Looking to Expand my Collection with a Monster

Centropolis

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Mar 17, 2008
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Mississauga, Canada
I have been considering my next flashlight purchase based on my collection right now. I think I have majority of the categories covered except for custom build lights and high output P7/MC-E based monster. Custom lights are still too expensive for me right now. I really want a McGizmo in the future. So now I am looking for a P7/MC-E monster light.

The ones I am looking at are Jetbeam M1X and a Dereelight DBS.

A have a few questions on these two lights:
1) Although the P7 and MC-E lights are not designed for maximum throw at the moment, relatively speaking would the M1X has a throw advantage because of the larger reflector?

2) Will any of the previous versions of DBS fit any of the new pills that are available now? Like the original or V2?

3) For people who has one or both of these, are they heat issues with either one? I know that running them at max for a long time is never a good idea but which one has relatively less issue with heat?

4) This is a tricky one, which one of these will there be a greater 'Wow!' factor?
 

BadHobbit

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Dec 20, 2008
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Kawasaki Japan
Yeah, I have both the Deree MC-E and the M1X, and the M1X does indeed have a clear advantage in throw. For midrange, the Deree seems to have a smaller but brighter flood, but throw on the M1X is almost as good as throw on the DBS R2 ... but with twice the lumens. I would guess it is the size of the reflector that is making the biggest difference. The build quality of both is similar, but I prefer the heft of the JetBeam.

Noticed no heat issues, but haven't run them on high for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Regarding Deree version compatibility, they are as good as their word. The V3 and V2 versions should accept the same pill. A quick note to Alan at Deree should verify that.
 
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jblackwood

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Dec 4, 2008
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Miramar, FL
Well, for what it's worth I've only got the DBS, but I've got two that I run simultaneously with an MC-E and a Q5, R2 pill. I go walking with them all the time. Here are my answers:

1) Although the P7 and MC-E lights are not designed for maximum throw at the moment, relatively speaking would the M1X has a throw advantage because of the larger reflector?
Like I said, don't know. But I thought one of the only lights that out threw the DBS/R2 combo was a Tiablo A10 (which I don't own either). You'd think that's generally true, but my Malkoff Mag drop-in isn't as bright as a (comparable) Q5 pill in my DBS even though the Mag's reflector is bigger (from Kadomain). It's about angles in the reflector, I guess. My MC-E throws out very clearly to almost 400 feet. Lighting everything in it's path! That light is a little harder to see than a single LED with a smooth reflector, though.

2) Will any of the previous versions of DBS fit any of the new pills that are available now? Like the original or V2? I know that all of my pills which I bought direct and from the US dealer Flashcrazy (fast and reliable service) fit my v.2 and v.3 DBS's as well as my CL1H v.4. I don't have any other Dereelights.

3) For people who has one or both of these, are they heat issues with either one? I know that running them at max for a long time is never a good idea but which one has relatively less issue with heat?
My DBS v.3 (MC-E) gets pretty hot after about 6 minutes. It's too hot to hold without the extension tube after about 12 minutes. Yeah, I've performed several runtime tests too, if your interested, but they're all in agreement with the published ones by Flashcrazy.

4) This is a tricky one, which one of these will there be a greater 'Wow!' factor?
I've always felt this is a sliding scale. The smaller a light is, the more potential there is for wow. But size can limit performance too. If the DBS comes close to throwing as far as the Jetbeam (mine reaches out easily to over 600 feet with a strong beam) yet is noticeably smaller, I'd say there's more wow there. But please keep in mind I don't have a Jetbeam so I've got no way to compare. Before I got them, I thought the CL1H and DBS were noticeably different in size. Their bodies, however are identical, it's just the diameter of the head that's larger for the bigger reflector. If I had known the DBS was this small, I would have bought two right away instead of waiting! :devil:
 
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LED_Thrift

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Mar 30, 2005
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Northern NJ, USA
I also have most other bases covered and was thinking of a monster for my next light. This thread about the 900 lumen Eagletac Megalight interested me. It uses 2 x 18650 to provide the power that overdriving a P7 /MC-E requires. Due out soon.
 

Gunner12

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Dec 18, 2006
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Bay Area, CA
You can also look at the MC-E Neofab light.

The pills are interchangeable.

For wow factor, I think small size and good output(100+ lumen, 1AA size or smaller) should give the most wow.
 

MrGman

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Feb 6, 2007
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Looking to Expand my Collection with a Monster


Be careful what you ask for you just might get it. I can introduce you to my first wife if you are really really serious. She will light you up alright. :poke: :crackup::crackup:
 
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