sold out. That would have been better than this for sure but I’m also very happy with the E21A Tiara Pro because it has a more efficient driver and I rarely need to use the high mode anyways because it is plenty bright. I just wanted a Wizard Pro HI CRI for my collection.

According to Maukka’s tests Nichia 144AM 9050 has CRI R9 = 76
https://www.virence.com/product-page/nv4l144am

But there is 144AR though, I don’t know if it changes something or any differences at all between AM and AR versions… :frowning:

Yup, minimum of R9 50 often means quite abit more, and in this case, 76 which is great for an R9 value.

In comparison, the Nichia e21a 4500K CCT 9080 LED has a CRI of 97, and R9 value of 91!

The jump from CRI 70 to 9050 is already huge, but the 9080 is even better :slight_smile:

Good review. I know you’re comparing it to what you have, but a better comparison would be to the WW rather than what armytek calls the CW and you refer to as NW. I’m a big fan of the WW model but I’m not convinced that I need this.

No, Zebralight H600Fc Mk IV - The best headlamp ever! :smiling_imp:

Best UI ever!

Tiara looks cool and if you say so, maybe I’ll buy a modded one… If not, 90 CRI and 76 R9 is a big jump for me from previous Wizard Pro NW. :partying_face:

Thank you :slight_smile: True, I don’t have Wizard WW, but Armytek promised to send me one. :partying_face: If so, I will update you with new comparisons in some time.
Actually, they call it “White”, because there are two options: Warm and White, so I call it Neutral - it is still more neutral than true cool 6500K

Looks cool. Price…uch.

Sadly, Zebralight is not cooperating with me :cry:
Maybe one day… but I don’t expect it to happen.

It is indeed an excellent headlamp, both lighter and more compact than the Wizard, with fantastic UI… BUT!

The XHP50 high CRI LED in the H600Fc is noticeably green in tint compared to the Nichia 144AM and other Nichia LED’s that are on the BBL line.
As the primary purpose of a flashlight / headlamp is to emit light, I give a slight edge to the Wizard Nichia for better quality light.

And I can fully admit it! I noticed zero greenish tint, and 4500K is better value for me than 4000K. Just warmer than Skilhunt H03 Neutral, and just colder than Nicha or SST20, both 4000K.

The light is absolutely not small and light. In fact it’s one of the biggest right angle headlamps and it’s weight is on the edge of being uncomfortable.

The Nichia Wizard is only around 100lm dimmer then the 1400lm Wizard Pro WW, very good result.

Finally someone points out the fact the o-rings get displaced too easily when tightening the tailcap.

Timed stepdown is a major flaw for a “premium” headlamp.

The AT UI is 1000 times more usable in a headlamp them Anduril.

The virence.com Wizard’s are indeed better, simply due the fact of the higher R9 and being modded PRO models thus heaving thermal stepdown.

Zebralight H600Fc Mk IV is crap and I used to be a ZL fanboy. Horrible tint and a whole barrage of hidden bugs.

That’s because I and my friends bought all of them :sunglasses:

Unfortunately 4 of them have the d240 4000K E21A. That means they are basically a Wizard Pro with 4 SST-20’s in them… :person_facepalming:

I wouldn’t buy a headlamp with anduril, when I want to use a headlamp I want it to stay at the brightness I set it at , I can’t be doing with a firmware stepping the light down for me especially if it doesn’t step back up to where it’s suppose to be , that’s why I use zebra lights.

I dont’ understand. Are you saying the Virence.com Wiard Pro models don’t have thermal step down or timed step down? Isn’t this Nichia 144A version also the Wizard PRO? I thought the only difference between this new model and the older Wizard Pro model is just the LED. The driver and everything remains the same.

The D240 looks better than the SST-20 at low modes though but high mode is just on the BBL. You should be able to reproduce the D220 4000K tint by mixing the D220 3500K and D220 4500K. Both of these are tested to have negative DUV. Though I don’ have the Virence.com Wizard Pros, I’m extremely happy with the Virence.com Tiara Pros and I prefer the Tiaras because of the more efficient driver. I value driver efficiency and good regulation alot because I use these lights on a daily basis and ceiling bounce them often so the Tiaras are better tools than the Wizard.

Yes, but o-ring in my older Wizard now seems to hold in place much better than it did at first. This is a drawback, though.

I’m pretty sure this Wizard Nichia has thermal step down. Will check to be sure.

You mean Tira C1 Pro has more efficient driver? I thought there is no difference between those two drivers in term of efficiency.

PRO has thermal stepdown
Nichia seems to timed stepdown