XT12S issues

This is my second light by Klarus and I am starting to be very concerned that I may never want to own another. I won a Klarus XT12s from a drawing and received it today. When I got home from work I was able to stretch it's legs. I quickly realised it has very loud driver whine in the med, high, and turbo modes. I also noticed that when accessing turbo that it automatically steps down an amount that is very noticable. Is there a way to fix this? I want to be excited about the light I won but it's hard when you find very noticable issues with it when using it which makes it almost unbearable to use compared to my other lights. I noticed others have had the same issue but the reccomendation that is mentioned is to make sure the tail cap is very tight. I did this with no change. I would demand my money back if I actually paid for this light. It was a prize and I want to send it in for repair.

The other Klarus I own Is a G20. This light also has driver whine and claims to output 3k lumens but multiple people tested this light at the lower end of 2k. Is klarus just a manufacture Plagued

I think the whine is just a thing with the Klarus XT models. I have a XT12GT. Mine always whines in High mode, but only in High. Not in any other mode, including Turbo. In other threads discussing this issue with Klarus XT models, it has been suggested it's possibly a throttle down of the driver. I'm not too technically inclined on the details, but it may be the result of the design and functionality of these models. Some have reported reliability issues too. I've had mine once cut out completely on Turbo and it failed to turn back on until I had to remove and reinsert the battery. After that, it worked fine and has been ever since. I've used mine multiple times since on night hikes and it has worked fine. This is why I haven't pursued anything in terms of a warranty claim, but I do agree that this isn't favorable.

There are many things I like about the Klarus XT series and especially my XT12GT but the reliability and durability that Klarus touts with these models has failed to hold up with a number of people. From driver issues, failures, to broken switches, it doesn't exactly have the track record of a robust tactical light it's marketed as. When the XT12GT first came out, it was relatively unique as a single 18650 high power thrower. However, there are now rivals with similar specs in lumens, candela, and throw reach. It's best that Klarus reworks these models to resolve the issues.

On a related note, I now see that the XT12GT is no longer sold with the magnetic charging adapter that was a mini keychain light itself. It was a neat little feature in addition to the magnetic charging port on the flashlight. However, it's now sold with just a plain magnetic charging cable instead of the adapter with the built-in light. Perhaps this was the result of reliability issues or maybe production costs. Regardless, the package is a bit different now. I have read some complaints about the adapter failing, but mine works fine. If it does fail in the future, I can source the newer magnetic cable for $5 online so I'm not too concerned.