I love narsil and prefer ramping when ever I can get it. So yes, a TA driver is worth more to me than what you charged in this type of light.
+20 more for a TA version
The best single button flashlight UI I have used so far are the Emisar series. OMG they are so easy to use and work so well! That’s one of the reasons why I got excited about the MT09R in the first place. Also knowing its a Texas Ace driver makes it worth much more since we know it will be QUALITY. In terms of how much more I would pay, it depends on the type of light. If it was a mid power light, probably $20 more. But for something like the MT09R, I think even $50 more would be justified. Imagine if Haikelite used TA from the start, and also took his advice on P2 and M4 80CRI bin emitters, they could have advertised 25k+ lumens and it would be the brightest 4-cell flashlight in the world with the renowned TA driver and UI that everyone can trust and loves. Even the Acebeam X80 with 6500k CW emitters (retails $300) that advertises 25k lumens only measures at 21k-23k from what I’ve read. The UI on the X80 is AWFUL (requires cycling through the horrendous red, green, blue, uv modes each time), which is one of the reasons I didnt buy it.
I think the MT09R XHP70.2 if originally advertised with these specs could have sold many times more even if it cost $50 more, since it would be the current world record holder as the brightest 4-cell beer can light. Also the only high power flashlight in production with GOOD NW tint (and 80CRI option).
Basically, if Haikelite wan’ts to become a premium brand, having TA on their team would be the easiest way to achieve their goal.
One of the reasons why I joined this GB was knowing that it’s was TA and driver involved. So I would pay a premium for it but not sure what is a reasonable mark up. But if $20 is what the drivers are selling for, I would pay it.
me too, weird they can defend those chinese drivers because they are cheaper over TA… strange because of all issues if they were that good why not use em then and save us all lots of headaches?? Something dont add upp before the GB started we heard they wanna step up as premium brand , use quality drivers etc…. i find this hard to achieve if they reject good driver presented too them…
I think that TA dude is worth his weight in gold.
+1
I do not enter this GB because I can not forget their behavior in the previous one organized by Haikelite HaikeLite MT03 & MT07 Group-buy Closed
I’ll easily pay extra 15% for TA designed driver.
>> He says that they can get a driver design in China that is not open source for 33% less then my asking price.
>> I am already asking them for less then half what this work would be worth in the USA.
Seriously?! After all the #$@ Haikelite is responsible for in this GB, after all the time you’ve spent trying to help bail them out of this mess, now they’re considering stiffing you in order to save what, $2 per $180 light?
In this newly self-declared era of Haikelite’s improved quality control and customer service, this trainwreck of a GB had destroyed any faith I’d had in the brand. The fact that Haikelite was working with you (TA), or at least the fact I thought they were working with you on designing/producing new driver had done much to restore my optimism.
I’m pissed. Pissed that I never got the light I was promised, that I’ve spent so much time following this thread, caring about it, and that in the end Haikelite is even considering screwing over the BLF member who is essentially saving their ass in this GB. If this happens I will certainly never entertain buying another Haikelite, but will probably be inclined to voice my opinion every time Haikelite offers anything in this forum, point people towards this thread, other thread’s revealing details of Haikelite’s failures.
Also, I imagine many people chose not to pay extra to TA directly for his driver but were waiting instead to get a TA designed driver for warranty from Haikelite. If Haikelite instead chooses to “get a driver design in China that is not open source for 33% less”, you will not be getting a TA designed driver, and given Haikelite’s record, it STILL likely won’t address all the problems properly. If I were in that camp I would
COMMENCE PAYPAL PROCEEDINGS IMMEDIATELY in order to get a REFUND.
Imagine, waiting maybe 4 months to receive new driver from china, likely having to spend your own $ for shipping if you need someone to install it for you, then waiting another month or so to receive light back only to find it still had issues because of crappy out-sourced driver? By then your 6 months of paypal protection will have been long expired. In fact, I imagine paypal protection will have expired by the time anyone receives a new driver from Haikelite, so it is a gamble either way. If it were a TA designed/tested driver then maybe their is hope that Haikelite will successfully arrange for its manufacture. At this point I think it would be incredibly foolish to trust Haikelite to oversee design and manufacture of driver when the consequence of failure is having no means to redress their failure (ie expired paypal buyer protection).
If they choose to go with non-TA driver, and you are still happy to have Haikelite product (despite their poking TA in the eye), why not wait for them to be produced, reviewed, see if they actually work? In other words, if Haikelite goes with non-TA driver, get refund now while you still can, purchase one later if they’re shown to work.
Perhaps Texas Ace can ask Dale for clarification what Haikelite’s plans are with the MT09R. I have e-mailed Dale a couple of days ago, and he told me that the V2 driver for the MT09R is a TA driver with NarsilM.
Thanks for the support but no need to go hanging Haikelite. I did not start this to in any way tarnish HL, Up to this point it has just been business negations. I will let ya’ll know if it goes sideways.
For the record, I left them with an offer on the table last night and they said they would discuss it. I have not heard back on it yet. While the offer is not what I was hoping for, in the interest of the greater good and everyone getting a working driver, and me not totally wasting my time, I would be happy with the outcome.
Part of the offer was sample lights for their future lights, so I could test them and hopefully help prevent future issues (and naturally get some nice lights for myself).
I simply wanted to make sure I was not mis-representing the situation that the TA driver would add tangible value to the light and get some data either way.
Lets stick to opinions on the value that the TA driver either does or does not add to the light for now.
In other News I laid my mt09R on an envelope for just a moment earlier and, well this happened:
>> Perhaps Texas Ace can ask Dale for clarification what Haikelite’s plans are with the MT09R. I have e-mailed Dale a couple of days
>> ago, and he told me that the V2 driver for the MT09R is a TA driver with NarsilM.
Umm, try re-reading TA’s post, Closed Official Haikelite MT09R *UPDATE Now including TA's Pricing for Emitter Upgrades* Closed - #1842 by Texas_Ace
It’s pretty clear. Dale says to TA that there is “a driver design in China that is not open source for 33% less then my [TA’s] asking price.”
And then TA is trying to explain to them the worth of his design, polling us for our opinion. Obviously Dale is at least considering going with the cheap option.
So, you can choose to believe Dale’s email to you as the final word, or TA’s recounting of his communication with Dale.
>> Thanks for the support but no need to go hanging Haikelite. I did not start this to in any way tarnish HL
We’ve endured several significant unfulfilled promises from Haikelite, and I’m sure that for many people your work was the one thing that offered hope they might eventually have the light they were hoping for, a reason to hang in there with this GB. I know that it was not your intention to harm HL or derail this GB in any way, but from my perspective they are clearly hanging themselves by threatening to not use your driver.
I agree completely with this. I have four lights with Narsil and wish it would come standard on all future light purchases. I upgraded my Astrolux MF01 with Narsil and it made the light a better, more flexible and useful light so I would absolutely upgrade to this firmware.
I don’t have the ability to flash new firmware, but it’s nice to know it’s an option. I can solder and am pretty comfortable swapping my own. If I had to rely on someone else to do it with shipping back and forth, it might make me pause, but I’d probably go through with it because I’m reminded by how some of my other lights and their UI just bug the heck out of me. I’m spoiled.
Asking if I’d go with a TA (or Lexel or other well-known provider on the forum) I’d definitely and absolutely prefer the “name brand” over a company-supplied driver. I’ve read enough threads to know the snafus that stock drivers have had. I’d prefer knowing that an individual made this and not a nameless/faceless company worker who might not be as invested in doing his or her best to provide a rock-solid piece of equipment that I might rely on.
That said, I don’t think that the majority of flashlight buyers would know or care about the name brand option. I don’t know about numbers that would make these drivers profitable, but I’d guess if making a few dozen for a high-performance light is enough to make a nice profit and not drive you crazy with slaving over your soldering iron for hours on end, then I think it might work.
In fact, I love the idea of having Narsil with open source available for a number of the top performing budget lights (Astrolux, Haikelight and others) and will seek upgraded drivers out in the future. I’d bet a handful of other enthusiasts would too. Not sure how big a handful though. Any idea how many would be worthwhile?
Friends don’t let friends shine drunk.
Nice, did that once with hotwire Maglite the paper burst into flame now it is possible again.
Whatever Haikelite decided, one way or another i will put TA driver in my MT09R.
Ok, I just talked with Dale. Dale himself seems to be totally on board with these drivers but the co-owners of HL seem to be the cheap skates.
Overall I think we have come to an agreement. They will make some drivers and test them to make sure they work and then if they check out they will pay me. Not as much as I was hoping for but I honestly believe all that Dale could talk them into.
So things are moving forward with the TA drivers as I figured they would.
Hopefully some of these lights for me to mod will show up this week and I can test a few more drivers and setup to prove to both myself and HL that the drivers are soild. I only have 3 lights on hand to try right now.
You will have 4 more lights from me to mod once Terry replies to my PM and email. I’m hoping he has stock. 
I’m also considering buying an MT03 to have you mod later in a separate order. Would be pretty darn sweet to get 22-23k OTF lumens w/ 80CRI in a compact sized flooder
Great, I know Terry takes it easy on Sunday, so I am sure he will get in touch tomorrow.
I will admit, I am glad I decided to offer these modding services, Modding these lights should hopefully help make up for the “discount” HL is getting. lol
wow damn very nice ramp, i must ask, how hot does the body get on highest? it must get scorching hot no ?? I mean my xhp35 doesnt peak no way near those 7500 lumens and on fresh batteries the body gets quite hot on highest, i cant imagine 22k lumens would get……