Is Fireflies NOV-Mu best option for a 2000K E21A?

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

I’m looking at lights with 2000K E21A precisely because I love the light candle gives. I found NOV-Mu it has 21 leds in it, which is 4-5 times stronger than other options. I think closest ones is EMISAR DT8 with 8 leds for 90$.

Do you think NOV-Mu is the best option?

Also do you think 2000 E21A worth the hassle? (my preference wouldn’t be a mole(for nov-mu), and I would prefer higher lumen but e21a can’t handle much current)
If not, other options are
1: 519a 2700K with dedome
2: CSLNM1.FY (orange light) with convoy s2+
3: convoy M3-C GT FC40 1800K but it seems to be yellow.

Which one would you get it if you enjoy candle mod + candle light

2

Personally dedomed 519A 2700K is my preference because I prefer rosy tint at low CCT, and with my tint ramping E21A 4500K+2000K light I always stop around 2200K because it’s more rosy there with the mix, I find 2000K or 2200K on the BBL to be too orange. Anyway that’s a matter of preference but it’s just to point out that 519A dedomed are not neutral and produce a different light.

If a typical beam if preferred then I guess the DT8 is better, it’ll produce a more intense and usable beam than the mule despite the lower current in turbo (9A vs direct drive)

3

Thanks for the input, I guess I will look for more photos of both of them since I also like rosy color. Its just that its a bit confusing because photo don’t have the same colors with what we perceive.

4

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.

5

The choice of light probably depends on the beam profile. The NOV-MU is very floody. The other other options for 1850k or 2000k (D4V2, D4K, DT8, KR1, KR4, various Convoy models, are typical floody or general purpose beams. The Convoys with GT-FC40 will probably have the highest sustained output.

6

If you want a candle light, I think going for an anduril light would have value since it has the candle mode. So I wouldn’t go with convoy for that.

The Nov-Mu is pretty much the best mule and the best E21A light you can get. Even though it’s a mule it still has ok throw (for a mule) just from the sheer output. But if you don’t prefer a mule, then maybe it doesn’t fit your preference. It does make the light perfectly even, but also more jarring to look at from the side so you may find a diffuser is needed indoors. I think it comes with a diffuser though.

Going 519A 2700k dedomed is great option as thefreeman already pointed out it might be preferable to E21A since it’s more rosy, and wont be quite as “orangey”. It’s also more powerful.

The DT8 is a good option, but keep in mind it doesn’t have any waterproofing. If it’s as a “candle light” and not being used outside then maybe that isn’t a problem.

Otherwise, a D4K/D4V2/KR4 would be good. If you’re using it for a candle-like-light then I don’t think output should be that huge of a concern, so the fact they only have 4 LEDs won’t be a big issue. And with 519A dedomed the output should still be pretty decent. If you still want some throw, the D4SV2 would be good.

Overall, I think I’d probably go with a D4K with 519A 2700k dedomed and the boost driver just for longer runtimes and since I wouldn’t plan to use it on turbo much anyway. But you could go stock if you want the higher output, and the sustained output on the stock driver is still fine for ambient/candle-lit-room lighting. Plus you can always swap around optics if you want a different throwy/floody beam.

I dunno, the eye doesn’t percieve ~2000k as particularly bright anyway, even at higher output, so while higher output would still be noticeable, no 2000k option is going to wow you with output like a higher CCT would. I see very little functional difference between a DT8 and a D4V2 with 519A 2700k dedomed.

Like, you say you prefer higher lumen, but what do you intend to use it for? Indoors, probably doesn’t matter since sustained output is going to be similar. Outdoors, well then throw matters more, so something like a D4SV2 would be the best option.

Fireflies can also do dedomed 519A by request, so the most powerful setup would be an E12R or E12C with 519A 2700k dedomed. With other options like the PL09 quad or E07/X pro being great as well.

7

The Convoys with GT-FC40 1800K actually cannot sustain as high of an output as the NOV-MU despite the much larger host size. Also the Convoys get dangerously hot if you leave it running unattended whereas the NOV-MU has really good temperature control and more efficient driver. The LUME driver in the newer Fireflies lights are really top notch. Also due to the whopping 21xE21A in the NOV-MU, they run in the very efficient mid current range. The E21A 2000k also has better color rendering and MUCH better tint than the GT-FC40 which has a very positive DUV. Currently there is really nothing even close the NOV-MU for E21A emitters in terms of efficiency, max output, and sustained output. If you want a smaller E21A 2000k or E21A 1800k light, you can ask Clemence to help you mod some Armyteks and Skilhunt lights using the E21A. Clemence’s craftmanship and quality of parts he use is unmatched and I use his modded lights every day.

Also personally, I much prefer the E21A 2000k over the dedomed 2700k because the 2700k is not warm enough and a little too rosy. The E21A 2000k mimics candle light, which I like. Candle is actually about 1800k

8

Why not get E21a in Emisar D4k? It seems like a very nice flashlight but with more ‘throw’ than nov-mu, so it may be more useful for what you need. I will say do not get amber or orange led because it is completely different spectrum from ‘warm’ leds, and will have very bad color rendering, for example blue objects may appear black with amber leds!

9

D4k definitely has more throw whereas the NOV-MU is a photography mule, which is also great as an indoor light so it depends on your application. But D4k only has 4 E21A emitters whereas the NOV-MU has 21 E21A emitters. Having more emitters means the NOV-MU emitters will be running in a MUCH MORE efficient range at the same lumen output vs the 4 emitter D4K. This also means the NOV-MU can also sustain much higher output than the D4K or any other E21A light in the market. Also NOV-MU has USB-C recharge so you can use it as room lighting.

The E21A 2000k actually has exceptionally great color rendering. It is actually a 9590 emitter. 95 CRI and 90 R9 (red color). It also has a R12 of 90 (blue color) so renders blue quite nicely. I just tested it at first to confirm. This emitter is very different from amber emitters or low quality 2000k and below LEDs which I also tested before where you sacrifice color rendering for a candle like glow. E21A 2000k is an amazing emitter for those that like the candle light atmosphere without sacrificing color rendition.

10

Thank you SKV89, this is a good explanation. The sound of the 2000k E21A sounds really nice, it makes me wish I have one for Christmas by the fire and drinking some hot chocolate!

11

I prefer the sw20 E21A over the dedomed sw27 519A. The light it produces looks cleaner and more crisp in a way.

My brain still interprets a white surface under the E21A as (goldish) white, not as amber or yellow.

The rosiness of the sw27 makes it look colder than it is.

12

Mmm another option is a d4k mule and you ask Hank if he can assemble with E21A 2000k and a linear driver with 9A

13

NOV-MU’s emitter placement is much better than the D4K mule because the emitters of the NOV-MU are lumped at the center whereas the KR4 emitters are near the edge so much of the spill is blocked. Also NOV-MU uses a white MCPCB and SS bezel which maximizes reflection. The LUME1 buck driver of the NOV-MU is more efficient than the linear driver and it also has USB-C.

14

The E21A is surprisingly powerful. In a quad configuration in can take safely up to 8A.

I’ve had a quad E21A 2000K in a V3 Wizard pro. It made more than 1000 lumens.

Quad E21A 4000K in convoy S2+ with the 5A driver was about ~ 1000lm as well.

When ordering a non-mule E21A from Hank you can ask for the 7.5A driver.

intl-outdoor.com states it uses the 9A nofet driver. That means this setup is severely under powered. Maybe he can adjust the current to 14A when asked.

I hope Hank will catch up because he doesn’t seem to care that much anymore. People will buy literally anything he brings out, doesn’t matter if it’s mediocre or not.