# Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and more!



## selfbuilt (Sep 1, 2013)

*Warning: even more pic heavy than usual. :sweat:*

Earlier this year, I reviewed the standard-head version of the Eagletac MX25L2 (with base Luminus SST-90 emitter). This was followed-up by a comparison of the Turbo head option a short time later, in its own review.

Today, I am reviewing the maximum throw version of this model, equipped with the Luminus SBT-70 emitter. This review is thus a companion review to the earlier MX25L2 threads, and I will highlight here the differences with this new model.







For those of you not up-to-date on your Luminus emitters, the SBT-70 is the current "throw king" in the line-up, thanks to the smaller surface area of its die. Overall output is not as high as the SST-90 (or the intermediate SBT-90). But I'll explain all that in due course …. 

*Manufacturer Reported Specifications:* 
(note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results).


LED: Luminus SST-90 P-bin, SBT-90 NB and SBT-70 PB all available (SBT-70 specs reported below) 
ANSI FL-1 Lumens for SBT-70 PB-bin: 1585/615/126/10 lumens
Runtime (6000mAh battery pack, all models): 1.3/3.5/21/200+ hours
Beam Intensity (SBT-70 PB-bin version): 203,000 lux
Beam Distance (SBT-70 PB-bin version): 985 yards / 901 meters
Center spot angle: 6.2°, Spill light angle: 55.8°
Powered by 2x32650 Li-ion battery pack (included)
Voltage range: 2.7V – 8.4V
Two groups of basic output modes, Tactical (100% / 10% / Strobe I / Strobe II) and Regular (100% / 35% / 6% / 0.1%) – user selectable
Brightness level selected by loosening/tightening head/bezel
Four levels brightness (user selectable sets) and seven hidden auxillary modes - Strobe/Strobe(Var)/Flash(Hi)/S.O.S.(Fast)/S.O.S./Becaon/Flash(Lo) 
Waterwhite glass lens w/ harden treatment
Anti-reflective (AR) coating on both sides (96% transparency)
HA III hard anodization aerospace aluminum (black)
Smooth aluminum reflector
Waterproof IPX-8 standard
Warranty: Ten years performance guaranteed warranty
Dimensions: Head Diameter 3.6 inches (92 mm), Body Diameter 1.4 inch (37 mm), Length: 11.5 inches (293 mm), Weight with battery pack: 2.1 pounds (976 grams)
Included Accessories: Spare o-rings, User Manual, 7.4V battery pack and spare waterproof charging cap
Kit model: Same as base model, w/ 18W AC-DC adapter (US/EUR), Automobile 12V DC adapter, rigid nylon holster w/ self-retention device
Accessories/Spare Parts: 7.4V li-ion Battery packs (R44), 18W Miniature AC-DC adapter, 100V-240V to [email protected], 18Watts (US version - UL certified, PSE certified - European version - TUV/CE certified), 12V Automobile DC adapter, Regular (MX25L2) reflector head w/ protective end cap, YGRB filter and diffuser filter, Lens, Rigid nylon holster w/ self-retention device
MSRP: SBT-70 Turbo-head version ~$440






As before, the MX25L2 Turbo comes securely packaged in the new Eagletac cardboard box packaging. The light comes in a soft fabric pouch with a drawstring. Included accessories are a replacement metal charging port cover, extra o-rings, manual, and warranty card. My kit version came a AC/DC charger, DC car charger, and holster (not shown above, please see my earlier MX25L2 review).

Eagletac also sent me the standard head for the MX25L2, but I believe you would have to purchase that separately. Note there is a YRGB accessory kit for the standard head model. This kit is described in my earlier MX25L2 review.













From left to right: Eagletac Protected 18650 (3400mAh); Eagletac MX25L2 with Turbo Head, MX25L2 Standard Head (alone).





From left to right: AW protected 18650 (2200mAh); Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo (SBT-70) Olight SR95S-UT (SBT-70); Skilhunt K30-GT (SBT-90).

To better show you the size difference between the standard and turbo heads, here are some MX25L2 pics from my earlier Turbo comparison review of the SST-90 version:










As you can tell, the Turbo head is a lot larger than the standard head, and has a flat black aluminum bezel.

All dimensions directly measured, and given with no batteries installed (unless indicated):

*Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo*:Weight: 698.6g (with battery pack: 974.1g), Length: 292mm, Width (bezel): 91.3mm
*Eagletac MX25L2*:Weight: 468.7g (with battery pack: 744.2g), Length: 266mm, Width (bezel): 62.0mm
*Foursevens S18:* Weight: 700g (800g with 6xCR123A), Length: 233mm, Width (bezel) 63.0mm
*Fenix TK75*: Weight: 516.0g (700g with 4x18650), Length: 184mm, Width (bezel): 87.5mm
*Nitecore TM15:* Weight: 450.6g (634g with 4x18650). Length: 158mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm
*Olight SR95:* Weight: 1,224g (with battery pack), Length: 323mm, Width (bezel): 87mm
*Thrunite TN30*: Weight: 468.2g (est 620g with 3x18650), Length: 179mm, Width (bezel): 64.3mm, Width (tailcap): 49.0mm 
*Skilhunt K30:* Weight: 636.0g (773g with 3x18650), Length: 199m, Width (bezel): 76.0mm

The 2x32650 MX25L2 is a substantial light, even in its standard head form. But even in the Turbo head version, it is not as large or heavy overall as some competitors in this space (i.e., the Olight SR95 series). The MX25L2 Turbo does have the largest reflector of this bunch though. 


































As I indicated in my earlier reviews, it is clear to me that these new lights were designed with law enforcement professionals in mind. In terms of build, the MX25L2 (even in Standard head form) is heavier than the GX/SX models, but still with good ergonomics (i.e. well balanced, good grip). The Turbo head version makes the light slightly top heavy, but not unreasonably so. Carrying the MX25L2 Turbo may be a bit problematic, given the size of the head (i.e., it fits in the holster, but may not fit on you very well).

Knurling is of reasonably high aggressiveness, and is present over the entire battery tube/handle, with some additional bands on the head. Anodizing is glossy black, hard anodized (i.e., type III), with no obvious chips or damage on my samples. There are a fair number of labels, and all are bright and clear (sharp white against the black background). 

Screw threading on the tailcap is traditional triangular cut (and fairly fine), anodized for lock-out. Screw threads are square-cut (and thick) in the head region where mode switching occurs. 

The MX25L2 can tailstand, as the base has a raised area along its perimeter (with a substantial lanyard attachment point in the center). Even in Turbo head format, I found the light reasonably stable.

The light uses a similar an electronic side-switch in the head for on-off, with output mode selection and programming controlled by head twist. The contact points in the head of the lights are fairly unique, as required for mode switching (scroll down for a UI discussion). There is also a charging port located directly opposite from the switch, with a screw-on metal cover.

From my original MX25L2 (Standard head) SST-90 review:


















Switch feel is good for an electronic switch – there is a reasonable traverse, and the action is firm. Grip is good with the texturized rubber button cover.

The charging port is a fairly standard 12V DC port. 










The AC charger for the MX25L2 (and SX25L2 for that matter) has a large transformer head and charges at a max 1.8A charging rate. This relatively high rate is to be expected, given the higher capacity cells used in these lights.

Speaking of which, let's take a look at the bundled Li-ion battery pack:






The MX25L2 uses a 2x32650 battery pack – shown here as a single shrink-wrapped package. 

I suppose you could use your own 32650 cells if you had them (if small button top), but this isn't a very common size. And of course, care should be taken when charging cells in series (i.e., important they both be at a comparable charge state, with well-matched characteristics).

Now what you have all been waiting for - let's get down to the differences between the SBT-70 and the SST-90 emitters. 

SBT-70 first, followed by SST-90:


















The MX25L2 Turbo reflector is very smooth and very shiny, contributing to excellent throw. The difference between the models comes down simply to the emitter.

To put what you are looking at into context, the base SST-90 emitter has a relatively large footprint, and a typical big round emitter dome. Note that this dome is distorting the true size of the emitter somewhat in the pics - it isn't really quite that big.

The SBT series of emitters (SBT-70 and SBT-90) are based off the same SST-90 die, but both lack the large dome. They do have a covering, but it is very thin over the emitter die. This results in improved light transmission for focusing, but winds up reducing the maximum luminous flux possible with this emitter class. 

The SBT-70 is basically a "rounded off" version of the SBT-90 (which has the same actual die size as the SST-90 – 3x3mm). By making the die round, you can again focus it better for throw. It is obviously not a simple task to produce a round die, as you can tell from all the bond wire positioning on the SBT-70. Also, logically, you would expect some loss of output for this maneuver (i.e., since you are in essence removing parts of the die). 

If you plan to get the standard head version of the MX25L2 (with any emitter), you can find additional information on the optional YRGB filter kit (which also includes diffuser, car charger and holster) in my original MX25L2 review.

*User Interface*

The MX25L2 interface is the same as the GX25L2/SX25L2 series lights. Turn the light on/off by the electronic switch. Press and hold for momentary, press-release (i.e. click) for locked-on.

There are four output levels controlled by how loose/tight the head is (i.e., the four levels are accessed in sequence from head fully tight). 

Note that as with other Eagletac lights that use this interface, the physical turning distance between the levels is not equidistant. As soon as you loosen past fully tight, you drop down to the second level. You drop down again to the third level after a ~90 degree turn, and similarly again for the fourth level after another ~90 degrees. This means that after ~180 degree turn from tight, the light is in the lowest mode. It remains in this mode until you complete almost a full turn from fully tight (at which point the light shuts off).

There are two possible groups of output modes available - Tactical (100% > 10% > Strobe I > Strobe II, in sequence) and Regular (100% > 35% > 6% > 0.3%, in sequence). You can switch between the two groups by turning the light on max (fully tight) and loosening the head to the second level and then back to tight, repeating this sequence five times in five seconds.

A new feature on these MX25L2-series lights is the ability to rapidly access a momentary Turbo from any head position by a press-and-hold of the switch when On. You can similarly access strobe at any time by a double press and hold (i.e. click and press-hold). Simply release the switch to return to your previous head-set level. 

To access the hidden auxiliary modes, do a quick loosen-tighten twist of the head (from first level tight to third or fourth level and back again). Repeat this twist to advance through the modes. Mode sequence is: Strobe I > Strobe II > Hi-Flash > SOS I > SOS II > Beacon > Lo-Flash, in repeating sequence. Turn off the light or loosen the head to quit the hidden modes. I will describe these modes in more detail below. FYI, I found it hard to do this head twist fast enough on the MX25L2, to consistently advance through all the auxiliary modes. :shrug:

There is an "energy saving feature" where the light reduces output by 20% after 200 seconds in Turbo. I see no way to toggle this feature off. Of course, you can always turn the light off-on to restart the max output mode.

There is a battery charge status indicator that comes on when you first turn the light on, or switch output levels. For the initial 10 secs in a given mode, the LED indicator above the switch will glow solid blue when 60-100% charged (on Turbo) or 20-100% charged (on Lo). It will glow solid red for 25-60% charged (on Turbo) and 5-20% charged (on Lo). It will flash red when 0-25% charged (on Turbo) or 0-5% charged (on Lo). This is reasonable contextual information, as solid red and flashing red are good indicators of relative battery runtime left at the current set level.

_Charging_

The MX25L2 kit version come with either a 10V/1.8A charger or a 12V/1.5A charger. Eagletac claims the light uses a constant current-constant voltage (CC/CV) algorithm. 

When you first connect the charger, the charging light will go solid blue, indicating charging has begun. Once the batteries are fully charged, the LED will turn to a dim blue. A built-in timer shuts off the charger after three hours (i.e., the LED indicator turns off). 

The manual warns that if the batteries are fully discharged, three hours may not be enough time to fully charge them (i.e., may be only ~90% charged at that point). Simply unplugging the charger and plugging it back in at any point restarts the clock, and will allow you to complete a full charge. Basically, you want to make sure the charger goes to a dim blue before it shuts off, to be sure the batteries are fully charged. You can disconnect the charger once this point is reached.

From a fully discharged state, the charging time for my MX25L2 sample (with the 10V/1.8A charger) was about 4 hours for a full charge. As a result, you will need to re-plug the charger as the manual suggests.

In my testing of these GX/SX/MX25L2 lights, the chargers all terminated at ~8.31-8.32V. That would translate into ~4.16V per cell, which is on the conservative side for a Li-ion charger (i.e. typically, ~4.2V fully charged). But it is always better to slightly under-charge than over-charge your cells, in terms of long-term battery stability (even if it means not being at fully charged capacity).

*Video*: 

For more information on this new MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70, please see my video overview of this specific model:

[video=youtube;PBNz5GT7gNU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= PBNz5GT7gNU[/video]

For more background information on these GX/SX/MX25L2 series, including the common build and user interface, please see my video overview of the whole series:



Videos were recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once a video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen. 

As with all my videos, I recommend you have annotations turned on. I commonly update the commentary with additional information or clarifications before publicly releasing the video.

*PWM/Strobe*

As before, there is no sign of PWM at any output level, on any light in this series – I presume all are current-controlled.  

Strobe I:





The main strobe is a high frequency strobe, measured at 13.5 Hz on my MX25L2. 

Strobe II:





The second strobe mode is an alternating or "oscillating" strobe, switching between 8.8Hz and 20.5Hz every 2 seconds

Hi-Flash:





Hi-Flash is basically a full power slow strobe/beacon mode. Frequency was a reasonable 2.25Hz in my testing. Note that the deflection spikes you see above are just the on and off signals of the pulse (i.e., it spends roughly half the time on, half the time off, with each pulse). 

SOS I:





The "fast" SOS signals the full SOS sequence (dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash, dot-dot-dot) in just under 3 secs. Note again that the traces above refer to both the on- and off-signal for each pulse of light.

SOS II:





In contrast, the "slow" SOS takes just under 3 seconds just do the "S" (i.e. dot-dot-dot), and about 4 second to do the "O" (i.e., dash-dash-dash), with a good 3 seconds in-between each Morse code letter. Personally, this seems far more useful than the rather frenetic initial SOS mode.

Beacon:





Beacon is a slow full output flash (almost 2 secs long), re-occurring approximately every ~20 secs (i.e., a very slow beacon).

Lo-Flash:

Lo-Flash is a lower output, slower frequency strobe/beacon than Hi-Flash. I detected 12 flashes in a ~20 sec period (i.e. about 0.6Hz). 

*Standby Drain*

A standby current drain is inevitable on these lights, due to the electronic switch in the head. Here is how the two MX25L2 samples in my collection compare, on their standard battery packs:

MX25L2 (SST-90): ~160uA
MX25L2 (SBT-70): ~190uA

Note that the above are approximate, as the lights briefly come on with a ~400uA initial reading (corresponding to the LED charge indicator flash upon connection), which quickly drops down to <170uA on my original SST-90 version and <200uA on my SBT-70. after about the 30 secs, it seems to stabilize at the readings above, but it may be continuing to drop down.

Given the rated capacities of the cells (i.e., 2x in series, which means you compare the mAh of a single cell), those currents would translate as follows:

MX25L2 (SST-90): 6000mAh cells = 4.3 years
MX25L2 (SBT-70): 6000mAh cells = 3.6 years

Either way, these standby drains are pretty inconsequential, and not a concern.  That said, I do recommend you store the lights locked out at the tailcap when not in use, to prevent the risk of accidental switch activation.

*Beamshots:*

And now, what you have all been waiting for.  All lights are on their standard battery, or AW protected 18650 2200mAh for the multi-18650 lights. Lights are about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences. 

_*Note:* My original MX25L2 Turbo doesn't have the emitter labeled below, but it is the SST-90 version._





























































As expected, the SBT-70-equipped MX25L2 Turbo exceeds the peak centre throw of the standard SST-90 MX25L2 Turbo. The spill beam width is slightly higher on the SBT-70 version. In terms of the nearest competition, the MX25L2 SBT-70 also has a slightly more intense hotspot than the Olight SR95S-UT SBT-70. You can't really tell by how much in these up-close beamshots though – for that, scroll down to the outdoor shots and detailed output/throw table. 
*
UPDATE OCTOBER 4, 2013:*

For outdoor beamshots, these are all done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). I think this batch of outdoor beamshots looks fairly good, due to all the Fall colors in the trees. 

Let's start with a comparison of the MX25L2 Turbo, with both the standard SST-90 and SBT-70:










As you'd expected, the SBT-70 has less output overall, but throws quite a bit further than the larger-die SST-90. oo:

How does the MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 version compare to the Olight SR95S-UT (also SBT-70)?










There is a slight advantage to the Eagletac model for throw (i.e., it is slightly more focused), but the difference isn't huge. Overall output is basically the same between these lights, although the SR95S-UT spillbeam is marginally wider. These results entirely are consistent with my actual beam distance and output measures (scroll down for the comparison table).

By the way, if you are curious as to how the regular SST-90 version of the Eageltac and Olight throwers make out, here you go:










You can see both the output and throw of the MX25L2 Turbo head exceeds the SR95, when matched with the same SST-90 emitter (although the difference isn't huge). As you will see below, this is again entirely consistent with my measured beam distance and output results. 

And again, please ignore any tint differences in all of the above – they are mainly due to the automatic white balance setting on the camera. 

*Testing Method:* 

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, as described on my flashlightreviews.ca website. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info. 

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).






And we have a new winner – _the MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 is the furthest throwing LED light in my collection at the moment_.  It narrowly unseats the previous champ, the SBT-70-equipped SR95S-UT (_sic transit gloria mundi_). 

As you would expect, overall output is lower than the SST-90-equipped version of the MX25L2 Turbo (i.e., the smaller die of the SBT-70 facilitates focusing, but limits output). Consistent with my other recent Eagletac reviews, my throw measures are higher than the reported ANSI FL-1 specs. 

The output specs seem pretty accurate, as compared to my lumen estimation method for high-output lights: 






*Output/Runtime Graphs:*






Again, overall output will be lower on the SBT-70 version, due to the smaller die. It's interesting to see above that there is little change to runtime.










Like many high-output lights, there is a step-down on Turbo after 200secs runtime. Overall output is very similar to my SR95S-UT over most of the run – with the MX25L2 SBT-70 maintaining excellent regulation. On the whole, runtimes remain impressive for the MX25L2 models (i.e., the 2x32650 used here are not that far off the much larger 6x18650 pack on the SR95 series lights). oo:

*Potential Issues*

As with other Eagletac models where output mode is set by the degree the head is tightened, you need to keep all contact surfaces in the head scrupulously clean. Otherwise, you may experience mode switching problems due to contact surface issues.

The charger has an automatic shut-off feature after 3 hours – which will not be sufficient to fully charge a depleted battery pack on the MX25L2 (i.e., takes about 4 hours). Simply restarting the charge cycle will complete the charge.

The Turbo version of the MX25L2 is fairly large, with a somewhat disproportionate head. This makes carrying the light a challenge (i.e., while it still fits in the belt holster, it is unlikely to fit well on your hip). Unlike the Olight SR95 series lights, there is no option for a shoulder strap here.

*Preliminary Observations*

The MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 has unseated my Olight SR95S-UT (SBT-70) as the current stock LED throw king. :bow: 

For those who track these things, the MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 is currently the furthest throwing LED light in my collection. Of course, how long it will stay that way is anybody's guess - like the highest output light, this is always a moving target. 

I've previously described the build of the MX25L2 series, and of the Turbo option specifically, so I won't belabor all the points here. But to summarize the highlights - I like the build, user interface and overall feel of the MX25L2 series. It is a substantial light, even in standard head form, but offers a lot power, runtime and versatility. Not to mention an insane amount of throw in Turbo form. 

As previously discussed for my SST-90 version, the Turbo head option brings the MX25L2 to the top of the throw class for that emitter. The SBT-70 version reviewed here does the same for this emitter – this light throws an incredible distance. In practice, I don’t imagine people will find a much of a throw difference between this light and the Olight SR95S-UT – but the MX25L2 is a bit smaller and lighter, which might facilitate carry. That said, neither light is particularly easy to carry any distance, and I think we have reached the size limit for what is a feasible for hand-held use in the field.

If you are a throw junky, I imagine the MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 will be a very attractive option for you. But the SBT-90 and SST-90 provide even greater output, for a slight drop-off in peak throw distance. All are worthy of consideration in this class.

----

MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 was provided by Eagletac for review.


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## shelm (Sep 1, 2013)

first to say hi and thanks! :wave:


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## whatswrongwithmee (Sep 1, 2013)

I still can't believe how a tiny little LED can do that... 

I mean, 1km+ of throw? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE! I bet there is almost no spill like the SR95SUT? I prefer monster throw + monster spill even though I have absolutely no reason for it, case in point are my Fenix RC40 and TK75. 

I use my 140 lumen Nitecore the most...


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## Lurveleven (Sep 2, 2013)

Thank you very much for the review, I have been looking forward to it a long time.
It would be very interesting to also know the lux with the standard head.


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## holylight (Sep 2, 2013)

*Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

We need to see beam shots of this throw king. Thanks for the review!


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## selfbuilt (Sep 2, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



whatswrongwithmee said:


> I mean, 1km+ of throw? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE! I bet there is almost no spill like the SR95SUT? I prefer monster throw + monster spill even though I have absolutely no reason for it, case in point are my Fenix RC40 and TK75.


Yes, there is relatively less spill with these heavy SBT-70 throwers. You can see a bit of that compared to the SST-90 verison of the MX25L2 in my white wall beamshots. Note that you can directly compare the pics from my TK75 review, to see how the spill looks. Case in 



















Lurveleven said:


> It would be very interesting to also know the lux with the standard head.


Just tested the SBT-70 with the standard head, and I get 126,500cd peak intensity - which translates into 711m beam distance.

That's compared to 285,500cd and 1069m with the bundled turbohead. 



holylight said:


> We need to see beam shots of this throw king. Thanks for the review!


They are coming ... should be about a week or so.


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## Lurveleven (Sep 2, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



selfbuilt said:


> Just tested the SBT-70 with the standard head, and I get 126,500cd peak intensity - which translates into 711m beam distance.



Thank you for this, that is really good for that head size. It beats the SX25L2 turbo with the same head size, and it has the same throw as the SR95 (SST-90) which is much bigger. Since the MX25L2 doesn't have a carry strap, I don't think I can see myself carry it with the turbo head, but with the standard head it is carry-able.


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## selfbuilt (Sep 3, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



Lurveleven said:


> Thank you for this, that is really good for that head size. It beats the SX25L2 turbo with the same head size, and it has the same throw as the SR95 (SST-90) which is much bigger. Since the MX25L2 doesn't have a carry strap, I don't think I can see myself carry it with the turbo head, but with the standard head it is carry-able.


Interesting observation ... yes, the standard head does make this an easier to carry light, while maintaining the base SR95 level of throw.


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## Alex1234 (Sep 3, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

That reflector is huge. I could not even imagine how much throw you would get if you stuck a direct bonded to copper over drivin xml2 in there. My modded tn31 gets 500k. Looks like leds have cought up to hids in the throw department as well


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## Ryp (Sep 21, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

Beamshots


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## selfbuilt (Sep 21, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



Ryp said:


> Beamshots


Yes, they are coming - the weather and my travel schedule have just not been accommodating lately.


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## Ryp (Sep 21, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



selfbuilt said:


> Yes, they are coming - the weather and my travel schedule have just not been accommodating lately.


Thank you  Where in Canada are you located?


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## Blitzwing (Sep 22, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

Whoah - that is some throw!


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## KarstGhost (Sep 22, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

Thanks for another awesome review!

I'm trying to figure out how it out throws the Olight...is the reflector that much larger?? Looks like they are both putting out the same total lumen.


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## selfbuilt (Sep 22, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



KarstGhost said:


> I'm trying to figure out how it out throws the Olight...is the reflector that much larger?? Looks like they are both putting out the same total lumen.


Yes, the reflector is slightly larger in all dimensions (as near as I can tell, I haven't disassembled to measure). But it of course also comes down to specific reflector curvature.


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## selfbuilt (Oct 4, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

Sorry for the delay - I have now updated the main thread with outdoor beamshots for this light. :wave:

For these outdoor beamshots, they are all done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). I think this batch of outdoor beamshots looks fairly good, due to all the Fall colors in the trees. 

Let's start with a comparison of the MX25L2 Turbo, with both the standard SST-90 and SBT-70:










As you'd expected, the SBT-70 has less output overall, but throws quite a bit further than the larger-die SST-90. oo:

How does the MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 version compare to the Olight SR95S-UT (also SBT-70)?










There is a slight advantage to the Eagletac model for throw (i.e., it is slightly more focused), but the difference isn't huge. Overall output is basically the same between these lights, although the SR95S-UT spillbeam is marginally wider. These results entirely are consistent with my actual beam distance and output measures (scroll back up to the main review for the comparison table).

By the way, if you are curious as to how the regular SST-90 version of the Eageltac and Olight throwers make out, here you go:










You can see both the output and throw of the MX25L2 Turbo head exceeds the SR95, when matched with the same SST-90 emitter (although the difference isn't huge). As you will see above, this is again entirely consistent with my measured beam distance and output results. 

And again, please ignore any tint differences in all of the above – they are mainly due to the automatic white balance setting on the camera.


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## Ryp (Oct 4, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

This is great, thanks a lot!


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## HIDSGT (Oct 5, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

wow great review! extremely helpful. thanx


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## Xe54 (Nov 12, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



selfbuilt said:


> Just tested the SBT-70 with the standard head, and I get 126,500cd peak intensity - which translates into 711m beam distance.
> That's compared to 285,500cd and 1069m with the bundled turbohead.



Has anyone taken beamshots of the standard head MX25L2 SBT-70 ?

I'm close to buying one, since the turbo head is too big for my tastes. If the std. head MX25L2 SBT-70 can perform similarly or a little better at throwing than my Olight SR-90 Intimidator, then I'd be very happy and would want to sell the SR-90.


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## Mr. Tone (Nov 13, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



Xe54 said:


> Has anyone taken beamshots of the standard head MX25L2 SBT-70 ?
> 
> I'm close to buying one, since the turbo head is too big for my tastes. If the std. head MX25L2 SBT-70 can perform similarly or a little better at throwing than my Olight SR-90 Intimidator, then I'd be very happy and would want to sell the SR-90.



You should be able to take the relative difference between the SST90 turbo and the SBT70 turbo to estimate the lux. The difference is approx 1.8 times more candela with the SBT70 vs SST90 turbo heads. So since the SST90 regular head was 74,000 candela the SBT70 should be somewhere around 130,000 candela with the regular head. So there you have it, a light similar in size to a 2D Maglite beating the Olight SR90. Sell the Olight and get the Eagletac and don't look back with that huge monster of a light. Here are Eagletac's specs for that combo on their website. Keep in mind, selfbuilt has consistently found Eagletac's numbers to be on conservative side.


SBT-70 PB 
Center lux: 104,800 lux
Center spot angle: 6°
Spill light angle: 54°
Beam distance: 708 yards / 647 meters


SBT-70 is the world first LED to offer a round LED emittor die, allowing light to better collide with the reflector for maximum throw distance, and improved brightness and efficiency over SBT-90.
SBT-70 lumen output: 2000/755/141/12,
ANSI FL-1 lumen: 1585/615/126/10


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## rickypanecatyl (Nov 13, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

Great review again! I'm curious how the SBT 70 would compare to an XML2 U2? I know the SBT 70 puts out more light but they don't seem that far off right? The new TN31 is putting out close to 1,300 lumens - I would imagine if it was driven to 3.5 amps it would put out approximately the same 1450 lumens.
If that was the case which do you think would throw farther? Is the XML significantly more efficient?


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## Mr. Tone (Nov 13, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



rickypanecatyl said:


> Great review again! I'm curious how the SBT 70 would compare to an XML2 U2? I know the SBT 70 puts out more light but they don't seem that far off right? The new TN31 is putting out close to 1,300 lumens - I would imagine if it was driven to 3.5 amps it would put out approximately the same 1450 lumens.
> If that was the case which do you think would throw farther? Is the XML significantly more efficient?



The SBT 70 comes from the factory without a dome. If all else was equal and the XM-L2 would be de-domed it should out throw this emitter. Vihnguyen54 has modded lights such as Thrunite TN31 and Supbeam K40 with de-domed XM-L2 emitters direct on copper. He has also overdriven them since the extra heat is shed away faster and some of those have measured between 400,000-500,000 candela by fellow CPFers.


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## 357mag1 (Nov 14, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

So if I'm reading your review correctly the MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 will only slightly out throw the Olight SR-95S UT for the first 200 seconds then it steps down and the Olight is still at max.


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## selfbuilt (Nov 14, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



357mag1 said:


> So if I'm reading your review correctly the MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 will only slightly out throw the Olight SR-95S UT for the first 200 seconds then it steps down and the Olight is still at max.


Yes.


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## rickypanecatyl (Nov 14, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



Mr. Tone said:


> The SBT 70 comes from the factory without a dome. If all else was equal and the XM-L2 would be de-domed it should out throw this emitter. Vihnguyen54 has modded lights such as Thrunite TN31 and Supbeam K40 with de-domed XM-L2 emitters direct on copper. He has also overdriven them since the extra heat is shed away faster and some of those have measured between 400,000-500,000 candela by fellow CPFers.



Thanks for that Mr. Tone. It seems with dedoming XML's they get close to double the cd. I did see Vins 5-600K lux TN31's. Those are dedomed and about 1600 OTF driven at 6 amps? So it would seem the throw of a SBT 70 and a domed XML2 would be pretty close to on par in say the same size reflector both putting out 1000 lumens? Does that sound right?

But doesn't a XML have a serious advantage when it comes to efficiency as in nearly 2x the run time at the same lumens? Then of course the SBT 70 has got more output when both are driven at the max and I suppose if an XML can be overdriven to match it well then the SBT 70 could also be overdriven?


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## rickypanecatyl (Nov 16, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



Mr. Tone said:


> You should be able to take the relative difference between the SST90 turbo and the SBT70 turbo to estimate the lux. The difference is approx 1.8 times more candela with the SBT70 vs SST90 turbo heads. So since the SST90 regular head was 74,000 candela the SBT70 should be somewhere around 130,000 candela with the regular head. So there you have it, a light similar in size to a 2D Maglite beating the Olight SR90.




Anyone by chance have a picture with the regular head next to a 2D mag light for size comparison?


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## Mr. Tone (Nov 16, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*



rickypanecatyl said:


> Thanks for that Mr. Tone. It seems with dedoming XML's they get close to double the cd. I did see Vins 5-600K lux TN31's. Those are dedomed and about 1600 OTF driven at 6 amps? So it would seem the throw of a SBT 70 and a domed XML2 would be pretty close to on par in say the same size reflector both putting out 1000 lumens? Does that sound right?
> 
> But doesn't a XML have a serious advantage when it comes to efficiency as in nearly 2x the run time at the same lumens? Then of course the SBT 70 has got more output when both are driven at the max and I suppose if an XML can be overdriven to match it well then the SBT 70 could also be overdriven?



I do not know if enough about the SBT70 to answer your questions vs. XM-L and XM-L2. I think I know of a thread where it was discussed, though. If I can find it I will link it for you.


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## Mr. Tone (Nov 16, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac MX25L2 Turbo SBT-70 (2x32650) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS and...*

I don't know of a pic anywhere but here are the direct size comparisons from the manufacturer's specs.

*Eagletac MX25L2-regular head * 
Head Dia.2.4 inches (62 mm)
Body Dia.1.4 inches (37 mm)
Length:10.5 inches (267 mm)
Weight:25.7 ounces (730 grams) with battery pack

*MAGLITE® LED 2-Cell D Flashlight Specifications:*
Length: 10" (254 mm)
Barrel Diameter: 1-9/16" (39.67 mm)
Head Diameter: 2-1/4" (57.00 mm)
Weight with batteries: 23 oz. (674 g)


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## rickypanecatyl (Nov 16, 2013)

Thanks for that! Wow that its close! 

Sent from my C5502 using Tapatalk


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## Mr. Tone (Nov 16, 2013)

rickypanecatyl said:


> Thanks for that! Wow that its close!
> 
> Sent from my C5502 using Tapatalk



Very close in size, but nowhere close in performance!


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## AbbyY (Jan 12, 2014)

Having both MX25L2 Turbo SB-T70 and SR95S UT, I can say that it's a slight advantage for Eagletac in words of throwing. I noticed that MX25L2 turbo head has a little bit deeper and smother reflector than SR95S UT. The beam pattern of MX25L2 is very different than R95S UT (in my samples). While, at a closer distance the spot of MX252 is a little bit larger and less bright than SR95S UT ones, at a high distance the situation is changing. MX25L2's spot is very well focused and seems to be brighter and narrower than SR95S UT. In other words, at high distances (hundred meters) I found that transition from spot to spill is more uniform at SR5S UT than MX25L2 which has a better focused spot. Clearly MX25L2 Turbo is focusing better at higher dstances than SR95S UT due to a deeper and smoother reflector. Obviously both are outstanding throwers and I am happy using them.


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## Mr. Tone (Jan 12, 2014)

AbbyY said:


> Having both MX25L2 Turbo SB-T70 and SR95S UT, I can say that it's a slight advantage for Eagletac in words of throwing. I noticed that MX25L2 turbo head has a little bit deeper and smother reflector than SR95S UT. The beam pattern of MX25L2 is very different than R95S UT (in my samples). While, at a closer distance the spot of MX252 is a little bit larger and less bright than SR95S UT ones, at a high distance the situation is changing. MX25L2's spot is very well focused and seems to be brighter and narrower than SR95S UT. In other words, at high distances (hundred meters) I found that transition from spot to spill is more uniform at SR5S UT than MX25L2 which has a better focused spot. Clearly MX25L2 Turbo is focusing better at higher dstances than SR95S UT due to a deeper and smoother reflector. Obviously both are outstanding throwers and I am happy using them.



Good to know, thanks for sharing.


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## RemcoM (Feb 28, 2015)

Hi Selfbuilt,

The ultimate throwking of the led flashlights, is the nitecore TM36, i have...its fantastic....over 1100 meters of throw.

Alot are waiting, until you do a review of the TM36.

Hope you do that soon.


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## RemcoM (Sep 16, 2015)

Hi Selfbuilt,

1 You have tested this light, at 280 kcd....280000 cd,

Does this light with this intensity, blind a person, within short-moderate distance=

2 Can it light up a bit, things at 800 meters distance.

3 Does a treeline at 300, and at 1000 meters, very well lit up, with this 280 kcd...280000 cd light.

4 Is this 280000 cd light, at night, and at afternoon, at a clear night, and at a totally overcast afternoon autumm-winter day, clearly visible, when somebody pointed at me, at a short-moderate, or even at a long distance,

Hope this light is still available.


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## RemcoM (Sep 18, 2015)

Hi Selfbuilt, can you react on my posts , if you have time for it, off course.

Thank you very much.

Or are you not on the forum for days now.

Remco


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## selfbuilt (Sep 19, 2015)

RemcoM said:


> Or are you not on the forum for days now.


Yes, I was away for the past week.

In response to your questions, there is not much I can say. Beam intensity measures are simply are an arbitrary standard for reporting and comparing lights. How well it actually lights things up in various environmental conditions at various distances (or how subjectively "blinding" it is) is not something anyone can answer. It's a question of opinion, and I can't say I have one. The numbers simply give you a way to compare to other lights you have experience of.


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## search_and_rescue (Nov 12, 2017)

November 2017 and this Luminus SBT-70 thrower is still very useful and very powerful. I was picking my Mom up at the mall curbside because she can’t walk far. It was like Times Square very busy with tons of cars waiting to drop off and pick up (Valet area). I pulled the Eagtac MX25L4T (4x18650 version) from my glove compartment and even under all that stress, car headlights up the wazoo, and I was able to easily feel the rubber switch and used momentary for a turbo blast to signal my Mom. She is someone who can’t tell if a Boeing 747 is shining its landing lights at her. But this worked flawlessly and she saw my car and came over (three lanes of heavy mall car traffic over). Great flashlight easy to use powerful enough even in the November of 2017!


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