XR-E Q2 bin availability

[chris_m]

Seen a couple of mentions of Q2 bin XR-Es having been spotted in the wild recently. Anybody here got one, or know where to get them from?

 

[nightrider]

I have not seen any that were actually available for imediate shipping or any posts here where someone was using one. Maybe soon.

 

[AndyTiedye]

Surefire and the other flashlight companies are almost certainly buying them all.

 

[Nocturnicus]

The Cutter site still says mid January for Q2's - I think they've missed that one by just a bit. I was waiting, but I gave up and ordered P4's from Dealextreme.

 

[McGizmo]

Surefire and the other flashlight companies are almost certainly buying them all.

I had an order in for a reel of of Q's that was higher in flux than the Q2. The order was even confirmed by both my distributor and Cree. The delivery date came and went. Big fish got the goods. The same thing happened a few years back when T bin luxeons first started hitting the pipe. I was a bit disappointed that Cree opts to play the same game with backing out on deals when better and bigger ones hit the table. It helps when one recognizes their place on the food chain and accepts the market for what it is. :shrug:

Don't get me wrong, I think the XR-E is a great LED and I will get what I can! As for the company, Cree itself, I bought some stock in them about 5 years or so ago and that has been a mistake to date. Good soldiers don't always make the generals good or win the war if the top end isn't up to the task.

As to availability, I would guess we have a wait on our hands.

If I have cut my nose off to spite my face with this post, so be it. I suspect that some people and companies still include honor and ethics in their accounting process but others let the bottom line dictate all that comes before it. :sigh:

Could I have some cheese with my whine? :nana:

 

[chris_m]

So the suggestion is that even Q3s exist (not that surprising when you can buy a similar flux SSC), but they're all being snapped up by big manufacturers? I presume the yield isn't good enough to make enough to satisfy both the big companies and us little guys :thumbsdow

 

[Timson]

Which manufacturer would want or need the highest possible flux LED?

They certainly aren't finding their way into commercially produced flashlights.

It would be one thing if - for example you bought a Surefire premium LED light, safe in the knowledge that you would have an emiitter in there that was the highest flux and whitest tint available because they're a big enough fish to get the business and buy the best......but the really high end LED's don't get into even our most expensive lights - so where are they going??


Tim

 

[Long John]

......but the really high end LED's don't get into even our most expensive lights - so where are they going??


Tim

Perhaps to the real large manufacturers......Dorcy? :lolsign:

Best regards

_____
Tom

 

[McGizmo]

...
........but the really high end LED's don't get into even our most expensive lights - so where are they going??


Tim

I would guess this is based on assumption and not first hand knowledge. Because a manufacturer doesn't satisfy the CPF need to know bin info doesn't mean that they aren't paying premium for the best possible LED's out there. There are some quality manufacturers who state real performance specs and pride themselves on offering the very best that they can. Since marketing can never be trusted for speaking truth, the honest and sincere go out in the wash with the BS and hypers. :shrug:

An iceburg has mass and form below the surface that one will never see unless they can and do go below the surface. Visibility of course has a lot to do with it once you are under.

 

[AlexGT]

They always say the same thing about any premium leds. I wonder who this super duper big fish badass manufacturer is? I really think there are none out there or we would had the manufacturer cashing in on the publicity of having the brightest light around. Just my $.02

AlexGT

 

[McGizmo]

They always say the same thing about any premium leds. I wonder who this super duper big fish badass manufacturer is? I really think there are none out there or we would had the manufacturer cashing in on the publicity of having the brightest light around. Just my $.02

AlexGT

For the sake of consideration, let's assume that the target market of this big fish isn't CPF or any group of people interested in the bin of the LED or even the manufacturer of the LED itself. What if the market is only interested in the performance and performance specs of the light. Further, lets assume that a light by this manufacturer may be catalogued for a full season and probably additinal seasons. With the volatility of the LED market and the advancements taking place right now, it might make sense to get and go with the best available now so that the light starts out at a level of performance it can easily grow into and maintain as time goes on.

Marketing can claim the brightest LED around without going to the trouble of actually having it be the case!

Then again, these LED's may be getting stockpiled for a light that hasn't even been inroduced to the market yet and perhaps such a claim of brightest LED's available may be touted when the light is introduced. I doubt it but what do I know. :shrug:

I do know what I have been told and assume there is at least some reasonable level of truth in what I was told. I don't know how the yield on these Q bins has stacked up against projections but obviously demand exceeds supply at present and premiums are levied and the big fish get to eat first.

 

[easilyled]

In the flashlight collecting section, I saw one CPFer with a light that he
said had a Q2 in it.

I think it might have been a stainless steel Jetbeam/Civictor - can't
remember.

Therefore they are already in production and I have no reason
to doubt Don when he says there may be even higher bins available.

It is disappointing that the smaller guys are being denied these.

The Seoul-P4-Ubins might well be outperforming the Cree's that are
currently available to us small fry (ie. Cree P4 bin).

(Please don't confuse the term P4 between the Cree and the Seoul.
In the Cree its a bin, whereas in the Seoul, its a version not a bin.)

The market is such that there may be a lot of other options available
soon.

 

[enLIGHTenment]

It would not be surprising to see high flux, high efficiency LEDs disappearing into the bottomless pit that is the military-security contractor complex. They're going to get first dibs at this stuff because their budgets are infinite for all intents and purposes.

 

[LEDninja]

It would not be surprising to see high flux, high efficiency LEDs disappearing into the bottomless pit that is the military-security contractor complex. They're going to get first dibs at this stuff because their budgets are infinite for all intents and purposes.

It is not just big budgets. There is a law that allows the military to divert production to the war effort.

HIJACK
During the 1st Gulf War, the company I was with was told "The military has taken over distribution of water purification membranes. Military suppliers only. None for commercial users until further notice." Lukily we were filling 2 contracts for the Canadian forces. We explained our problem to the folks at the Department of National Defence in Ottawa. They kindly put in a good word for us with the Department Of Defence at the Pentagon. We were put on the approved suppliers list. Many of our competitors had to wait until the war is over.
\HIJACK

If the military decide they need Q3 bins for their use all production will be diverted.

A founder of Cree has recently started a company that makes special household lights. They will need a lot of LEDs to make sure every hardware store and building supplier outlet has a box of those lights. And the guy probably has the clout to insist on the very best bins. (He was mentioning 75 lm/W when the most efficient LEDs us mortals can buy was just over 40 lm/W)