I learnt all I needed to know (though I didn’t realise it at the time) one night with two Convoy S2+ models and a BLF A6.
1) Shine cool white 1A Convoy around the garden, look at the grass and all the coloured flowers, browns etc. - LOOKS GOOD!
2) Shine warm white 4C Convoy around the garden, look at the grass and all the coloured flowers, browns etc. - LOOKS GOOD!
3) Compare the two side by side, it becomes obvious that something in-between would be better, colours are, compared to each other, either washed out or browned out to some extent.
4) Hold the two together, double the lumens and a neutral white combination beam - LOOKS GREAT!
5) Compare the two Convoys together to the neutral white 3D A6 - VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL, in both lumens and colour!
Since then neutral white seems obviously best for me, in anything but a thrower, and the A6 with probably 70CRI shows a variety of colours better to my eye than any high CRI light I have tried since. Any attempts to beat it on colour have failed, my Q8 beats it on lumens and equals it on colours, but I think it has the same spec emitters. My neutral white H03 seems to be about the same as well, with a lovely even floody beam, but also I think only 70CRI.
I have 2 A01s with 90CRI Nichia emitters, but one is too cool and one is too warm, exactly the same sort of results as with the Convoys, their temp taints the colour, so there does not appear to be any advantage to the high CRI for me unless combined with neutral temp.
I have an S41S with neutral white Nichia 90CRI emitters on the way. This may be my last attempt to place a value on CRI above 70. I honestly don’t expect to notice a difference, and if so, the increased heat output, weight, and aggressive knurling will likely have me back to the A6 as my favourite.