Hank's D3AA: *finally* the first in-depth review!

LED Flashlights – General Info 1 x AA / 1 x 14500 Flashlights
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As per the subject: Emisar D3AA review | AA type EDC flashlight | 1Lumen

Thanks @1Lumen for the great review!

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thanks for the link dmenezes, nice to see you back here again :wink:

If you have a D3AA (I dont, yet), can you fact check this comment from the review:

Simple UI… You get access to smooth ramping (stepped is only available in Advanced UI)

is that true?

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Thanks for the warm welcome, my friend! I’m still not out of my current trip predicament, but finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel… so not fully “back” yet, but starting to look forward to it soon (I hope).

Yep, in fact I got not one, but two – and for a couple of days already. I got them both due to an emergency situation – there’s a long story about that, and I plan to post it along with a subjective review someday (no time right now).

It’s… complicated:

a) the lights came with Anduril 0161-2023-12-03-38 according to what they flash with 15C… which right from the start looks different from what I’m used to (these 2 last digits did not exist in the latest version of Anduril I was familiar with). I checked and they mean there were 38 source code commits since version 2023-12-03, ie, it’s not pristine version 2023-12-03, but something derived from it, with no less than 38 separate modifications. Which makes sense since the MODELS.txt file for version 2023-12-03 doesn’t even list that “0161” model (which in more recent versions is correctly listed as the D3AA).

b) to make things worse, I took a single flashing adapter with me on this trip, and managed to lose it :man_facepalming: so I can’t reflash my lights with a known HEX compiled from sources I can inspect in order to be able to tell you exactly what’s going on… I’m limited to running the Anduril version that came with the light and making inferences from my experience with previous Anduril versions.

Given these caveats, here’s what I can tell you for sure:

  1. the lights I have with me come up (both the first time I turned them on, and on subsequent hard factory resets) in some kind of UI that’s not the “Simple” variety I was used to – eg, the 3C check-battery keeps flashing the voltage in a loop, instead of doing it only once. But the light reacts positively (it does the “buzz” blink) to a 10H to put it into advanced mode, so I guess it’s in some kind of “Extended Simple UI” mentioned in the latest versions of the manual.

  2. anyway, in the UI that comes up right after a factory reset (which should be the “Simple” or “Extended Simple” UI) , the ramp is initially soft, but it can be switched to stepped by clicking 3C from on, exactly like in Advanced mode, so that initial mode is definitely not limited to soft ramping only.

Hope the above answers your question!

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perfect!
thank you very much
warm wishes

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Two of the D3AA lights I have were shipped end of May and have firmware 161_2023_12_03_38.

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I’d really like to see a version of this with a single emitter and a slimmer head. Like AA Zebralights, the D3AA’s bezel diameter is as wide as some 18650 lights.

It would need to use 6-volt LEDs to retain its boost driver solution to AA/14500 being difficult to implement well. That’s not a bad problem to have; I’ll take mine in B35AM.

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0161 avr32dd20 hank-emisar-d3aa

thank you both for reporting the firmware version… :wink:

btw, the new batch has a deeper O ring groove and a thicker O ring… at least at the tail (not my pic):

Screen Shot 2024-06-21 at 6.28.16 PM
Screen Shot 2024-06-21 at 6.28.16 PM648×614 58.1 KB

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Yes, much improved for O-ring seating

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thanks, I edited my post

there is a newer firmware version, dated 2024-04-20 (thats a download link)

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No. I just tried it. You can definitely 100% access stepped ramping in simple mode.

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It sounds like you are in Advanced UI.

To put it into simple UI, it would be 10C from off.

10H from off while in Advanced UI is a config menu, it does not re-enter Advanced UI.

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Amen my friend

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Oh this square knurling :expressionless:

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You are correct: looks like my D3AAs both came from factory in Advanced mode, and Factory Reset was also leaving them in that state.

I had not thought about using 10C to force Simple mode; thanks for pointing it to me. I just did it and the lights are now responding as expected for Simple mode, eg 3C blinks the voltage only once.

As per @jon_slider question: now that I’m sure the lights are in Simple mode, I retested and I can re-confirm that:

  1. They come up set with smooth ramping set;
  2. Pressing 3C from on turns them to stepped ramping, as expected (and contrary to what @1Lumen stated in his review).

One thing his review doesn’t mention is the firmware version his light came with; perhaps that could account for this difference?

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Agreed. The knurling is really aggressive, and besides making the light somewhat uncomfortable to hold, it’s also a dust/lint trap. I liked the TS10 smooth “narrow-waist” grip arrangement a lot more.

BTW, this knurling is one of the few things I don’t like about my D3AAs.

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Both is best? :wink:

D3AA
D3AA1062×531 104 KB

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LOL :rofl:

Seriously, it’s fortunate flashlights aren’t jealous of each other, otherwise most of us would be in serious trouble! :grin:

Perhaps when Anduril gets AI features? But I’m pretty sure even the AVR32DD20 doesn’t have enough oomph to run a LLM :crazy_face:

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:rofl:

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Yeah the D3aa may be a “looker” and has the technical details of the driver all over the TS10, It certainly has not replaced my TS10s for EDC.
I think the knurling would be OK, but not for clip carry. I like the ease of locating the switch due to the “large” hump it is built into, but it can’t match the ease of use of the TS10 tail switch.

Yeah I got the deep switch bezel. Now waiting on a flat version (as Jon knows). But the switch itself is not great for feel . Too much travel and a bit mushy.

Now don’t get me wrong. To a great extent these are just niggles. I am not at all unhappy that I bought the D3AA. There is lots to like about the little light. But it ain’t replacing my TS10 for daily pocket carry.

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I greatly prefer the D3AA over the TS10 for edc. In my opinion, the D3AA has the following advantages:

  • Recessed button. No need to lockout.
  • Better battery indicator. Colored LED Battery indicator in button and head is more convenient than TS10’s only in head.
  • Grippier. Feels much more secure in the hand than the TS10.
  • Deep carry clip is much more secure than the TS10’s stock clip. It’s also grippier than 3rd party TS10 clips. Downside is depending on what you clip it to, it might shred the cloth. I haven’t experienced this yet, but I could see how it might happen.
  • Superior stock emitters. 5700K 519a dedomed with Carclo optic has superior output and tint compared to the tiny CSP emitters in the TS10. Also, they won’t burn out like the TS10 emitters sometimes do if the light is run in turbo a lot.
  • Feels higher quality and more solid.
  • Better driver D3AA’s boost driver should be much more efficient than the TS10’s linear driver.
  • Better heatsinking due to more mass in the head. When turned on in high or turbo stays bright longer than the TS10.
  • Personal preference:
    • I prefer side switch lights.
    • I like aggressive knurling that aids grip and can double as a nail file.