SilverStars vs. Hoen XenonMatch Plus

[MGRMLN]

So, I finally swapped my bulbs tonight and the difference is quite subtle.
The Hoen's have a slightly bluer hue compared to the pure white look of the SilverStars. Both seem to put out an equal amount of light. Overall I like the look of the Hoens better. They look more like true HID's because of the slight blue cast off axis.


SilverStars

[MGRMLN]

Hoen Xenonmatch Plus

[Loud_TIGER]

interesting.

[phrider]

What's the wattage on these, SilverStar vs Hoen?

Any lumen or light output spec?

[MGRMLN]

The SilverStars are rated at 60W -1000 Lumens at 4000k color temp
Hoen does not list Lumen output or color temp on their web site, but the Xenonmatch Plus bulb wattage is a bit higher at 80W.

My subjective guess based on what I'm seeing would be the color temp to be a little higher, maybe 4300k and a bit more light output at approx. 1200 Lumens

I've been extremely happy with the SilverStars. I'm leaving them in as my highbeams. I can't think of a car that shouldn't just swap their stock, conventional bulbs for a set right now.

That said, I swayed by the higher wattage and color of the Hoens. I hope they turn out to be as durable.

[phrider]

That's about 4.5 amps for the stock bulbs, 5 amps with the SilverStars, and almost 7 amps with the Hoen. Times 2 for the 2 bulbs. So it is 4 to 5 amps more current than stock.... the Hoens could be pushing that circuit.

[gbrown.dsl]

Great comparison pics. I was wondering how the silverstars looked.

[Boston Bimmer]

You can get a set of hi beams and low beams off ebay, or even at Target/Walmart which will look more like a HID than Silverstars, or Hoen...They all cost the same to make, but Slivanna and Hoen charge more for theirs because they put their headlight bulbs with the regular halogen headlights...If you go to pepboys, they also sell Matrix or APC HID-look bulbs, but they never put them with the regular headlights...

Point being: Go to Target/Walmart and try the $12 9006 HID-Like bulbs...If you don't like them, return them and pay $50-$70 for a less HID looking bulb...

[MGRMLN]

No, I really did not want the cheapo, too fake blue bulbs I see running around on Civics.

I just wanted better night vision. I'm splitting hairs (because I'm really picky) but either the SIlverStars or the Hoens give me that. I really like the Hoen's a lot.

[gbrown.dsl]

The cheaper bulbs definately tend to look blue (or purple) but not everyone is looking for that ricer effect in their BMW.

Most cars w/HID sold in the USA is 4,100K thru 4,300K and therefore 'true' HID lighting is pure white. So these cheaper bulbs in fact are not a better choice for matching the true HID color. People are thrown off from the purple or blue tint that can be noticed on some cars lighting from various angles.

Compare a quality bulb to any of those at PepBoys up close and you will see the quality difference before you even turn them on.

If you have an S54 you only want to replace the driver side high beam once because its a pain. Reason alone to go with quality stuff.

[PDX M Coupe]

I think that the exception with factory HID is Audi, which commonly puts something like 6000k or 7000k in their cars. That purple look is key to spotting an Audi from a distance:12:

[gbrown.dsl]

Well if you check out the new Audi A4 the bulb is the Philips D1S 'xenstart' with the igniter built on to the base. The D1S is rated at 3200 lumens and kelvin grade is 4,200K.

Check out the S2000 HID color, now that looks different! Best I researched is its a PIAA HID system but I have no solid proof nor did I know they even made HID systems.

[gbrown.dsl]

I think its all in the angle you look at it. Look at the press release photos of the new AMG E55 and you will find their HID lights look super blue, maybe 5,500K. Now go see one in person and they look 4,100K from straight on but when it goes over a bump your eye will pick up a blue light for a second while the auto level kicks in. I have noticed on the M5 you will see a purple light but straight on its white.

[Boston Bimmer]

My point is Sylvania is not better quality than what you call a cheapo (not sure about Hoen)… Sylvania’s headquarters is in Danvers Massachusetts, I live roughly 10 minutes there, and I am friends with a few employees there…

Sylvania Silver stars are marketed for the white-collar guy works 60 hours a week…He blows a stock headlight, goes to Pepboys to buy a replacement, sees the “purest white available” pitch on the silver star package and thinks he’s going to be cool because he has HID-Like headlights… Sylvania gets a nice huge profit…

Silverstars and cheapos are made over seas, most likely at the same plant…All bulbs consist of a plastic/fiberglass base, glass housing, metal /tungsten inner, and different gases…Now let’s say Hoen or Silverstars used a higher quality fiberglass…Does that mean the bulbs going to last longer, and bright the output? Nope…Same thing goes with the glass, let’s say the “qualities” use a more expensive glass, again, it doesn’t make a difference…

The only difference is metal inners and the gases inside, and the color of the glass…99% of all incandescent bulbs put current to tungsten to create light…Tungsten creates yellowish light…The trick is to use blue tinted glass, with a combination of gas to react with the light to create a white and/or different than yellow colored effect…

Sylvania silverstars and cheapos are the same quality light; cheapos will last just as long… 7 years ago, cheapos where using 100-200 watts which would give you an uncanny bright light…But they’d melt the bulb, the harness, and sometimes part of the headlamp housing…So they were bad a while ago…A lot of people complained, and for the past few years they’re concentrated on a regular wattage bulb that produced colored and to last a long time…

When I see Silverstars, or other all white lights, I know they’re not HIDs…A lot of the times I’ll see a slightly blue/purple and not know if they’re HIDs or not…So if you want to look like HIDs, get blueish ones…

[gbrown.dsl]

I suppose the nature of the halogen design is that they all will fail sooner rather than later. From what I read the filament slowly 'erodes' and when a section gets too thin it breaks thus dead bulb.

It is a fact that XYZ company will bang out a number of bulbs for a lot of companies and you can even see similarities in the bulb construction from these different companies. On a grand scale these things have to cost pennies to produce thats why PIAA's marketing department must be awesome to get away with MSRP prices they market them at.

The big picture though is that stock bulbs seem to last a very long time however many aftermarket 'HID' look bulbs do not, even the ones at stock wattage. So quality differences must exist unless the guy installing them is touching the bulb and such.

I have been informed by two companies that while their bulbs are obviously contract manufactured they do change a number of items to produce a better bulb and more importantly get that marketing edge so we will all part with our money.

[Pani]

Gary,

Do you feel that the intensity of light output with the Hoen bulbs is similar (if not equivalent) to the output of say . . . a 4100K HID kit ? The reason I ask is that I feel that the beam pattern with halogen bulbs in the stock housing is better than that of HID in the same housing, presumably due to the reflector design. So if I could get similar light output (color is not as important, but nice white light would be nice) with the halogen pattern it would be the best of both worlds. Thanks for your input.

Anil

[MGRMLN]

The beam pattern with the Hoens are like they were with the stock bulbs, just a bit brighter and whiter.

There is still the big dark hole between the fall of the left and right beams.
There are still "hotspots" where an area is extra bright.

I've not seen the beam pattern with HID's in our housings so I can't reference them, but let's face it, our headlights are definitely a weak element of this cars design.

[gbrown.dsl]

Originally posted by Pani
Gary,

Do you feel that the intensity of light output with the Hoen bulbs is similar (if not equivalent) to the output of say . . . a 4100K HID kit ? The reason I ask is that I feel that the beam pattern with halogen bulbs in the stock housing is better than that of HID in the same housing, presumably due to the reflector design. So if I could get similar light output (color is not as important, but nice white light would be nice) with the halogen pattern it would be the best of both worlds. Thanks for your input.

Anil

I have compared 3 HID systems directly. The 4,100K 'regular' 9006 produced ok light but it scattered like mad and was a slight improvment over stock.

The XT 5,000K HID kit I ran for a while worked but the reduced lumens from the blue tinted 4,100K bulb cut down even more light so while it was a slight improvment over stock it was from my eyes putting down less usable light than the Hoens. I really liked the way it looked though but that is no longer important to me seeing as I was driving more at night.

The absolute best lighting I have ever seen installed on the M Coupe was the Phoenix Microlight kit which was on the Intrax M Coupe. It was a modified Philips D2R kit better suited for reflector type lighting setups. It lit up the road like an SUV with HID's would. SPP can get the Phoenix systems if anyone is interested, they go for around $550.

If HID retrofit companies did not take the cheap route and simply added some shielding to their 9006 bulbs (which start life as D2S with no shielding) the kits would perform much better but with HID retrofit kits becoming a thing of the past the best solution out there is a halogen bulb upgrade from stock.

If I have time I will throw in the HID kit on one side and compare them both including beam patterns and cut off etc. to better explain it.

[gbrown.dsl]

I should mention that the intensity of the HID kit was greater however most of it was not hitting the ground rendering the HID upgrade mostly 'show'. It was difficut to adjust the lights but with some work it becomes acceptable. It's just not designed for a reflector system.

[zcoupe]

I like the silverstars since I can go anywhere for a replacement that matches.

Has anyone upgraded their fog lights? Does Sylvania make a
silverstar replacement for the fogs?

zcoupe/2001 coupe 3.0

[///MDex]

Originally posted by zcoupe
Does Sylvania make a silverstar replacement for the fogs?

Yes, the fogs are the same as the low beams, 9006.

My HOENS came last weekend, but I won'thave an opportunity to install them until this weekend. No need for more pics. MGRMLN did a fine job.