“One more time” . . . M11 replacements for Solux 4700k bulbs?????

[Rand47]

Hi All…

The last thread discussing the demise of Solux bulbs, and various quality LED alternatives descended into oblivion.  But that was quite a while ago now.

What’s the latest thinking here on “good” alternatives in an M11 bulb that I can just swap out in my track light fixtures?

Dimmable would be a bonus.

Rand

[Frans Waterlander]

Good luck with that one, Rand. I haven't found any. Norb bulbs seem to be the best replacement, but they are standard socket types.

[digitaldog]

These don't suck: https://www.ecosenselighting.com/products/soraa/ but they ain't Solux.

[Rand47]

These don't suck: https://www.ecosenselighting.com/products/soraa/ but they ain't Solux.

Andrew,

Thank you! I have a small “stash” of 4700k Solux, but they won’t last forever.  I want to test these “before” I’m desperate.  LOL

Rand

[digitaldog]

How about: https://www.ebay.com/itm/197714242452?_skw=4700k+Solux&itmmeta=01K5YW2SJ7X6NM5E2R2SSYHDWN&hash=item2e08afeb94:g:on0AAeSwGftohYYy&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1etCEJurdpSfHoomrdcHxMGF1IS0x%2FwqZ3J3o5jJqSw7vxssN703W0mHaUbNVADILCtgaGjeOyiCat277HyYAFW0O0%2FJ%2FeuxL9Ri2IF2PZH8bAbyySjjegjLH3bCRW0eC4tuC%2B5YSpAIGq%2B%2Btz%2Fbyypx9bBB3gYhTMFS5nco2oE18NR9Hnx%2FPHWp4Y76o3SXhK7JbcnfIOgpHicR17B3CPQEaOgt%2Fv2LXnzv95HIfp%2Bd0eGzEcyLzVFMk%2FxxylqotYn0%2FLigwrOD8zPXqDxiBXMyxn2aZtw3VT%2BVskmce9ukQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6Kai9yvZg

[Frans Waterlander]

These don't suck: https://www.ecosenselighting.com/products/soraa/ but they ain't Solux.

Only go up to 4000K and exhibit an enormous blue peak.

[digitaldog]

https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=129587.msg1100962#msg1100962

[Rand47]

https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=129587.msg1100962#msg1100962

Cool,   Thanks!

Rand

[Lessbones]

Waveform Lighting (https://www.waveformlighting.com/) is the only company I know of that seems really dedicated to providing good quality print viewing lighting-compatible solutions outside of the price range of the major players (Finally GTI and Just both have real LED solutions)

however there is the issue of peaky blues--  Last time I spoke with Wilhelm he was concerned that the fading happening with newer LED solutions was worse than with older halogen/incandescent types:  turns out that blue peak in the visible spectrum can actually be more damaging than having a smaller amount of actual UV present in the lamp.

When I tested Soraa ages back they were the only ones using a purple phosphor to spread out that blue peak into something more useful, but I think the landscape of options has improved.

All this said, It will be very difficult to truly match the smoothness of a real incandescent bulb (light generated through heat) with anything besides something equally inefficient.  However, my understand is that the 4700K Solux bulbs were basically overdriven versions of other more standard M11 bulbs?  It would be interesting to play with some DC bulbs of that type and raise the voltage beyond their specs to see if they can get close to that 4700K.  Cooling obviously becomes an issue, as well as lifespan.

Funny thing is if you've ever measured actual daylight for yourself (or even looked at the graphs built into i1profiler etc.) it's way choppier than Solux due to atmospheric conditions, so Solux could almost have been said to be an improvement on the sun...

Edit:  I knew I was forgetting something-- the Seoul Semiconductor "Sunlike" LEDs seem to be quite a bit better still than waveform (based on a toshiba LED chip)

So far I'm only finding one obtainable commercial product that actually uses them (based on a user measured spectrum in the reviews section it seems to line up) https://www.amazon.com/Full-Spectrum-Performance-Near-Perfect-Rendering-Technology/dp/B07T6JB259?th=1 plus a bunch of other less reliable looking things on google shopping

[Frans Waterlander]

Waveform Lighting (https://www.waveformlighting.com/) is the only company I know of that seems really dedicated to providing good quality print viewing lighting-compatible solutions outside of the price range of the major players (Finally GTI and Just both have real LED solutions)

however there is the issue of peaky blues--  Last time I spoke with Wilhelm he was concerned that the fading happening with newer LED solutions was worse than with older halogen/incandescent types:  turns out that blue peak in the visible spectrum can actually be more damaging than having a smaller amount of actual UV present in the lamp.

When I tested Soraa ages back they were the only ones using a purple phosphor to spread out that blue peak into something more useful, but I think the landscape of options has improved.

All this said, It will be very difficult to truly match the smoothness of a real incandescent bulb (light generated through heat) with anything besides something equally inefficient.  However, my understand is that the 4700K Solux bulbs were basically overdriven versions of other more standard M11 bulbs?  It would be interesting to play with some DC bulbs of that type and raise the voltage beyond their specs to see if they can get close to that 4700K.  Cooling obviously becomes an issue, as well as lifespan.

Funny thing is if you've ever measured actual daylight for yourself (or even looked at the graphs built into i1profiler etc.) it's way choppier than Solux due to atmospheric conditions, so Solux could almost have been said to be an improvement on the sun...

Edit:  I knew I was forgetting something-- the Seoul Semiconductor "Sunlike" LEDs seem to be quite a bit better still than waveform (based on a toshiba LED chip)

So far I'm only finding one obtainable commercial product that actually uses them (based on a user measured spectrum in the reviews section it seems to line up) https://www.amazon.com/Full-Spectrum-Performance-Near-Perfect-Rendering-Technology/dp/B07T6JB259?th=1 plus a bunch of other less reliable looking things on google shopping

Like I said before: "Norb bulbs seem to be the best replacement, but they are standard socket types." Yes, they use the Seoul Semiconductor Sunlike LEDs.

BTW, the Solux 5000K were overdriven 4700K versions.

[digitaldog]

BTW, the Solux 5000K were overdriven 4700K versions.

OT!*

Thank you! I have a small “stash” of 4700k Solux, but they won’t last forever.  I want to test these “before” I’m desperate.  LOL
Rand

*“Think before you speak. Read before you think”. Fran Lebowitz
"Listen to understand instead of listening to respond." - Barack Obama

[Frans Waterlander]

OT!

Responding to the OP's remark about Solux bulbs on a thread about replacements for Solux bulbs is definitely not off-topic.*

*: "I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process." Vincent van Gogh

[Kyle Jackson]

Waveform Lighting (https://www.waveformlighting.com/) is the only company I know of that seems really dedicated to providing good quality print viewing lighting-compatible solutions outside of the price range of the major players (Finally GTI and Just both have real LED solutions)

...

Edit:  I knew I was forgetting something-- the Seoul Semiconductor "Sunlike" LEDs seem to be quite a bit better still than waveform (based on a toshiba LED chip)

So far I'm only finding one obtainable commercial product that actually uses them (based on a user measured spectrum in the reviews section it seems to line up) https://www.amazon.com/Full-Spectrum-Performance-Near-Perfect-Rendering-Technology/dp/B07T6JB259?th=1 plus a bunch of other less reliable looking things on google shopping

@Lessbones did you end up trying any of these bulbs? So far the Northlux (Waveform Lighting) and the Norb are the only ones I've seen that I can order relatively easily for the regular bulb sockets in my task lamps.

I'm also tempted by the Northlux daisy-chainable light bars but I need to sort out the mounting in my workspace.

[Lessbones]

I never did try them out, the whole "Norb" brand has a kind of junky feel to it, I wonder how they managed to get the exclusive on the sunlike chips...  I just don't have a setup that is conducive to using A19 style bulbs-- fluorescent style tubes are more feasible in my case...

[Kyle Jackson]

I never did try them out, the whole "Norb" brand has a kind of junky feel to it, I wonder how they managed to get the exclusive on the sunlike chips...  I just don't have a setup that is conducive to using A19 style bulbs-- fluorescent style tubes are more feasible in my case...

Are you considering those NorthLux / Waveform LED tubes then?

The spectrum of all the NorthLux LEDs are still blue spikey etc, but I guess that's just the nature of the beast. I'm currently using Ikea generics lol so pretty much anything is probably an improvement