Not too long ago I modded my old 4D Mag to take a 3xQ4 head from manafont, and I have to say I'm more than impressed with the product overall. I've now acquired another big Mag that I want to mod as well and I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion on the various 52mm heads that are available. At a minimum, I'd buy the 5xQ5 head, but recently a 6xQ5 head has appeared. There is also a 5xR2...there are also the large single emitter options such as a P7 and XML. This mod is just for fun, I want as much wow factor as I can get within a reasonable price (around $30 US). Has anyone compared any of these?
I have a 3x R2 mod in Mag and it is definitely a nice amount of light. Given the choice of upgrades though, I would choose a single XML mod. It should be a bit cheaper with a comparable amount of light. You will get lots of flood with a bright hotspot so decent throw as well. I built a simple 1x XML Mag Mod with what turned out to be a particularly poor quality emitter and it still made an impressive amount of light. If you get a better bin, it should make a decent wow-the-crowd mod. Especially when compared to a stock Mag.
Is there a decent Mag dropin available at a budget price? The XM=L's I've seen are $70-105.
For $30 I'm an owner if it works well.
Here's one that I'm considering: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/cree-xml-t6-5-mode-6700k-900-lumen-smooth-aluminum-drop-in-module-with-textured-reflector-58481
Here's the 3X I used: http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/triple-cree-q4-led-3mode-memory-white-light-dropin-led-module-84v-max-p-5521 - it does require some filing/sanding/machining inside the head, but it's a cool mod for sure!
soytnly, would this one be a direct drop-in? I'm using the fusion 36 led drop-in now, but this one would be much brighter.
No, it wont. I looked at it too, but if you intend to use the original D batteries, it wont work. The requirements show 5.8-12V so it would work in a 4D light minimum and get better with a 6 D as far as power is concerned. 3D wouldn't be enough to drive it. It also requires that you machine out the head and cut off the post where the normal bulb goes in a maglite to fit. It does put out more light than a fusion 36, but at the price of more work and different batteries to make it work.
If you read the first review, he states that it drops right in to his older Mag w/o modification...I don't know what that means, in that I would assume you'd need to wire it to the switch, as I did in the above mod. The voltage range on this is 5.8-12, so keep that in mind too.