Ill quote FT here. “All distributors have confirmed that the following bins are correct: T6 4C, T4 7C, and U3 (cool white).”
This was several months ago. At that time, we knew U3 existed. But FT were the only store had the others.
In some way, that confirms that they get the info from their distributors. So if the distributor mess up something, or are not perfectly honest in order to get rid for a certain product/emitter then FT risk getting the wrong info. (There is also the chance of the store doing mistakes)
I have asked stores about bin/tint before. They have contacted their supplier but yet said that certain things are unknown. Its not confidence inspiring when some/several distributors don’t even know exactly what they sell.
Just to show an example.
When XM-L2 U2 1A P60 in arrived on the market. Kaidoman, Manafont, and Lightmalls got several similar pre-made products in stock at the same time. P60 XM-L2 drop-ins and such, they seemed to offer similar driver circuits and mode options…
Im assuming things here, but what are the odds that they all suddenly got what to looked to be the exact same product at the same time. But yet, they had different specs emitter specs… I went a little “Sherlock Holmes”…
Manafont and Lightmalls could not get the bin/tint info from their distributor (I think one of them said XM-L2 T6 BIN, and that was the info they had). They seemed to sell the same product that Kaidomain claimed XM-L2 U2 1A (highest bin at the time), despite that no other Chinese store had that XM-L2 U2 drop-in at that moment. And FT have still not managed to get that emitter several months later from any of their Chinese distributor. They managed to get XM-L2 T6, though. Which intl-outdoor also got early. But no one of those managed to get XM-L2 U2, they still have not managed to get the emitters in stock. Several members have reported inconsistency in the tint from KD too.
Im not saying that KD are not selling U2 1A bint/tint emitters, or that its not XM-L2 U2 1A in all the products they claim use that emitter. I have no proof. But I am questioning it… I have gotten false info from them before when talking with customer support.
My point is, certain stores does not take specifications seriously at all. Some distributors does not seem to know what the exact emitters specs are. Such things explains a lot of inconsistency.
FT is quite good in my book, their prices and customer support seem to kinda make up for smaller inconsistencies.
But intl-outdoor and Illumination supply seem to be at the top of things when it comes to emitters (and other tings). They are just more dedicated to the enthusiast flashlight community.
New emitters from Illumination supply added.
For XM-L2 and XP-G2 these have the highest possible CRI combined with the highest bin (for 90 CRI minimum emitters).
Very nice price on both of them too!
+1 - totally agree IS and IOS are the only true reputable stores for parts that I would trust near 100%, just wish they had more offerings of what I want to buy.
Btw, I also have experience with LCK-LED and LED DNA. But none of those come close. Missing bin/tint info and such…
LCK-LED I had to email about info. I was told that their NW XP-G2 was 5A tint and unknown bin.
Package was labeled T6 (BIN) on XP-G2 emitter. and 3C tint, despite that they said 5A tint in mail.
Real life color looked like 3C to me, close to 5000K. Certainly not 5A that I was told…
How is it possible to mess up that much when your store is named “LCK- LED, professional LED supplier”??
Not confidence inspiring…
Just have to say again. Im highly impressed with the price illumination supply have on those last two emitters!
Looking forward to try them out, I put some Nichia 219 in the order as well. 0:)
Out of 2nd generation emitters, combined intl-outdoor and illumination supply seem to have most of the available good stuff there is.
For me OIS lately has come very close to carrying my ideal selection of leds, I love it that they sell some 80+ CRI 4000K and 3500K XM-L2 leds now. Only two omissions: XP-G2 4000K 80+ CRI, and the MT-G2 4000K 80+ CRI. The last one has been promised by Hank not too long ago somewhere here on BLF.
Well, IOS specifically has pretty much nothing in cool white's (I've begged Hank and Craig to get U2 1A's). IS has the U2 1C, but really want the U2 1A, specially for de-doming which I'm doing a lot of lately. I've gotten beat up even for reportedly green tint in the 1C w/dome - still lots of guys out there like and want the true cool 1A's. From what I've seen 0D starts turning blue, but 1A's are the most purest white. Personnaly I like the 3C's but haven't seen anything warmer, but if I had any time for doing my own mods, I'd love to try the warmer XM-L2's but been hearing negatives when compared to the Nichia's for example. Mostly though, my rep is all about lumens and kcd, so I've been kind of stuck with the high bins.
I think Hank is/was trying to get XM-L2 U2 down towards 5700K. Should set them more apart from the typical 6500K blue tints… I don’t see how anyone could call a 6500K for pure white, A1 or whatever it is. But its all personal preference…
Now that U3 is kinda official, who knows what will happen.
I love that Hank’s getting these sweet tints. Right on the BB line.
For convenience’s sake I hope he starts selling them premounted on Noctigon boards.
To make things easier when looking for XM-L2s. I added some emitters from IOS and IS to this picture… Some may have remember I did a similar thing in the past with XM-L emitters from FT. Before the LED database.
T3 6A1 from IOS is out of stock/gone, so that is not in. Personally I found it a bit to red-ish, so will not buying more even if it gets back in stock.
Quite nice selection between NW emitters now! :party:
I hope someone gets a 6C1 or something similar… I have requested something in the 3500K range before… A T3 6C1, 80+ CRI would not be wrong… 0:)
The other day I updated the price for Kaidomain XM-L2 U2 1A. 6.69$
Though I would post about it now, and noticed that they sell the same emitter mounted on copper mcpcb for 6.29$?
Yes, cheaper on what is probably one of the typical cheapo copper mcpcbs with insulation layer. But still the cheapest option is on copper MCPCB.
As you say with WB, if they actually are U2, or 1A tint, can be questioned.
Besides KD and WB, all other U2s are from what I consider trustworthy dealers (IOS, LED-Tech, Cutter, Mouser), but none of those have free shipping.
RaceR86, your pic is very helpful and makes tint selections so much easier! Thanks for all your continued effort!
I ordered a XM-L2 U2 from DX. Yeah, I know its probably not authentic, but I only paid a few dollars for it with a coupon. I have XM-L2 T6 1A’s to compare. If the “U2” gives more lux, I’ll add it to the spreadsheet.
Racer, those copper PCBs can easily be made direct bonded by cutting away the pad layer and filling with solder paste. I bet it would be difficult to measure the difference. Interesting…
Hmm… Maybe I was blind or imagined something???
I was pretty sure it said U2 before. I dont know. (KD have changed emitter info several times in the past, but Im not perfect either, so…)
If you like the most powerful version, check this tread.
Intl-outdoor just got the U2, they will be offered on Noctigon soon, probably a nice price but minimum quantity of 3.
Yupp, I know. But im not into CW that much, nor do I like buying from KD, and I prefer the real deal. Might be a decent budget option though.
Relic38, when you checked the product, did it not say U2? or was it just me???
and 3C tint, despite that they said 5A tint in mail.
