Disappointed with New Dive Rite LX20+

[cmm26red]

I recently purchased a 2nd LX20+ to use with my FFM and the beam quality is nowhere near as tight and focused as my 1st LX20+ which is several years old. The new one has more scatter and also a couple concentric rings which my 1st one does not have. I assume this is still the Cree XL-L2 although the chip looks a little different between the two, as does the exterior finish. Does this look like a bad light, or should I expect this amount of variability in the LX20s beam quality between lights? I’m going to contact DR and would appreciate this groups thoughts before doing so, basically to call me crazy or not. Most of my diving is in poor vis (rivers) and the tighter the beam the better, I just expected it to be like my first one which I love and it’s obviously not.

New LX20+ Beam

Old LX20+ Beam

Side by side

New LED Chip/Reflector

Old LED Chip/Reflector

 

[Whitrzac]

Looks like they changed emmiters
They were using XML2 leds, not sure what they're using now

 

[runsongas]

i'm surprised they aren't using a collimator also, it would tighten up the beam angle significantly and it really doesn't cost much to implement.

 

[wKkaY]

When I still had the LX20+ (before I dropped it in the sea...), the second beam shot is what I remember it having.

 

[cmm26red]

Quick update

New light is going back to DR, they agree the beam pattern is certainly not what one should expect with the LX20+. I even compared to my backup CX2s, and they have a tighter beam compared to the new LX20+ I purchased, not even close. Will update once I get it back and what the fix was.

 

[acxc]

I had a similar issue a few years ago with an EX35 from Dive Rite where I was initially disappointed with the beam color and focus, and then after diving with someone with the same exact light confirmed that there really was just something wrong with it. It was over a year old at this point but I dropped it off at Dive Rite on the way out of town and had a brand new light head shipped to me by the end of the week. Their products do sometimes fail but their customer service never does.