What are some of the better/best LEDs on the market?

[speakerguy]

Does anyone know what the 'hot' LEDs are right now? I see a lot of the Luxeon's are not recommended for new designs. What are commercial mfg's in the reef lighting industry using, or is there anything that people seem to be enthusiastic about? The Avago Moonstones look nice, but are there any others? Thanks!

 

[monopolyman]

why are the luxeon's not recommended?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

For stuff I'm aware of, the Luxeon Rebel or Cree XR-E are the best bets. Of course, you want the highest brightness bins. Both of these are more or less easily available, cost around $5/emitter in bulk, and produce around 90 lumens/watt.

Regarding monopolyman's comment, I think it's important to be as specific as possible. Luxeon is essentially a brand name, and they make some products I would not recommend, and others I definitely would. For instance, I just suggested the Luxeon Rebel was among the best, but the Luxeon I, III, and V for instance, which used to be really popular for DIY folks, are nowhere near as efficient, and hence I would stay away from them.

 

[speakerguy]

Yes, my apologies. It is in fact the I, III and V that Luxeon now lists as not recommended for new designs on their website. Specifically...

LUXEON I/III/V is no longer available for new designs. Customers should contact their account representatives to discuss the availability of LUXEON I/III/V and for information regarding tools available to assist you in migrating to LUXEON Rebel White or LUXEON Rebel Color.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Interesting, given that the K2 is more of a direct successor to the I/III/V, though the Rebel specs out better.

Oh, it's also notable that the XP-G was officially released commercially a few days ago, and should hopefully filter down to our level of availability and pricing over the next year.