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Old 12-11-2016, 10:33 AM   #1
maui86
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Lightbulb Review: Morimoto X-VF Switchback Front Turn Signal Bulbs

I'm a bit of a lighting nut, always searching for the best and brightest for my FR-S. I've tried quite a few switchback bulbs, and have yet to find the "perfect" one for the FR-S' difficult to fill front turn signal housings. My problem could just be that I have yet to spring for the current "best of the best" V3 Triton series from VLED. Wanting to get something close to what I'm told is the ultimate switchback output currently available, but at a price which would cause less injury to my wallet, I was excited to see some months back that Morimoto would be releasing a new line of LED bulbs with a similar looking optic design. Well, the release has happened and I've had a chance to see just how well Morimoto's new design works in our front turn signal housings . . .


Morimoto X-VF Switchback (7443 / White-Amber) Front Turn Signal Bulbs


Design
The "VF" in "X-VF" is shorthand for "Virtual Filament." With this new line of bulbs, Morimoto has attempted to mimic the light transmission properties of a traditional filament based 7443 bulb. To do so, the X-VF is equipped with multiple CREE XB-D emitters mounted inside the lens/virtual filament enclosure. This enclosure, with its conical inner molding and light transmission/reflection properties, aids in helping the X-VF's attempt to mimic the full 360 degree light transmission found in traditional filament bulbs. By firing their LED emitters onto the inner molding, the clear enclosure illuminates while reflecting/transmitting light away from itself and out into the turn signal housing. In addition, an opening at the top of the bulb cap/heat sink projects light forward for additional forward facing illumination.





Fit and Finish
Construction on the X-VF is best described as sturdy, with a fair amount of weight on the upper two-thirds of the bulb. Ribbed, textured aluminum heat sink end pieces sandwich the nicely shaped clear enclosure in place, with the aforementioned lens piece positioned atop. This upper portion of the bulb lends the X-VF a premium feel in hand, and a premium look when hard parked with your lights off at your favorite hangout spot.

The base of the bulb unit is constructed of decidedly less premium, standard fare plastic with metal contacts. Although the contacts appear to be a bit on the thin side, they are decidedly wider than those usually found on your typical 744x LED bulbs; allowing the X-VF better overall contact with our turn signal connectors. While it definitely would have been nice to have these connectors better integrated into the base (in a fashion similar to the Philips X-treme Ultinon 7440 Amber LED Front Turn Signal Bulbs (my review here) or Philips X-treme Ultinon 7443 Red LED Rear Brake Bulbs (my review pending!)) these do the job without the increased cost a Philips like solution would likely have incurred.

While these connectors provide a solid power/signal connection, some may experience issues with the fairly standard (for aftermarket 744x LED bulbs) plastic base size. In my car and some others, this size base does not plug snugly into our 7443 connectors. For those who have issues with LED bulbs loosely fitting (or simply falling out) in their front turn signal connectors, I would suggest:

1. Hold your turn signal connector vertically (bulb side up,) and insert the X-VF bulb.

2. With the bulb inserted, begin to wrap the black plastic base of the X-VF in electrical tape (I recommend Super 88 Vinyl Electrical tape from 3M.)

3. Continue to wrap downwards past the bulb base onto the connector base, applying a slight amount of tension as you wrap.

4. Stop wrapping just before you reach the 4 (or so) plastic tabs protruding outwards from the connector prior to reaching the black rubber grommet.

This should keep the X-VF bulb (as well as most other loose bulbs with a similar plastic base) secure in the housing. I would recommend checking on it occasionally to ensure it stays securely placed and properly aligned (Just as with your headlights, improper bulb alignment here can create inconsistencies in light output from the turn signal reflectors.)



Output
This, of course, is what matters most. And for the X-VF switchbacks, this could stand to be improved upon. When compared to the previous generation Morimoto XB line (the X-VF has been referenced by TRS/Morimoto as the next generation of this line, and is even packaged in a carded blister which reads "XB LED Bulbs") the improvement in brightness is quite obvious. During low light operation, the white parking/running mode is nice, clean, and bright; looking to my eyes to be in the 5000k-ish color range, and fills the reflector well. In turn signal mode, the amber is on the deeper shade of orange color spectrum, definitely visible, but would be quite nice if it were brighter overall.




During daylight operation; if used as a running light, the white is a bit washed out under bright sunny conditions; while the amber turn signal is visible, but dimmer than I prefer in this application. The turn signal brightness during the day reminds me of the intensity/color of most chrome colored filament bulbs.



Taking a look at the wall shot intensity during turn signal operation shows a large overall spread, but less intense hotspot to the aforementioned (non-switchback) Philips Ultinon's. An example; on road at night and from the driver's seat, the Philips Ultinon's will reflect off most signage from around 25-50ft away, across three or four lanes. With the X-VF's however you will be hard pressed to see any reflection off signs; even those directly in front of you at less than 25ft. I've been told by TRS that the single color bulbs (amber, red, and white) would be noticeably brighter, as they would utilize a full complement of like colored XB-D emitters; unlike the switchbacks which must make do with the same number of emitters as their single colored counterparts, but split in half (half amber / half white,) assumedly to fit within the limits of the X-VF's design.

As a bonus, the X-VF's feature a unique "fade on" effect not seen on other LED turn signal bulbs of this type. When switching from amber turn signal back to white running light, the X-VF's slowly fade back up to full intensity, instead of simply popping back on at full brightness like most other LED switchbacks bulbs. Some find this to be gimmicky, while others like the unique look. Personally, I dig it.

While the camera fails to fully pick up the smooth "fade on" transition, here is a quick clip of the X-VF in action:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrrXd1Y8yJQ"]Morimoto X-VF Switchback (7443 / White-Amber) Front Turn Signal Bulbs - YouTube[/ame]


Price / Availability
Pricing on TRS' site is currently at $45; without utilizing any of the many discount codes available out there. As with most Morimoto products, the X-VF's are also available through a number of other authorized dealers and retailers. Seeing as they just launched at the end of November 2016, they will likely be available to purchase for some time to come.



So, Should You Upgrade?
Maybe.

If you are hoping for a Triton competitor at a quarter of the price, you will be disappointed. But if you just want to upgrade from a lesser switchback, you might want to give these a try; particularly if you have a TRS discount code. Chatter online has been mixed, with some claiming the ~$35 JDMAStar switchbacks and their nearly identical counterparts, the TRS "budget" brand ACME switchbacks, provide brighter output. However I have yet to see any other FR-S owners chime in with similar comparisons. Finally, if you are running imported Philips Ultinon's, I recommended against switching to the X-VF switchbacks unless you are willing to sacrifice turn signal output for switchback features.

(Note: While I find it likely the Ultinon's would still outperform them in our turn signal housings, the amber only X-VF LED bulbs may in fact give the Ultinon's a run for their money. As TRS/Morimoto has mentioned recently, the single color X-VF's should take advantage of all LED emitters within their virtual filament enclosure when in operation, effectively doubling the amount of emitters projecting light; unlike these X-VF switchbacks which are limited to firing only the emitters available in the color range needed at the time [i.e. white or amber emitters only.]
I personally have not had a chance to evaluate the single color X-VF's yet; but will post updates if/when I do.)

Last edited by maui86; 12-11-2016 at 11:43 PM. Reason: Fixed price: Current price at time of writing is $45 switchback, $40 single color.
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Old 12-11-2016, 10:34 AM   #2
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Smile addendum

On that note, if anyone is looking to get rid of any of the following bulbs in 7443/7440, please PM me as I am currently on the hunt for well priced examples of:

VLED V3 Triton (Gen 2 or 2.5) 744x White/Amber Switchback (5k or 6k,) Amber/Amber Switchback, and Red.
VLED V3 Triton (Gen 2 or 2.5) 744x Amber/Amber Switchback
VLED V3 Triton (Gen 2 or 2.5) 744x Red.

AF-Spec / AF-Lighting 744x H-LED Amber LED Bulbs (considered by some to be "Ultinon Clones" due to their similar design)
AF-Spec / AF-Lighting 744x H-LED Red LED Bulbs ("Ultinon Clone" design)
(I believe these are out of production, and have thus far had zero success contacting the brand's owner)

CN360 744x Amber LED Bulbs ("Ultinon Clone" design)
CN360 7440 Red LED Bulbs ("Ultinon Clone" design)

Morimoto X-VF 744x Amber LED Bulbs
Morimoto X-VF 744x Red LED Bulbs

Probright 7443 Switchback
(Any 86 friends with access to this Russian brand - From what little I've seen, these look to be a legitimate competitor to the V3 Triton series, with both output and pricing to match.)

Last edited by maui86; 12-11-2016 at 11:53 PM. Reason: Added request for Probrights
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Old 12-12-2016, 01:59 AM   #3
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Part of my cyber Monday order from TRS was an Acme switchback, I can make a small review when I get them if you're interested

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Old 12-13-2016, 07:07 PM   #4
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Lightbulb

Quote:
Philips X-treme Ultinon 7443 Red LED Rear Brake Bulbs (my review pending!)
But, FR-S and BRZ already have LED brake lamps
I'm just kidding. I love quality LED reviews as a fellow lighting nut.

In fact, I just got a pair. Here's my comparison photo of the X-treme Ultinons (had to buy from Japan again) against the commonly available (even Walmart sells them!) Philips Red Vision LEDs on my Impreza.



Did you know Philips 7443 LED bulbs work in both Standard and CK wired sockets? After thinking about it for a while, I believe I figured out how that works:


Consider the arrows as diodes and for the orange arrows, combine their outputs and then put the LED+ on that, with the LED- going to the shared end point of the arrows.

Most 7443 LED bulbs don't work in both types of sockets. I've seen some that are made of two entirely independent polarity agnostic circuits, but I think that's wasteful engineering.

I think I'm done with LED car bulbs now. I'm totally satisfied with the Philips X-treme Ultinons (7440 Amber + 7443 Red+Red).
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Old 12-13-2016, 07:32 PM   #5
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Kinda disappointed in the light output as the X-FV switchbacks were on my wish list in a Secret Santa gifting. But I can't expect a crazy output for $45 bucks.
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Old 12-13-2016, 09:27 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Jajanken86 View Post
Part of my cyber Monday order from TRS was an Acme switchback, I can make a small review when I get them if you're interested

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
If you have the time, I'm sure I'm not the only one around here who would like to see how they perform.
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Old 12-13-2016, 09:48 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by catsspat View Post
But, FR-S and BRZ already have LED brake lamps
I'm just kidding. I love quality LED reviews as a fellow lighting nut.

In fact, I just got a pair. Here's my comparison photo of the X-treme Ultinons (had to buy from Japan again) against the commonly available (even Walmart sells them!) Philips Red Vision LEDs on my Impreza.



Did you know Philips 7443 LED bulbs work in both Standard and CK wired sockets? After thinking about it for a while, I believe I figured out how that works:


Consider the arrows as diodes and for the orange arrows, combine their outputs and then put the LED+ on that, with the LED- going to the shared end point of the arrows.

Most 7443 LED bulbs don't work in both types of sockets. I've seen some that are made of two entirely independent polarity agnostic circuits, but I think that's wasteful engineering.

I think I'm done with LED car bulbs now. I'm totally satisfied with the Philips X-treme Ultinons (7440 Amber + 7443 Red+Red).

I can see I'm in good company! I used to have the USDM red Visions set up as turn signals, then modified the Diode Dynamics Tail As Turn install to have them operate as secondary brake lights. After seeing how well the Amber Ultinons performed in the front turn signal I figured I would try the Red Ultinons for my "new" brake lights - The low light results are pretty close to what you've got there - i.e. An incremental boost in output. I'm VERY tempted to try some Tritons in for that position as well, although limited space in the trunk is a bit of a concern.

I would love to be done with lighting for good, but it's so addicting, I don't know that I ever will be satisfied!
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Old 12-14-2016, 03:38 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna View Post
Kinda disappointed in the light output as the X-FV switchbacks were on my wish list in a Secret Santa gifting. But I can't expect a crazy output for $45 bucks.
I too had been hoping for a bit more output, particularly during the day; however, I think you should definitely give them a shot if you're gifted them
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Old 12-14-2016, 01:06 PM   #9
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I too had been hoping for a bit more output, particularly during the day; however, I think you should definitely give them a shot if you're gifted them
I'll definitely run them if I'm gifted them. I'll just buy just buy the flasher relay and rear turn signals from VLEDs and then all my lights will be LEDs (minus the HID headlights).

These would be for the rear:
http://www.vleds.com/shop-bulb-numbe.../7443-hva.html

I was very impressed with their 194 HVA in my side marker, so I'm sure these will be super bright.
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Old 12-14-2016, 01:13 PM   #10
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Hopefully I'm not derailing your thread, but I'd figure you'd appreciate this since you like LEDs as well.

OEM bulb in OEM amber side marker:



VLED HVA bulb in Toyota clear side marker:



Crazy, right? Makes the OEM bulb look like it's not even on!
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Old 12-15-2016, 02:07 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna View Post
Hopefully I'm not derailing your thread, but I'd figure you'd appreciate this since you like LEDs as well.

OEM bulb in OEM amber side marker:



VLED HVA bulb in Toyota clear side marker:



Crazy, right? Makes the OEM bulb look like it's not even on!





Not derailing at all - Good timing in fact, as I have been looking at different options to upgrade my side markers at some point. I will now have to add this combo to my list of possibles (for both brightness and lighter coloration)
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Old 12-15-2016, 02:12 AM   #12
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Not derailing at all - Good timing in fact, as I have been looking at different options to upgrade my side markers at some point. I will now have to add this combo to my list of possibles (for both brightness and lighter coloration)
I highly recommend it. No condensation (unlike third party side markers), and these VLED HVA bulbs really light up the sides, so your car is clearly visible to others, which is one reason why I got them as people seem to not notice our cars. It'll also light up a wall that you're driving next to.
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Old 12-15-2016, 05:24 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by maui86 View Post
I used to have the USDM red Visions set up as turn signals, then modified the Diode Dynamics Tail As Turn install to have them operate as secondary brake lights. After seeing how well the Amber Ultinons performed in the front turn signal I figured I would try the Red Ultinons for my "new" brake lights
I read a whole bunch of papers about lights and safety statistics, including LED vs. incandescent, brightness, color, and other tricks. One thing that definitely stood out was that amber signal lamps are better at preventing accidents than red signal lamps.

Before I found the X-treme Ultinon amber 7440, I used to run the Red Vision 7440 as rear signals, but never really liked the idea of running red signal bulbs, even though they're allowed in the U.S unlike in almost all other countries.

I can understand the benefit of doubling up the brake lights, though. Too bad there're no red/amber switchbacks....
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Old 12-15-2016, 05:26 AM   #14
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Crazy, right? Makes the OEM bulb look like it's not even on!
Oh no. I thought I was satisfied with all the bulbs, but now you're making me want these HVA side ones. I see a bunch of different versions (top firing, side firing, combination, etc.). Which one are these?
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