I've been wanting to either get a HIVE engine or Tana mod for my Haiku and it sounds like you've at least had the HIVE and not found it preferable, so please share why others might not want to go that route.
Someone mentioned the H17F Dr Jones so I'll start there. This driver while not ideal can be made so by it's excellent firmware.
The Lucidrv firmware is a good example, if not the best, of clicky based firmware. Coupled with something like the H17F it is imho the best out there. Very efficient, adaptable, reliable, feature packed, simple to program and so on. I'll leave it at that as it can be read up on via the Dr Jones site.
The Hive however, is lacking, mildly complicated, unstable (visible PWM and flickering on the lower non PWM levels). It basically feels unfinished by design and miles behind the (H17F) Lucidrv.
Back to the 3S, this LE is solid and reliable and offers me what I need without the bells and whistles. It just plain works.
What drew me to the Hive was a lower low but I found the lows unpleasant/unusable. The Hive isn't terrible and I don't mean to completely rubbish it but the good old 3S is just much better from a basic functionality point.
I will also add that the Tana LE, while great for a mule, may not be ideal for a Haiku, for me anyway. The Tana LE doesn't sandwich the MCPCB between the can and the head, the PCB is a smaller diameter and sits up into the head which will seat the reflector further into the head. May or may not be an issue?
Back to the Lucidrv, a H17F or better still a modified one with less chips and certainly no FET would be perfect. Working with the standard format simply program a lower high. Moonlight works great so does every other level. Heaps of options, simply an awesome driver and firmware.
If this driver could be mounted in a McGizmo style can (sandwhiching the PCB) that would be perfect.
The Lucidrv (H17F) is excellent, the Hive is quite lacking.
End of story is basically this, I'm very happy with the 3S. It's the workhorse LE of the McGizmo.