Hi all,
I agree with most people here. I tried it out only a few days ago, as I was already getting used to the brightness of my Arcs. So I pulled out the old solitaire with that bulb and held it next to the arc. The solitaire suddenly looked like a sorry excuse for a keychain light.
The AA Nexstar is a real improvement over the plain maglite bulb. A lot whiter and somewhat brighter. It does make the beam flatter and more oval if you completely focus the light, whereas the original beam can be focused to a spot. Unfocussed the Brinkmann does give you a beautiful round beam.
The AAA Nexstars are a big dissappointment. They are too big to decently fit in and the brightness is not very far away from the original.
You want the ultimate AAA flashlight? Buy an Arc AAA! You'll love it. It blows away the Maglite in brightness and colour of the beam. Most important: no dark centre ring anymore. And of course, it is half an inch shorter (same diametre).
Hope that helps. And, no I'm not being sponsored by Arc Flashlight
Luca