Whatever happened to the SSC?

I've been a member here since 2002, and I tend to run hot and cold on flashlights; I decide it's time to upgrade, come here to learn what the state of the art is (and who the hot manufacturers are), buy a bunch of lights, then use them for a couple of years until the upgrade bug bites me again. I'm upgrading now

In the meantime, I notice that some LEDs come and go. The last time I spent several hundred dollars on lights, the SSC P4 was the hot ticket; I notice now that they're nowhere to be found, and the current excitement centers around the XP-G and XM-L (I've got to say my first couple of XM-L lights are wonderful. Must. Have. More.)

Does anyone use the SSC emitters any longer, or have they just been outclassed by the two I've mentioned?

(Patiently waiting for UPS to bring me my TK41...)

The XP and XM from CREE are the dominant flashlight LEDs these days.It wasn't that long ago that LUX I then LUX III were the class of the field but all of the older emitters have been surpassed by CREE lately.I know there are some new HCRI emitters from Nichia being used by a few makers recently but I see much about SSC LEDs right now.A lot of us have become more concerned with tint now as well as efficiency and output.

It would be wonderful if the popped back up with something comparable in tint and output as what Cree has released.
The beam profile they produced with HDS lights (and many others) was heavenly, and the body design allowed for a very sturdy installation.

I haven't seen that emitter used in a LONG time. Its just out-dated by todays standards from a Lumens / watt standpoint. I too took about a 20 month layoff from CPF. I came back recently to a storm of XML dominance. Its just a well designed large-die emitter, Lower Vf, higher lumens/watt efficiency, and priced very low. It handles over-drive currents very well provided your heatsink design can keep it cool. I think it also handles under-drive currents better than the XPG. IMHO the XML color tint is very stable when driven at very low currents, it turns a slight yellow/beige tint... no green at all in any of my builds. Even the neutral tint XMLs, (which are color shifted warmer to begin with) don't severely alter their color at low current.

I must admit that while my old Lumapower M1 with the SSC P4 is nice - love the beam pattern - the XM-L is almost as good and a whole lot brighter. I don't yet have an XP-G light (hope to this next week!), but so far I'm liking the XM-L a lot. I think I can live with that as my "all around" light.

kramer5150 said:

I too took about a 20 month layoff from CPF.

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BTW, welcome back!
Hope all is well.

Looks like the LED technology moves so quickly there is no time for nastalgia.
Thats where the incan fans hold all the cards.
Thats not to say a perticular body size or style cant become a classis.
But the emitters i think will leave its predecessors in the dark when it comes to the LED.
There is no room to be sentimental.:sigh:

I still love the SSC P4. One of my favorite emitters ever. :sigh:

The high CRI SSC is still one of my favourite emitter.

nbp said:

I still love the SSC P4. One of my favorite emitters ever. :sigh:

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I'll second this. All my keepers have them. Cannot stand rings in all the new lights! :sick2:

was the SSC P4 the guaranteed tint variant emitter upgrade HDS/Ra did?

Recently purchased a blue 2x123 Aleph 1 from Barbarian with the SSC P4 @ 917ma... beam heaven...

It's still around. The First Light Tomahawk and Liberator use this emitter. And I think the Surefire KX4 LED conversion head uses this emitter too.

derfyled said:

The high CRI SSC is still one of my favourite emitter.

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:rock:

sledhead said:

I'll second this. All my keepers have them. Cannot stand rings in all the new lights! :sick2:

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You got that right. I still have a few as well. My T1A, Twisty 100, BitZ, 3 G2Ls all have P4s. I had two Clickies, one 100w and a HI CRI with them too, which was a match made in heaven, but those were sent back for warranty and now are replaced with Osram and XP-G models.

tobrien said:

was the SSC P4 the guaranteed tint variant emitter upgrade HDS/Ra did?

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Yup! Plus cool white and HI CRI models.

scout24 said:

Recently purchased a blue 2x123 Aleph 1 from Barbarian with the SSC P4 @ 917ma... beam heaven...

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Sweet!

FPSRelic said:

It's still around. The First Light Tomahawk and Liberator use this emitter. And I think the Surefire KX4 LED conversion head uses this emitter too.

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Yes, the modular P60Ls and the KX4 all do.

I too love the high CRI SSC P4 in my HDS clicky. It's sad to see them go.

The High CRI SSC P4 was my favorite emitter until the Nichia 219 (4500K, 92 CRI) arrived.

the P7 is Seoul too right? is it as good?

edit: I'm assuming it's newer given it's marked with a 7 rather than a 4

tobrien said:

the P7 is Seoul too right? is it as good?

edit: I'm assuming it's newer given it's marked with a 7 rather than a 4

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SSC P7 is a larger quad emitter design. SSC P4 is notable in that it was available in warm and neutral (as well as cool), and the warm and neutral versions could be had with a high CRI (~94 IIRC). I don't remember what options could be had with the SSC P7, but all my P7 lights, while powerful, are a ghostly cool white with poor color rendering. The beams are powerful, but not pleasing.