Newer (2008) version of the SureFire U2 Ultra - the "U2A"

Ok just got my surefire u2 ultra.
Since when in the *(&% do they come with ssc p4's instead of lux v's?????
The ssc p4 in this reflector has a real small hot-spot, not the throwy wall of light I wanted....Dont get me wrong i still like it but ummmm hey its still advertised as having a 5watt emmiter, per both the site and the operators manual that it came with. I figured with a 300$ light they might...(enter sarcasm) let us know when they change things?????:shrug:

Ok so with a sscp p4 now does it have even longer runtime????
The beam is flawless but the hot spot is about 8 inches at 10 feet.
The spill beam still bright as heck and is about 12 feet in diameter at 10 feet.

input on what ya'll think would be cool

Pictures of the light itself and beamshots can be taken tonite if the beter half (g/f) allows me to leave the bed to play with something else :devil: :naughty:

Re: surefire u2 ultra

I assume you got this straight from Surefire and not second hand from someone who could have modified it?? It would seem strange for surefire to alter the current design since they are in the midst of introducing the new models. (UA2 & UB2)

Thanks,

Paul

Re: surefire u2 ultra

I didn't know either they changed the emitter to an SSC P4. I was considering to buy a U2 because from all the flashlights I owned it still has the best construction and hands down the best way of selecting different brightness modes. Here is my dream U2 :
- with a 5W Luxeon emitter which is swapped to the new Cree MC-E
- compatible with 18650 cell size

Re: surefire u2 ultra

Brand new sealed in the package....

So as far as I know these have not been moded.

Registered the light online and in the drop down list they are showing a u2a-bk-wh?????

Checked the battery tube no liner or nothing just machined to "just" fit cr123a's, black anno looks nice.

Re: surefire u2 ultra

As I've been saying, the [L5A] KL5A bezel is but the first of SureFire's updated lights as they transition from the LuxeonV.

The U2, becoming the U2A (do not confuse it with the "UA2") is the second model SureFire have updated.

It's only just entered production and release.

Enjoy!

Al

Re: surefire u2 ultra

Size15's said:

As I've been saying, the [L5A] KL5A bezel is but the first of SureFire's updated lights as they transition from the LuxeonV.

The U2, becoming the U2A (do not confuse it with the "UA2") is the second model SureFire have updated.

It's only just entered production and release.

Enjoy!

Al

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So.... Does this mean that I got a u2a and isnt labled as such????
As far as I knew the standard u2-bk-wh would still have the lux v??
The u2a-bk-wh would have the ssc p4????

Sorry for the confusion but you da man!

Re: surefire u2 ultra

Cool!!!! Thanks for the info Size15s. I wonder how output and runtime have changed in the new model??

Paul

Re: surefire u2 ultra

It is my understanding that the U2A should be laser etched as such. It could be possible that SureFire haven't quite got through already produced parts before they transitioned to the SSC LED.

The output of the U2A should be a similar change to the KL5A where runtime is the major winner [rather than output].

I suggest it is far too early for runtime/output details, and at any rate, wouldn't we prefer to see our fellow CPF members produce comparative runtime/output charts for each of the U2 and U2A output levels?

Re: surefire u2 ultra

senna94 said:

Cool!!!! Thanks for the info Size15s. I wonder how output and runtime have changed in the new mode??

Paul

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Well I just broke out the C2 with the Malkoff M60 in it and compared the 2.
The Malkoff is considerably warmer tint wise.
They must be running the heck out of the ssc in the U2 beacuse it is slightly brighter in the hot spot, and slightly tighter.
The spill beam on the U2 completely stomps all spill from the Malkoff, and the U2 spill is about half the brightness (or more) of the Malkoff hotspot, to my eyes, not to mention the spill beam is larger than the Malkoff's (but alot smaller than the p60l).
The levels are still spaced well but the low is super low! Lets put it this way compared to the E1L low (great level) the U2 is at level 3 to be about the same brightness, On the lowest setting it is about as bright as a Gerber Tempo but of course due to the tight hot spot throws at that level.
The body of the light seems to get a little hotter than the Malkoff/C2 in the same amount of time ( I know this is good heat sinking), but they must be running the ssc pretty hard.

I am guessing it has to be a U2 bin ssc or beter????


More to follow will prolly end up doing a full write up with pics and posting leter.

Re: surefire u2 ultra

I'm not sure whether SureFire did any work to the electronics of the KL5 and U2 when they swapped in the SSC LED and created the KL5A and U2A.

Re: surefire u2 ultra

Size15's said:

It is my understanding that the U2A should be laser etched as such. It could be possible that SureFire haven't quite got through already produced parts before they transitioned to the SSC LED.

I suggest it is far too early for runtime/output details, and at any rate, wouldn't we prefer to see our fellow CPF members produce comparative runtime/output charts for each of the U2 and U2A output levels?

Click to expand...

I think I'd just as soon know what I was buying beforehand! But I agree with you that I put more faith in runtime numbers produced by CPF members.

Re: surefire u2 ultra

Quick............somebody with a U2A and older 18650 body try it and make sure it will run on 18650s.

Re: surefire u2 ultra

superflytnt said:

I think I'd just as soon know what I was buying beforehand!

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As with the KL5A I guess SureFire's initial perspective is that the change means the products will have better than advertised performance and that if you don't buy one because they don't tell you by how much better the performance is then so be it - there'll be plenty of others waiting to buy them.

I realise we all like to know these things and part of this is checking the performance for ourselves against the manufacturer's ratings. I think this type of product update is a an opportunity for CPF members to really demonstrate the value our community brings to the flashlight world by exposing, exploring and sharing the differences so we're all better informed.

Al

Re: New version of the SureFire U2 Ultra - the "U2A"

I've edited the thread title to better reflect the nature of our discussion

Re: surefire u2 ultra

Being the old U2 used a LuxV which has a Vf of somewhere around 6V, I'd imagine they had to change the electronics a bit.

Size15's said:

I'm not sure whether SureFire did any work to the electronics of the KL5 and U2 when they swapped in the SSC LED and created the KL5A and U2A.

Click to expand...

Re: New version of the SureFire U2 Ultra - the "U2A"

Size15's said:

I've edited the thread title to better reflect the nature of our discussion

Click to expand...

Thanks man should have done that in the first place....
It kinda feels cool to be the first one with one of these things(well at least the first to document it).

I dont have the measuring equipment to do runtimes/outputs but I do have a good camera and can talk your ear off.

*Gonna run down to the biusness in a while will get some comparison beam shots then*

Re: surefire u2 ultra

Size15's said:

I realise we all like to know these things and part of this is checking the performance for ourselves against the manufacturer's ratings. I think this type of product update is a an opportunity for CPF members to really demonstrate the value our community brings to the flashlight world by exposing, exploring and sharing the differences so we're all better informed.

Al

Click to expand...

I know I do. It sounds like the OP would like to have known. Surefire is so huge that they don't really need to listen to the CPF community and stay up to date with specs (or emitters) because they do just fine without us thank you. Still, like the OP, when I buy a light (especially a $250+ light) I've researched it quite a bit and want a similar beam type and whatnot as those in all of the reviews that I probably just read. Any upgrade is fine but I just like to know what I'm getting before I order (even more so from their own website). That's just me but I'm old and don't like surprises

Re: New version of the SureFire U2 Ultra - the "U2A"

Great now I gotta buy one!

I'd like to do a head to head with my U2by2 with the deeper McR12 reflectors. Then probably put an R2 in it........

Re: New version of the SureFire U2 Ultra - the "U2A"

I think that having a P4 in a U2 would be a good thing.... but I am still holding out for either SF's new lights or Inova's new military light. We will see which one gets released first.

Re: New version of the SureFire U2 Ultra - the "U2A"

I'm surprised they just stuck a P4 in there... given what we know about SSC's to turn angry blue when run too hard too long. I wonder what SF has done to alleviate matters. Maybe it isn't being driven hard enough to bake the phosphor or maybe it steps down when it gets too hot?