Not to drag the thread on but on the subject again of Surfire lamps and turboheads I though I would quickly throw in my thoughts and observations regarding the KT5 turbohead and N5 LA. I've had some time to do some compairsons.
The N5 beam from the KT5 is vastly superior in quality and usefulness when compared to the stock bezel and X80 LA, however, I have found there is a slight, but definitely noticeable decrease in brightness and whiteness when the X80 is beside the N5. I would estimate a difference of between 5 and 10 lumens.
I don't own a magnifying glass, so I can't be sure if the filament of the two lamps are the same, however, the X80 is using a much larger, clear globe whereas the N5 has a much smaller globe, but most importantly, the tip is frosted, and this is what is most likely causing the decrease in output. I've done many tests swapping lamps and battery's and the results are always the same. With that said, the N5 is a much better beam that I would take any day over the X80.
The 8 series are good lights, but this is one of the rare instances where Surefire has overrated the output of these lights. They are no where near the claimed 110 lumen rating. A P90 is easily brighter and whiter, and I don't believe the output is much greater than a P60, and even then the P60 is whiter. I estimate the 8NX/8AX to be around 80 lumens hot off the charger and an average of 60 lumens would be an honest rating.
