MAGLED 2AA - when, where, how much, and what's it supposed to be like?

I guess I asked everything I need to ask in the subject line.

So far, my nearby Walmart has the 2D MAGLED only -- I didn't see the 3D, or any of the upgrades (the drop-ins), and of course didn't see the 2AA.

Is there any word on when they'll be delivered, how much they'll cost? (I guess we can assume Walmart will have them.)

I also was wondering what kind of LED they'll have,
and what kind of switch. Will they have the lanyard at the back end, and turn on with a twist of the head, or will MAG include some sort of clickie-switch for the tailcap instead (like a Nite-Ize)?

Meanwhile, it's taken so long, I finally did get myself a Nite-Ize 2AA kit from Target. The light output is fine by me, but I went back to the regular Mag tailcap after having reliability problems with the Nite-Ize tailcap clickie switch. (It simply doesn't always click on.) Now I'm itching to see if I like the 2AAA Inova Radiant... (Anyone have a comment on those?)

-Jeffrey

The information has been posted on CPF (probably recently enough to turn up in the dysfunctional search) before, but to recap:

Slated for later this year, I think late summer. I believe about twice as much as the current Mini-Mags.
Looks mostly like the old one, but the head is a little longer. You still twist the head to turn it on and and still has the lanyard hole.
The internal mechanism is all-new. It uses a very complicated looking focusing mechanism with a sliding heatsink.

So, it'll have a single LED instead of 3 5mms like the Nite-Ize drop-ins?

-Jeffrey

This is the schedule mentioned by Steve+Vance earlier:

...the release schedule for the Mags:
1. first to be released will be the 2D models, shipping to dealers May 15th
2. next to ship will be the 3D and 4D models, about 2 weeks after that
3. C-cell lights will ship probably in June, followed by the last to ship: the AA lights, probably end of June or beginning of July.

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They will be 3 watt also.

A 3Watt LED Minimag would be pretty impressive but it's got a lot of competition with the likes of the Fenix L2P/T, Nuwai 2xAA form factor lights.

They'll do well if it keeps the Mag quality for under $20.

tebore said:

A 3Watt LED Minimag would be pretty impressive but it's got a lot of competition with the likes of the Fenix L2P/T, Nuwai 2xAA form factor lights.

They'll do well if it keeps the Mag quality for under $20.

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the Mag 2AA will sell around $22-$25 and should initially be supplied in a presentation box, si,ilsr to the incan 2AA.

You can see a pic of it @ www.galls.com and then enter FL584 in the search box. They list 'em as backordered until 8/30/06...

Roger

z96Cobra said:

You can see a pic of it @ www.galls.com and then enter FL584 in the search box. They list 'em as backordered until 8/30/06...

Roger

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I think thats the 3 AA model, IIRC there will be a 2AA and 3AA model.

tebore said:

A 3Watt LED Minimag would be pretty impressive but it's got a lot of competition with the likes of the Fenix L2P/T, Nuwai 2xAA form factor lights.

They'll do well if it keeps the Mag quality for under $20.

Click to expand...

mag has no competition! :lolsign:
There are better lights, but brands like fenix and nuwai do little to scare the mighty giant. I cant wait to test out the new mags though, they could be a decent package (for the price)

Agree.....neither Fenix nor Nuwai would make a pimple, sales and production-wise, on Maglite's corporate behind and they have ZERO recognition with the general public. We flashaholics always tend to forget that we're, well, different......In any event, I'm looking forward to checking out the AA model. I personally have little use for the bigger models, already having incandescent lights that outperform the C/D models in smaller sizes. I think the 2 AA mini-mag is the true flagship of the line, FMM.

steve_vance said:

the Mag 2AA will sell around $22-$25 and should initially be supplied in a presentation box, si,ilsr to the incan 2AA.

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and do you think it would be any better than 2D "Drop-In" MAG 2D ???

or we are gonna see 2AA "Drop-IN" Mini Mag!


Sorry Empath


The Mini mag AA will be a new Redesign, I hope these will be better than the drop-in version of bigger mags.

Don't kid yourself. Walmart is giving plenty of shelf space to Chinese lights, and they'll gradually chip into Mag's market dominance, over time. Especially if they offer a better feature/price point.

Maglite cannot afford to screw this up.

Viren, since you've actively bashed in nearly every thread about Mag, I assume that you have followed the threads that show the AA MiniMags to be a totally new design. Drop in? Of course not, and you knew it.

Incidentally, what you point to as faulty, is as much good news as bad news. Consider this. Every drop in for C and D Mags provided by others have ignored the lack of any heat dissipation capabilities, and have sold them anyway. The Mag drop-in, recognizing the lack of heat dissipation, provided for it through temperature-based power control. They chose an option, hopefully to protect the module. Others chose no protection.

The ideal would be to have both the thermal control AND a heatsink. It appears that's what we'll get with the LED MiniMag.

What Maglite has done is to jump on the bandwagon with EverLed, Terralux, and Diamond, in offering a drop-in for the C and D lights. However, unlike them, they've concerned themselves with the heat problem. Their offering of MiniMag will be their real entry. They know that the LED scene doesn't require the big bulky form, so they're putting their real work into the MiniMag.

Empath,
Does that mean that I should expect heat-related trouble and/or failure when I get my white 6.5W K2 Diamond drop-in for a 2D Maglite? (Or the LuxIII in royal blue that's part of that order?)

I don't know a whole lot about this stuff electronically-wise, so I kinda ride the wave of what others seem to be doing (the others who seem to know the techy bits). This is the first I recall reading that drop-ins' lack of heat-dissipation can be a problem... What should I expect? Does this make them worthless or something?

-Jeffrey

Ya, the new mini mag is the one I'm really interested in. It also seems to me that it is the one Mag is banking on to truly enter the LED arena. It makes sense since the biggest LED sellers are AA based lights. The new design looks interesting. I guess they will be out soon in a month or so.

Jeffrey, I have a Diamond. It is an impressive drop-in. As far as the heat problem goes, yes, it's a problem. The Mag-lite was designed with incandescents in mind. It wasn't designed in consideration of the need to dissipate the heat involving an LED. That doesn't mean drop-ins like a Diamond can't be used. Short intervals of time will likely not demonstrate any problem. Long intervals of use will likely shorten the life of your Diamond. Considering the fast pace at which new technology occurs, I'd say you'll probably move on to something more before then.

Has anyone here had experience with PR Lux drop-ins frying? I'm just curious. LEDs aren't my strong point--average date of my flashlights is somewhere around 1978.

Empath said:

Viren, since you've actively bashed in nearly every thread about Mag, I assume that you have followed the threads that show the AA MiniMags to be a totally new design. Drop in? Of course not, and you knew it.

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sorry for bashing... I just re-read previous posts... and now recall.. that miniMag's will be a totally new Re-Design.

:candle:

Thanks, Viren.

Abtomat, I've never fried one through general use, but I do have some one watters that have lost their brilliance. The only 3 watt PR I have is the Diamond, and I haven't put many miles on it yet.

I am looking forward to the Mag-LED minimag 2AA for several reasons. The first being to see how it all works, check the output and see if it dumps the heat well enough. Personally, I have no use for the minimag LED model but it is not for me.

Since I tend to have uhhhh, more than your average amounts of flashlights laying around, other people will ask about what is a good light for the money. When they say money... they don't mean $$$, more on the low side of $$. $35 for a Peak Matterhorn is too expensive and $45 for a Fenix L2T is insane! Never mind the "blood draining from their face look" when they ask about the Fire~Fly III.

In the $25 to $50 flashlight field, the minimag-LED at $25 for 2AA, Nuwaii X-3 at $35, Fenix L2T at $45 and Peak Pacific AAA at $50 fills the small light requirements. Throw the Streamlight Propoly Luxeon in 4AA or 3C to fit the "big light" slots at around $30 should do it. In that price range, no "weird, expensive batteries" (CR123A) and NiMH maybe used since they are becoming more prevalent these days.

It is easy to recommend a $60 to $300 dollar flashlight... drop it to $20 to $50 and things get much more complicated. Hopefully Mag put in the research and development time into the minimag... they will sell the hell out of them and I can get saved many headaches explaining why $50 is not that excessive when purchasing a flashlight.