Novatac 120P vs HDS U60GT Low Setting?

BytorJr

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 2, 2007
Messages
137
Location
Alabama
Simple question, perhaps even on the stupid side, but am I the only one who finds the HDS U60GT's low setting MUCH lower than the Novatac 120P?

Just curious.

Thanks.
 
If you're talking HDS with the stock LED unmodded then yes it is about 1/2 less light on the lowest level.

The HDS will also run longer. If you mod it with a Seoul it'll be about as bright as the Novatac and run longer.
 
I'm a little hesitant to mod my HDS...since it represents a milestone for me (my first kick butt light...Surefire L5 not included) and it's a GT model (I love the tint to it). Like I said, I was just curious since I thought I read the lumen output for the Novatac was 0.3 lumens...I think it's more like 3.

Anyway, you're from the same town as my favorite band...guess who that would be...hint...they're in Europe right now.
 
I'm a little hesitant to mod my HDS...since it represents a milestone for me (my first kick butt light...Surefire L5 not included) and it's a GT model (I love the tint to it)...

I took a chance and had my U60 XRGT modded with a SSC. I have not regretted it so far. The tint and beam are the same as before the mod and of course it is much brighter. I mainly did it for the extra runtime. Start saving your money now for a new HDS. It will probably won't be out for a while yet but at least it gives you more time to save.
 
Hmm...so you folks must not be big Canadian music fans or all you folks are very, very young and not up with one of (if not the) band who's been around the longs and STILL coming up with new stuff and not resting on their laurels. A band from Toronto Canada, members of the Order of Canada. Hints...Bytor....Snowdog....Tom Sawyer...The Big Money....The Larger Bowl....Working Man....





Still guessing:

I suggest you go to this web page:
www.rush.com
or
www.rushisaband.com ( for the latest scoop).
 
Last edited:
Hmm...so you folks must not be big Canadian music fans or all you folks are very, very young and not up with one of (if not the) band who's been around the longs and STILL coming up with new stuff and not resting on their laurels. A band from Toronto Canada, members of the Order of Canada. Hints...Bytor....Snowdog....Tom Sawyer...The Big Money....The Larger Bowl....Working Man....





Still guessing:

I suggest you go to this web page:
www.rush.com
or
www.rushisaband.com ( for the latest scoop).

Neil Peart is like the best drummer ever.
 
I certainly won't argue against that Oddjob - Neil is the best of all time (of course, he wouldn't say so, but I think he is). I had the pleasure of seeing them 11 times this tour! :rock::rock::rock::rock:Of course, I think they're all the best. Alex Lifeson has to be THE most underrated guitarist of all time! And Geddy....good grief...Just how do you play that wicked of bass, foot pedals, AND sing at the same time?????

And to think, they're not in "Hall of Fame." I guess since it's a product of Rolling Stone magazine (more or less), who's never even had them on the cover it makes sense. I don't think they really care, they've never been a "hey, look at me" type of group.
 
Last edited:
A few comments. First - I heard Bastille Day on the way to work and it took me back a few years... First concert I saw was the Permanent Waves tour and it was sweet - opened with 2112 and previewed Tom Sawyer and Limelight. I've heard Snakes and Arrows is their best album out of the last 3 or 4 and on par with their best.

Anyway - I've been thinking a lot about modding my HDS (in my case a 42) but have hesitated as well since I don't want to lose my really low setting which I like, and also because mine is an XRGT and the tint is, as expected, outstanding, plus the XR models aren't the best candidates unless you can get a low vf P4 since they are putting relatively less power to the emitter for each default light level (hence the extra runtime)... It will be brighter and run the same time, just not as bright as some other versions.

Still - Milkyspit tells me that he matches the vf as close as he can (since he has access to more dies than most) and even a XR will likely get 90+ lumens on maximum. But I use that maybe 4-5% of the time and I use the lowest setting probably more like 35-40% of the time, so....
 
Well, the GT is the part I don't want to lose. I look at my Novatac and say...hmmmm, not near as nice of tint as the GT, which gives the GT an almost more usable light.

I caught Rush in 1982, 2 years after Permanent Waves was released. It was right before they went to record Signals. They toured Moving Pictures, but nobody in my town knew about it (the tour) so nobody went. S&A is a great album, but took a LONG time to get used to - that's how I knew it'd be great. Vapor Trails is also great work, BUT, the recording (master or mix or both) is absolutely rubbish. Hear the same songs live and you're blown away, on the CD, it's so tonally bad, you can listen to 2 songs before your ears are tired.
 
tebore why do you say that hds will run longer than novatac? every thing i have read said different.
 
I took a chance and had my U60 XRGT modded with a SSC. I have not regretted it so far. The tint and beam are the same as before the mod and of course it is much brighter. I mainly did it for the extra runtime. Start saving your money now for a new HDS. It will probably won't be out for a while yet but at least it gives you more time to save.

That is a big leap of faith! I tried for awhile to trade my PD-S for an XRGT that was un-modded and nobody would trade me. I ended up selling the PD-S for around $325.00.

I just got ahold of a Milkyspit modded U60 XRGT and I will say that it is a fantastic light. Excellently performed mod on a fantastic light to start with. I also expect that the runtime on high will be better than my Novatac's as the XR models are driven at a lower level on high than the non XR's.

I would definitely send an unmodded HDS EDC to Milkyspit.

By the way, the lowest level output is not even close to 3 lumens on the Novatac.
 
:)>,

What do you think the lumens are on low on both a SSC modded HDS and the Novatac?

So everybody who's had a real GT is happy with the tint of the SSC by Milky? That's what I read hear, I'm just a little skeptical as my GT is dang near perfect in tint.
 
tebore why do you say that hds will run longer than novatac? every thing i have read said different.

The HDS has a better, less neutered circuit. There's a few threads showing that the HDS will run a battery that a Novatac will no longer run.

There's a few threads showing the HDS will also run longer. There's a few HDS's out there pumping out 120-140lms that also run longer.
 
ok i don't mean to beat a dead horse but, the run times on the 120p are way longer than hds the 120p at 30lm will run for 11 hrs the hds will only run for 3 or so but yes the hds is more efficient as it relay runs down the cell but it doesn't run longer
 
ok i don't mean to beat a dead horse but, the run times on the 120p are way longer than hds the 120p at 30lm will run for 11 hrs the hds will only run for 3 or so but yes the hds is more efficient as it relay runs down the cell but it doesn't run longer

I need to see the runtime graph for the Novatac. My modded HDS runs more than 4 hours at a setting that is close to 40lms.

I can't see how the Novatac can run at 30lms for 11 hours.
 
Last edited:
Top