# New Cree XLamp MT-G LED Delivers Unprecedented Performance



## Corvette6769 (Feb 22, 2011)

_Enables Customers to Address High-Output Halogen Retrofits



_DURHAM, N.C., February 22, 2011 — Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE), a market leader in LED lighting, announces a new lighting-class LED designed for high-output, small form-factor directional lighting applications. The XLamp MT-G LEDs are optimized for 35W-50W halogen MR16 retrofit bulbs and other accent, track, display and down lighting used in retail stores, residential settings, museums, art galleries, hospitality and landscapes and are the first commercial LEDs to deliver sufficient light output for these applications. 



The multi-die XLamp MT-G LED features Cree EasyWhite™ technology to deliver consistent color in a small, highly efficient package. This innovative LED is designed for the high-lumen, small-footprint requirements of 35 and 50 Watt halogen retrofit lamps. Cree engaged driver, thermal and optic providers to create an MR16 lamp reference design to further enable its LED customers to quickly address this market. The reference design is available for free at mtg.cree.com.



“To date, there are no energy-efficient alternatives for many high-lumen, small form-factor, directional lighting applications. Until now, LED-based MR16 lamps have been a tremendous challenge for the lighting design community in terms of both light output and color consistency due to their small size and limited capacity for thermal management,” said Paul Thieken, Cree, director of marketing, LED components. “Cree developed this LED from the ground-up with applications like these in mind, and its introduction signals the arrival of the LED lighting revolution in these high-profile markets.”



The XLamp MT-G LED is the first in the industry binned and tested at 85 degrees C which can simplify luminaire design calculations and speed time-to-market. With a 9mm x 9mm footprint, the MT-G LED delivers up to 560 lumens at 1.1A at 85 C or up to 1525 lumens at 4A at 85 C in warm white (3000K). Samples are available immediately and production volumes are available with standard lead times.


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## carl (Apr 10, 2011)

is this really better performance or efficiency than a sst-90 or other? Or is LED technology starting to plateau?


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## LEDninja (Apr 11, 2011)

Prior to this the Cree XR-E based MR16 bulbs are:
Cree XLamp XR-E LED 1x3W MR16 $16.95 100 Lumen (Warm White)
http://eliteled.com/products/lightbulbs/gu53-1x3w.html
and
Cree XLamp XR-E LED 3x1W MR16 $29.95 180 Lumen (Warm White)
http://eliteled.com/products/lightbulbs/cree-3x1w-mr16-f.html

There were problems.
- Not enough lumens (a 50W MR16 can push 800 lumens compared to the pathetic 100-200 lumens of the LED bulbs above).
- Can not get rid of the heat in the small MR16 body. The MR16 body is 16*1/8 inch = 2 inches. An SST90 needs at least a PAR38 body to cool it. 38*1/8" = 4.75" Won't fit a standard MR16 fixture.
-Using more LEDs to get more lumens increases the price dramatically. This can be seen from my links above. Using an SST-90 would also increase the cost dramatically. The SST-90 is designed for projectors that cost hundreds to thousands of dollars - not for the competition to <$5 incan/halogen light bulbs.

In the past most LEDs are tested at ambient - 25°C. A light bulb designer have no idea how the LED performs at the higher temperatures in actual use. This LED is binned at 85°C. Which means the designer can simply use Cree's spec numbers and not build a whole bunch of slightly different bulbs to determine which meets his design specs.

At the end of the day cost will determine if the bulbs will sell.
The good old incan A19 (G60) is $1 a bulb.
If various governments have not effectively banned incans, CFLs at $5 would be a hard sell.
LED bulbs at $20 is an even harder sell. Previous LED bulbs at $50-$99 just don't sell.

Now the MR16 is a tiny bulb and runs on 12V. They tend to be used in large numbers in/above retail store display cases running 8-16 hours a day.
- There is no CFL competition.
- The electricity (and bulb replacement) savings are significant.
So Cree is making a special LED to go after this market.
Philips already has a head start.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?312061-Philips-10-watt-AmbientLED-MR-16


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## ICUDoc (Apr 12, 2011)

Getting there, getting there. I love the 85 degree binning category- very real world.
Dare I ask: CRI??? It's the colour that makes halogens so beautiful...


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## LEDninja (Apr 12, 2011)

Cree claims these LEDs use their EasyWhite™ Binns.
EasyWhite™ Binns are available in:
2700°K - household incandescent
3000°K - halogen
3500°K - indoor film, movie studio lighting
4000°K - neutral
no cool white.

Search MT-G and EasyWhite on Cree's website for more info.


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## rschultz101 (Apr 12, 2011)

couple of features I like,
- can run hotter
- higher current possible
- higher vF 5V+
- better thermal junction
- small enough to use P7 optics, might need to squeeze it on.
- larger die
- CRI,... at least they are looking at it, 

anybody seen some MT-G Led on 20mm star boards ?
how about that reference MR16 heatsink ? can't find it ether ?


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## PCC (Apr 13, 2011)

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that, based on it being an MT-*G*, and that there are 12 individual dies that we're looking at 24 square mm of surface area.


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## CKOD (Apr 13, 2011)

PCC said:


> I'm going to take a wild guess and say that, based on it being an MT-*G*, and that there are 12 individual dies that we're looking at 24 square mm of surface area.


 
http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/XLampMTG-EZW.pdf
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?270419-Commonly-Used-LED-Emitter-Index
looks like the same die as the XP-E so most likely EZ1000 or EZ900 dies, and ~12mm^2

EDIT: 
Oh and it looks like the MT-G should be able to solder down onto a SST-90 star, the thermal pad is a touch bigger on the MTG, so go sparing on any paste/solder on that to prevent bridging but it looks like it'll fit otherwise.


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## somename (Apr 21, 2011)

Received an email from a vendor that had pricing on the Xlamp MT-G LEDs. Maybe someone out there will want to see this.

http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/productListing.jsp?SKUS=29T5951,29T5952,29T5953

Max 4Amp
Forward voltage of 5.6V
Viewing Angle 120 deg.

CCT:2700 -- 480 Lumen at 1.1Amp
CCT:3000 -- 520 Lumen at 1.1Amp
CCT:4000 -- 560 Lumen at 1.1Amp

All shown at $18.67 each


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## PapaLumen (Apr 21, 2011)

Interesting, 5.6v, 4A, 22.4w for what, 2000 Lumens ? Total size 8.9mmx8.9mm. I bet someone has something in the works already lovecpf

hmm mag aspheric mt-g :duh2:


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## onetrickpony (Apr 21, 2011)

PapaLumen said:


> Interesting, 5.6v, 4A, 22.4w for what, 2000 Lumens ? Total size 8.9mmx8.9mm. I bet someone has something in the works already lovecpf
> 
> hmm mag aspheric mt-g :duh2:


 
Too bad multi-die led's look like crap through aspherics, maybe a big reflector, but I see your point. I'm lookin for a CSM-360 flashlight that isn't "just overseas", not that I can afford one, but I would love to see it happen.


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## LEDninja (Apr 22, 2011)

somename said:


> Max 4Amp
> *Forward voltage of 5.6V*


VeLy InteLesting.
1 white die 3-3.6V; 2 white die 6-7.2V.
So Cree must be using 6 pairs of 1 white plus 1 red in series.



somename said:


> All shown at $18.67 each


Hope it is a lot cheaper by the reel.

The bulbs that use these have to compete with <$10 Utilitech LED bulbs: 7.5 watts, 430 lumens, 3000K.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?313596-Finally!-A-decent-LED-bulb-for-10-(review)


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## znomit (Apr 22, 2011)

LEDninja said:


> VeLy InteLesting.
> 1 white die 3-3.6V; 2 white die 6-7.2V.
> So Cree must be using 6 pairs of 1 white plus 1 red in series.


 
I think its 2 whites. Note the binning is at 85C now so Vfs are a little lower than the previous 25C specs.


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## onetrickpony (Apr 22, 2011)

LEDninja said:


> VeLy InteLesting.
> 1 white die 3-3.6V; 2 white die 6-7.2V.
> So Cree must be using 6 pairs of 1 white plus 1 red in series.
> 
> ...


 
I don't think that the Utilitech bulbs are even in the same league, we're talking a single emitter (albeit multiple dies) that puts out the same amount of light as 18 leds in series in the Utilitech model. 

Not to mention that 430 lumens is the manufacturer's claim. 

Not to mention that these are not designed to replace household incandescent bulbs, they're designed to replace MR16 halogen bulbs, but COULD be used for other things. 

Not to mention that these are manufactured by CREE, a very reputable manufacturer. 

Look up MR16, that's what these bulbs are designed to replace. These bulbs may only be 3 to 4 bucks a pop, but they die ALL the time. I've seen them last all of 5 seconds in actual use. I'm guessing that's the reason that CREE chose to pursue an led alternative.

If you want to know what they're used for, think track lighting, product displays, and other areas where a full sized bulb is too big or impractical to use.


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## Microa (Apr 23, 2011)

I think it is 2 white too. The photo of these dies and the specifications of XML EasyWhite might be a proof. http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/XLampXM-L_EZW.pdf
The XML EasyWhite has a similar structure of the MTG.


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## PapaLumen (Apr 23, 2011)

onetrickpony said:


> Too bad multi-die led's look like crap through aspherics, maybe a big reflector, but I see your point. I'm lookin for a CSM-360 flashlight that isn't "just overseas", not that I can afford one, but I would love to see it happen.


 
Ah yes, 12 die. Ok a big lop reflector


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## widmark (Apr 27, 2014)

Does anybody know who is manufacturing LED MR16s using Crees reference design as their baseline?

Info on reference designed here:
http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/C...amp/XLamp Reference Designs/High_CRI_MR16.pdf

Also, why is Cree opting to push out reference design specs to get a newer generation LED MR16 (the reference design appears to be an upgrade from Cree's LM-16 bulb which it manufactures and sells) instead of manufacturing and selling one themselves? It seems to me they would do it themselves unless there were serious issues.

Soraa makes an MR16 that runs very hot but has excellent light. Cree's engineers called into question whether the Soraa bulb can avoid premature failure and/or degradation of light quality with 200+ degree temps.

Has anyone experienced issues with the Soraa bulbs?


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