You can believe what you want but a good many of those "genuine" Cree or Samsung chips are NOT and they only way to prove it would be with a quantum meter and compare output. You see a board claiming they use Samsung or Cree chips, and is $30 cheaper than HLG, you can bet you money they are Epistar chips, NOT Samsung or Cree. Even the Nichia chips HLG used in the QB 324 are no match for Samsung chips performance wise, the board was interesting for the range of spectrum of the selected chips.
So are you really saving money buying boards with questionable chips? With lower efficiency, when that is one reason we use HLG's boards? What about warranty and customer service? NOBODY will match HLG for customer service, I can guarantee that! They have gone well beyond what would be required for me when I had an issue!
As I said in a previous post, its your money but consider more than price when you shop.
some people need to realise that there is so called copy cat quantum boards for sale that are using legit chips made in china by Samsung and some using cree, in simple terms if you like, a all white or quantum board is not much different than older burple boards except using Samsung white leds and good drivers. I used hlg quantum boards and was and still am happy to recommend them to people but needs changed for me personally so I moved on to a layout that works best for me and my custom cab still using legit Samsung Chips and strips made by Samsung, but there most certainly is alternatives to be got and direct. There is a lot of copying going atm and it aint just them in china. Competition is what has got the led business where it is today. Things is looking good for everyone and choice is great. So chill out people ffs go fight apple and Samsung lol.
