Xtreme Vision Bulbs
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Contents |
Introduction
Xtreme Vision bulbs: http://www.xtremevision.biz/
Notes: In a completely dark environment, the XV bulbs are about equally bright as your standard sylvanias. However, in twilight conditions or well lighted areas, the light from the XV bulbs gets almost completely washed out while the standard sylvanias still shine brightly. The color on the XV bulbs is a definite "white", and are rated as 8500K on the boxes. The 9007 series bulbs are rated as 100W/80W on the package, but the distributor informed me that is a misprint by the manufacturer. Judging by the overall brightness compared to the 55W/65W sylvanias, I believe he's right.
There was an issue with the 9006 & 9005 bulbs I received that came with a 90* bend, where I needed a straight. I was unaware that 9005 & 9006 bulbs came in different configurations, so this may or may not be an issue for your application. The vendor refers potential customers to sylvanias replacement guide to provide the correct part numbers. In my case, for a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the part numbers read:
Low beam:
- 9006XS
- 9006XSST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: The Whiter and Brighter Halogen
- 9006XSCB Cool Blue Halogen - The Whiter Light
High beam headlamp:
- 9005XS
- 9005XSST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: The Whiter and Brighter Halogen
- 9005XSCB Cool Blue Halogen - The Whiter Light
Nowhere on the page does it specify that the "XS" suffix means a straight where a lack there of means a '90*' bend. As far as anyone replacing those bulbs for the first time knows, the XS suffix could just be another Sylvania proprietary trademark. When I ordered the bulbs I asked for a 9005 & 9006, and I needed a 9005xs & 9006xs. That I was unaware of the significance of the XS is my fault. The fact that the vendor relies on a competitors website for an application guide is his fault. A little extra effort put into the manufacturer's website to include an application guide for the bulbs would have prevented this minor inconvenience. While this issue isn't significant enough to cause me to attempt a return (primarily because I was able to wedge the bulbs in place) it does highlight a short coming of the ordering process. In any case, verify what you have before ordering as the 90* bend nearly didn't fit.
Sylvania/Xtreme Vision Comparison Shots
High/Low Beam XV Bulb Comparison
The 9007 series Xtreme Vision bulbs seem to exhibit an issue where the High beams are apparently dimmer overall than the low beams. In fact, the beams exhibit the same level of light, but when switching on the high beams part of the light is obscured by the placement of the second filament causing a "dimming" effect. On the street the high beams were completely washed out in a standard suburban street light lit environment. In darker areas such as back roads however, they appear to light the trees adequately.
Conclusion
Although there is a very noticeable drop in performance in a full range of lighting conditions compared to standard sylvanias, the Xtreme Vision bulbs exhibit an undeniably whiter color. My understanding of automotive lighting technology suggests that this drop in performance is due to the higher kelvin temperature range of the bulb rather than a specific design flaw. Generally speaking, the higher the temperature range of non HID bulbs the worse your visibility will get compare to stock bulbs at stock wattage. As with all things, this is a simple trade off.
Price, Performance, Color - Pick Two.
There are alternatives that exhibit a similar white or even bluish color for non HID systems with greater visibility. However, these bulbs are of a much higher wattage, most often running extremely hot, and by all accounts do not last for any length of time. The Xtreme Vision bulbs I was provided with appear to run at stock wattage and from my limited experience with them do not get significantly hotter than OEM. Additionally Xtreme Vision bulbs are marketed as having a life-time warranty. While I yet have no experience exchanging these bulbs with XV, this is still a significant reason to purchase these bulbs. Stock replacements run anywhere from $20-$40 a pair. If you have to exchange the bulbs even once, they have already paid for themselves.
