X Bin?

The first time I've read of this ultra-rare superemitter being used in a flashlight offered for sale. The TnC Lithium Lux-V will be made with the XYOT Luxeon V; only ten of them, all sold. My question: Is there anyone else using X-bin emitters in their flashlights? I would love to get a pocketable flashlight with one of these LEDs. I would have jumped at the chance to buy the TnC light but it was too late by the time I read the thread. I would never have considered paying $300 for a flashlight before I read the majic code: XYOT. I bought a W-bin modded Streamlight TL-3 flashlight, but I believe the driver is not driving the emitter to it's full potential, it is fairly bright though considering the flood style light pattern.
Will some of the new K2 Emitters be coming with X-Bin performance?
Just wondering if anyone here is hearing anything coming down the tubes regarding availability of ultra high performance LEDs.
Congrats to those lucky nine who will be getting one of the new TnC lights. You few - you lucky few...

Macaw said:

Is there anyone else using X-bin emitters in their flashlights?

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There are a few around.

The K2 are supposed to be able to deliver x-bin performance, but that has yet to be seen. I don't think x-bin performance has been demonstrated on any of the K2 samples that people have received. I don't even think the Lith-Lux x-bin lights are going to deliver anything near 200 lumens. I bought (and returned) a Pelican M6 modded with an x-bin driven at 700ma, and honestly, it wasn't much brighter, if at all, than that WX1S TL-3 you're speaking of (that's why I returned it). So far, the only x-bin lights that I've heard of that seem to live up to the name are the SF turbo heads made by Arc Mania, but even then, without seeing them in person, I still have my doubts. Hopefully, I'll have good news to report when my TnC Lith-Lux V x-bin arrives.

Looking forward to hearing about the TnC light Trashman.
I would like to hear more discussion on this topic, that is, if there is more to discuss..

The highest bin code for the K2 is a V bin when running 4.1V and 1,500mA. By the voltage it is obviously a single die and not the series-parallel 4 die LuxeonV. Will Lumileds make a new LuxeonV K2 with 4 dies? It would make sense to me considering the K2 die can handle 185C VS 100C of conventional Luxeon I and Luxeon III dies.

If Luxeon does a K2 LuxeonV, I'll go for the Y bin to replace my W bin LuxeonV that I use now. 300 lumens from one LED sounds pretty tasty!

The X bins have been around for a while and many have sought them due to their published numbers. Although I would typically grab the X bin, if given a choice at the same price, I wouldn't pay a heavy premium just to have an X bin. The odds of getting an X bin that is a stellar performer are just too slim. I've never seen an X bin that just blew the socks off of all of the very nice W bins out there. That doesn't mean that they aren't out there, I've just never gotten one.

For me, I'll just stick with the semi reasonably priced W bins. I haven't had one of those disappoint me yet.

Thanks for the input guys. Interesting, it sounds as though I would be well rewarded by exercising a bit of patience... PATIENCE!?! FOR A FLASHAHOLIC!?!
What a concept..:shrug:

Most of the members have received their X-bin Lithium-Lux V lights with XY0T emitters by now. So maybe they can chime in and tell us more about what they think.





The Lith-Lux keeps up with the other lights even though it is run slight under specs. The other lights are probably running above specs. The Surefire Turbo Head is definitely running above specs.

The lights are the Lith-Lux, Surefire L2, L4 and a Surefire Turbo Head modded with another X-bin emitter, the XX1S emitter is running 1000mA. The Turbo Head mod picture had too much contrast between the spot and spill beam; in real life you could see the oranges in the spot beam. Instead you see a white spot where there should be bright oranges and leaves. Throw out the SF Turbo Head shot because it is well ahead of the Lux V normal curve. With the SFTH Tower mod thrown out you get an idea what normal Lux V light look like. Who said a Lux V couldn't have a spot beam with no donut in the beam?

The brightness and color tints are correct. Last summer I set and saved the camera color bias using a photo gray card. You can see the Lith-Lux XY0T beam tint is slightly blue compared to the other lights. The greenish-blue leaves on the guava tree on the left of the picture show the blue tint very well. If I didn't have the other lights to compare to then I would have said the Lith-Lux light beam was white.

The small Lithium-Lux V holds its own with the Lux V lights.

The Lith-Lux should outlast the other lights since it is running cooler. Small, cool and X-bin describes the Lithium-Lux V well. What a nice light. All around performance and build of the Lithium-Lux beats the feathers off the 'Flaming Bird' light.

The X-bin can run brighter then a lower bin. Or an X-bin light can be just as bright as a lower bin but use lower power to run longer.

highest performing Xbins I'm aware of is from the fabled MR-X X3T batch.

side by side tests MR-X X3T embaresses the Xbin turbo module by Arcmania. MR-X absolutely stomps Xbin turbo module. at least the one Xbin one I had.

don't get me wrong the Xbin turbo module is a strong performer, but just not in the same league as MRX's Xbin batch. luxeon lottery is still alive and well

Did someone saaay..... X-bin?

cy said:

highest performing Xbins I'm aware of is from the fabled MR-X X3T batch.

side by side tests MR-X X3T embaresses the Xbin turbo module by Arcmania. MR-X absolutely stomps Xbin turbo module. at least the one Xbin one I had.

don't get me wrong the Xbin turbo module is a strong performer, but just not in the same league as MRX's Xbin batch. luxeon lottery is still alive and well

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Yes, that does prove my point that X-bin lights can have high output. An X-bin light with a concentrated beam will have a great throw like the Mr. X.

ARC mania's light is built for daily use so it has a generous spill beam. I use the Turbo Head mod a lot because of the great spill beam that an X-bin can do so well. It must be popular because a lot of people buy the Turbo Head mod, including you.

trueblue, my last post was in no way downgrading MJ's Xbin turbo module's performance. in surefire's turbo head, like you stated it gives excellent spill and throw! (you do need to make sure turbo module spin freely in surefire reflector or risk breaking ground to spring.)

just that Hotbeam's MR-X X3T's performance is on another level. it's also being driven at 1.5amps VS TM's 1amp. but strangely enough MR-X runs cool even after 40 minute runs.

my MR-X puts out lumens equal to M6 with Lola and is a candidate for a Ybin. another MR-X owner has also verified simular performance.

To get an idea of what a U2 can do at 1.46amps, run it with 3x123s. Under those conditions with the new emitter, I see 4200lux (3200 2x123a -.850ma). Considering the original emitter was not a weakling (2400lux), I thinks some of these new Wbins are pretty darn strong.

EDIT:to put that into perspective,kakster told me the PK1 was 11000lux


I do think it is unfair that most people think the Xbin is a miracle without realizing that most are driven fairly hard. A 660ma L4 vs a 1.5amp is a nice jump, not even taking into acount the binning.

Cy, if you are brave, toss an a19 on your U2 (you have a strong one right??) and ceiling bounce with the MR-X. Back to the other thread, does the performance drop much as the unit heats up?

luna, no thanks... my particular U2 is an intial release model and performs quite nicely thank you!

no way I'm risking killing my U2

MRX is one of the best heatsinked lights I've ever seen. every joint is covered in compound. at 1.5amps you would think that MR-X would generate some serious heat, but this light is cool to the touch even after 40 minute runs.

it's the only LED light I've ever seen that's a serious contender with incand's output. have always wanted to do a side by side test against PK-1 which has an Xbin side emitter.

cy said:

luna, no thanks... my particular U2 is an intial release model and performs quite nicely thank you!

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Mine is too (700ish serial)but when has that ever stopped this crew . Apparently my almost 2 year old found it while I was on a buisness trip and she cracked the lens. It was one of those 'what the hell' scenarios, so I decided to replace the emitter (and study the circuit ) while I was in there (and ruined the approx 120 lumen stock emitter --and embarassingly a WX0T star -- in the process. Sometimes that slug just doesn't wish to release from the star ). Thanks to grnamin, pulling the heatsink out and shooting me some picts, I did this with out a hitch and fully confident. The end result has been worth it and I still need to get the glass AR coated(look at the lux difference)

On the PK1, the pictures I saw compare the PK1 to the SRTH/Katokichi . Obviously more spill but the PK1 has a heck of a large hotspot (and twice as bright) I'd imagine it was a nice bin and driven hard.

Anyone care to post a beamshot of a MR-X vs something like a U bin mag mod? TIA

Someone send me a U-bin mod (tri U-bin?) and I'd do the test.

I've got a tri-Ubin mod right here, but it's in pieces tinkering...

MR-X with it's one Xbin puts out more flux than a tri-Ubin mod driven by a fatman driver.

another HUGE advantage MR-X enjoys is throw. tri-Ubin mod with 3x 20mm reflectors puts out a butt-load of lumens, but come no where near the throw MR-X generates.