Yeah, I guess even in the worst case it didn't exactly "ruin" the beam, just a slight dead spot around the corona. I guess it depends on how picky you are.
I'm not sure who came up with the notion "most reflectors sit on top of the substrate" as it wasn't me. I've only worked with XPG reflectors that sit directly on the pcb.
AFAIK the only reflectors/optics that sit on the substrate layer are XRE reflectors/optics.
First of all, it was me. And I stand by my statement, for example my Zebralight SC52 had the reflector resting on the substrate.
Zebralight reflectors don't rest on the LED substrate. The lower opening floats slightly above it.
Rojos, if you make a claim support it with evidence. Here a picture of my Zebralight SC52's reflector is, this is the best I can do as far as macro-photography.
There's a tiny gap between the reflector and the LED. The gap is visible.
Also, no insulator is visible. From a technical stand point, it's unlikely that a light would be designed with a bare aluminum reflector making direct contact with the flat part of a bare XML. Although the two upper contacts are covered by a protective layer, the layer chips off very easily when pressure is applied from directly above, and over time will almost certainly result in a short.
I actually dont think it has anything to do with being picky. But most reflectors are - for example - suitable for XPG, XPG2, XPE which all have a different angle. So the beam cant be perfect for one but it can be very good for all of them. So it will be very good with the Nichia, too. Thats for most cheap lights. If you take an expensive light with a reflector designed for XPG with good manufacturing (LED always sits exactly the same on the PCB), then swapping the LED to a Nichia might have an influence on the beam. Might. People have swapped the XPGs of Sunwayman and Eagletac flashlights which are considered premium brands without any negative side effect..
I'm not talking about what "I think" or talking about other people's builds. I'm just telling you what I have seen with my own eyes after having tried the 219 in several different XPG reflectors. Using the 219 in certain XPG reflectors produced a slight but noticeable ring around the corona. This wasn't theory or what "I think" should happen, but it was what I actually saw.
If my personal account is not convincing enough for you, ask owners of early runs of the Malkoff Nichia drop-in or the L3 L10 Nichia. They reported things similar to what I reported.
If you have tried the 219 in a stock XPG reflector and have been able to produce a clean beam, I would like to know which reflector and setup you used, as that might help me with future builds.
If you don't mind me quoting that post, ", but only at about 1-2 feet" to me that seems like a non-problem. And I will add my L10 (yes it was a 219) did not exhibit that problem.
Do you still have the L10 Nichia? If so, would mind posting a photo of the emitter/reflector area like you did with the SC52? I would appreciate it.
It is nice to know some output measurements of the 219, this is done in this CPF-thread (bare emitter in integrating sphere test)
I have lights with neutral XM-L's, neutral XPG's and neutral XP-G2's, as well as lights with Nichia219's. The neutrals have tints close to the 219, and reproduce colours well, way better than cool whites, but the Nichia219 is in a class apart, reproducing the whole range of colours very well. And as said on this forum before: it is the only light you can safely use to judge if the fries are ready and if the steak is done 
.
I am really curious about what light you consider for a group buy...
No, but I have an XP-G2 one and I could probably borrow the 219 one from my friend (who I got it for) for a picture.
I'm no scaru but here's mine
I'll add that is where my data comes from for my graph.
Can you post a beamshot?! On the lowest mode? Be nice if you could.
Very close one. My PNS really hates hotspots, there are no rings like that IRL.
And further.
Pretty ok beam, but there is slight darker ring around hotspot... or maybe it has brighter outer ring :D.
Thanks for posting those. Appreciate it!
@rojos: I didnt say it was impossible, only very rare. Maybe that Malkoff reflector was designed very accurately for the XPG and therefore the beam with the Nichia isnt as good. Or it was reflowed with too little/much solder..
I have built an Nichia dropin with an XPG reflector and I have used the Nichia with Carclo 10139. And with a very good optic from LED-tech but unspecified supplier in my quad build.
Maybe grind something off the base of the reflector?
I have 3 nichia 219's in three different lights
1- XIAOZHI or a d4 host from cnqgoods /fancyflashlights ..beam is smooth no donut or dark spot ..it's damn near perfect running at 1.7 amp nanjing
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/15234
2- Edi-t t6 smooth reflector made for an xre almost exactly the same size as a p60..again a sweet beam nothing wrong with it whatsoever no dark spots at all ..with a cigar grip ..and a 1.7 amp custom driver this light continues to be in my top 5 go to lights ..damn near perfect (I also have one in a xpg2 nw..damn good too )
http://www.edi-t.net/wordpress/?p=201
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGX_Z-3x5Tg
3- xiware L20c Nichia 219 running on the stock dual ramping mode driver the light came with .. A little underpowered but an amazingly useful /user friendly driver that allows you to set each mode very fast with short cuts to a super nice low ..1 lumen ..best of all of the beams although they all are excellent a bit bigger reflector then the p60 a little deeper as well with orange peel (made for xre )
http://us.dinodirect.com/led-flashlightcree-xre-white-led-240lm-4mode-waterproof.html
Just bought a 3rd one of these during Wallbuys 1/2 price sale
*** All three have been duplicated in a xpg2 nw .. and all of them utterly rule ...
Interestingly the tints of all three nichias are different ..Some part of me wanted to believe that they were some kind of perfect emitter ..it's just not so .... one is pinker than the others and one is more beige and the third is a tiny bit green ..compared to most other lights they are of course very nice tints ,but I have a few xpg 2 nw's that I know are better .. They may not be perfect but it seems they are always ...damn good
I have 219's build in a few lights, and also xpg2 neutrals (3D and 4C). One 219 is a bit green, two others a bit pink. Although the xpg2 neutrals reproduces colours really well compared to cool whites , only the 219 performs superb on the whole spectrum, the neutral xpg2's I have are good in showing blue colours, but the red's are less vivid.
I have made quite a few Nichia 219 P-60 drop ins and this bare drop in works great.
http://kaidomain.com/product/details.S008317
