Newbie-- Need help deciding b/t Fenix ld20 and 4sevens qaurk AA^2

robertt931

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
8
Hello CPF! Being that this my first purchase after discovering CPF I figured I would put the question out there. Im looking forward to all the replies.
 

fannin

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
201
Location
u.k.
i haven't got a quark aa2 but runtime is important to me so i won't be getting one either

ld20 is really high quality and runtime leader in it's class
 

joe1512

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
755
I think either one will work just fine.

The cost is the same.

The quark has an R5 bin emitter compared to R4 for the LD20+. Slight advantage there.

Quark has 5 brightness levels vs 4 on the LD20. Id call that an advantage.

The LD20 claims more runtime which MIGHT indicate more efficient driver. Would need to look at the AA comparison thread (sticky at the top of forum) for the real runtime analysis.

Looks wise they are about the same.

The quark does have some ability to program 2 modes which you might find useful.

Overall I would probably lean towards the Quark, but Fenix makes great gear too so all of the above are relatively minor points.
 

wankel_8

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Messages
2
I would recommend Fenix LD20, because of its easy-to-use interface, the design and the quality.
 

LEDninja

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
4,896
Location
Hamilton Canada
I think ease of getting to your most used light level is important. For me it is 15-60 lumens for indoor use. I find 10 lumens for my EZAA on the dim side.

Fenix LD20
Loosen head: General Mode: 9 lumens (71hrs) -> 50 lumens (13hrs) -> 105 lumens (5hrs) -> SOS
Tighten head: Turbo Mode: 205 lumens (2hrs) -> Strobe
It is easy to get to 9 lumens and 205 lumens. But I think 50 lumens (indoors) and 105 lumens (outdoors) is more practical. The light may run too hot if used in 206 lumen turbo for extended periods. All those extra click-clicks to get where I want.

Fenix L1T v2.0
Loosen head: Low level: constant 16 lumens, 32 hours (Ni-HM)
Tighten head: High level: 152 lumens, 2.4 hours (Ni-HM)
16 lumens for indoors and 152 lumens for outdoors is more useful than any of the levels of the LD20. 205 lumens is not available but it is only nominally 30% more, 10% more to my eyes.

The Quarks are available in limited run NEUTRAL and WARM white so you don't have to put up with the excessive blue of cool white LEDs.

Quark AA²
Moonlight: 0.2 OTF lumens for 30 days (1ma)
Low: 4 OTF lumens for 5 days (10ma)
Medium: 22 OTF lumens for 24 hours (50ma)
High: 85 OTF lumens for 5 hours (250ma)
Max: 206 OTF lumens for 1.3 hours (700ma)
Strobe: 206 OTF lumens for 2.5 hours
Beacon: 0-206 OTF lumens pulse for 18 hours
Too many click-clicks to get to 22 lumens for indoors and the higher levels for outdoors. 85 lumens is dim for outdoors, 206 lumens may be running too hot if used for extended periods.

Quark AA² Tactical
Works just like the L2T except you get to program the levels. Just loosen or tighten the head and a single click for on-off.
From:
Moonlight: 0.2 lumens for 30 days (1ma)
Low: 4 lumens for 5 days (10ma)
Medium: 22 lumens for 24 hours (50ma)
High: 85 lumens for 5 hours (250ma)
Max: 206 lumens for 1.3 hours (700ma)
Strobe: 206 lumens for 2.5 hours
Beacon: 0-206 lumens pulse for 18 hours
Again 85 lumens is dim for outdoors, 206 lumens may be running too hot if used for extended periods.

Don't worry about the difference of a few lumens. Make sure you can live with the UI.
I personally prefer the L2T v2.0 both for the simplicity of operation and the carefully chosen light levels. As I use 1AA torches for easy pocketability, I bought my L1T v2.0 some 3 years ago and do not see a need to upgrade to the LD10/Quark AA/Quark AA Tactical.
I have bought new AA lights, EZAAw because the UI is identical to my Millermodded Arc AAA and less blue than the typical LED torch; and the Quark Mini AA WARMS because the tint is like my olde Mag Solitaire :nana: and the carefully selected levels - Low: 1.9 OTF lumens for close in work, Medium: 18 OTF lumens for indoors, High: 65 OTF lumens for outdoors. I know 65 lumens is low for outdoors but I live downtown with lots of streetlights so that is a not an important level for me and I have a 3C P7 Mag when I need bright.
 

robertt931

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
8
Thanks for the quick response I think I am going to pull the trigger on the quark...ps. Im still amazed how much info there is on this forum. I dont think Ive gotten a full nights sleep since I found it.
 

shadow77phl

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
11
Thanks for the quick response I think I am going to pull the trigger on the quark...ps. Im still amazed how much info there is on this forum. I dont think Ive gotten a full nights sleep since I found it.
same here brother! :grin2:
 

CarpentryHero

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 4, 2010
Messages
3,096
Location
Edmonton
I own both, I like the quark because it's a very even flood. I like the fenix because it's compact and is a good thrower for it's size
 

tandem

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 5, 2010
Messages
874
Location
Vancouver, BC
I was originally looking at a 2xAA light recently mostly for bike use but ended up getting a 1xAA Fenix LD10 R4 over the Quark equivalent. 1hr 41m on high (not Turbo) on a single AA cell is ample for my in-town commuting and training, and I always have some spare cells in my seat bag.

I'd been leaning to the Quark, partly because there's a shop locally I can buy at competitive prices. What really sold me on the newish LD10/20's was the excellent runtime performance on Eneloop LSD rechargables and especially alkaline cells noted in Selfbuilt's review. While I don't use alkalines much these days, they do play a role in our emergency kit at home and are so easy to come by in every part of the world when travelling so I'm always predisposed to chosing tools using the AA format. My radio gear also has AA format cell holders for that reason.

Prior to visiting CPF I'm not sure I'd have realized the value of a tiny but powerful light as an EDC tool but I have to say I became an almost instant convert after the LD10 arrived. It is such a treat having a small, light, but powerful light always on hand. Before I'd always regarded lights as a grab when needed solution.

In the end I decided to scale down from a 2xAA light to a 1xAA light for this purchase because I decided that pocket-ability and EDC was more important to me for for this particular light as I wanted it for use everywhere from my emergency responder's vest (I do disaster relief work) to a thigh pocket on my shorts every day to my shirt pocket or tool belt when doing renos. I used to carry a clunkier 2xAA (sideways, not lengthwise) light around for these purposes (but not for "every day, all day carry"). And it had to sit on my road bike's bars too.

As far as light levels 9 lumens on low I find very suitable for moving about the house at night (we have young kids) or working on fine detail close up without blinding myself or filling out forms outside at an incident. Occasionally on an after-dark walk I might use medium (50 lumens); biking I use high more than any other level (105). Favouring the almost double run time on high over turbo, I rarely use turbo (132) except to scare off skunks which have become something of a nuisance in this fairly big city. Possibly I may use turbo more on a back country riding trip in a few weeks.

So I didn't buy the light format I thought I would and couldn't be happier for that. It is fair to say that the review sealed the deal in that I realized I could have the runtime I wanted (on a single AA cell or a single "installed" AA and one in the pocket) but in a more convenient size.
 

Colorblinded

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
331
Location
Rochester, NY
I've got both and the Fenix is a higher quality product IMO. Fit, finish & overall "predictability of operation" is better with the Fenix. Both Quark 2AAs I have aren't bad but it's something to consider. If you don't need the moonlight mode and don't care about the NW or WW (neutral or warm white) tints then I'd personally recommend the Fenix LD20.

A NW LD20 would be ideal to me.
 

-Ranger-

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 21, 2010
Messages
1
Hi All; another noob here facing the same question.:thinking:

A couple of factors pushing me toward the 4Sevens is the moonlight mode, arguably better pocket clip, and the complaints of losing the lower brightness levels on the Fenix when using certain batteries.

I have read that the Fenix is more efficient because it lacks the circuitry that would maintain the lower light levels when using fresh batteries capable of higher voltage. I just haven't quite figured out which batteries do and do not cause the problems. I'm no battery expert, so take this question in the context of someone that is not going to use anything unusual as far as cells go. I know the light functions properly on alkalines, but what about standard rechargeables (i.e. eneloop) and standard Energizer or Duracell lithium batteries you can pick up at any store? Will the lower levels still function on the Fenix using these cells?

Thanks for any insight.:thumbsup:
 

fannin

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
201
Location
u.k.
I've got both and the Fenix is a higher quality product IMO. Fit, finish & overall "predictability of operation" is better with the Fenix. Both Quark 2AAs I have aren't bad but it's something to consider. If you don't need the moonlight mode and don't care about the NW or WW (neutral or warm white) tints then I'd personally recommend the Fenix LD20.

A NW LD20 would be ideal to me.
an ld20 with a lower low mode would be ideal to me


i don't have a quark but i have done my own runtime tests on both fenix ld20's, eagletac p20a2 with r2 led and dereelight javelin r5 led. both ld20's ran for about 30 mins longer on turbo than the other lights, the quark runtimes i have seen were lower than my dereelight and eagletac times (about 65 to 70 mins with freshly charged eneloops). the r4 ld20 ran about 6-8 mins longer than the q5 ld20.

this is a big advantage imo, also the fenix has excellent build quality (better than dereelight and nitecore) and is much smaller and lighter than it's competitors


a moonlight mode or even a 3 or so lumen mode would make it close to perfect
 

tre

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
May 3, 2010
Messages
1,222
Location
Northern IL USA
The LD20 uses a cool white XPG R4 which is very blue color in my two LD20. I also have two different model Quarks and the cool white XPG they use are very green compared to other manufacturers. Your choice. You do have the warm tint option if you go with a Quark. I find the LD20 low mode to be too high to use in the middle of the night. The UI between the Quark regular and the Fenix LD20 are about 100% the same.
 

fannin

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
201
Location
u.k.
i prefer my ld20 q5 to my r4, it has a very clean beam and is pretty warm/neutral

the r4 on mine is very cool white
 

fannin

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
201
Location
u.k.
The LD20 uses a cool white XPG R4 which is very blue color in my two LD20. I also have two different model Quarks and the cool white XPG they use are very green compared to other manufacturers. Your choice. You do have the warm tint option if you go with a Quark. I find the LD20 low mode to be too high to use in the middle of the night. The UI between the Quark regular and the Fenix LD20 are about 100% the same.
i would not tolerate a green xpg
 

robertt931

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
8
Guys in a moment of weakness I just ordered BOTH!!! from the 4sevens website. I will do some beam shots when they arrive. I just really couldnt decide so whats a man to do...
 

njet212

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 30, 2009
Messages
324
Location
Indonesia
Guys in a moment of weakness I just ordered BOTH!!! from the 4sevens website.

Robertt, I think you just did right thing lol!

They both great light just let us know how do you think when you got it!



Cheers,
 
Last edited:

LEDPOWAR

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 17, 2010
Messages
3
I'm in a similar situation trying to decide between the Fenix and Quark. I've placed an order for two Fenix lights - LD10 R4 and the LD20 R4. They are going to be gifts but I'm not sure what I'll order for personal use.

Please keep us updated on your purchases. I'm very much interested in any comparison between the LD20 and Quark AA^2. :twothumbs
 
Top