PIAA vs. Silverstars
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 437
Likes: 0
From: Kansas :p
Originally posted by importvizion
...Oh yea and they're freakin not even white they're like a tan color. for 40 bux I coulda juss got sum fog lights or sum crap.
...Oh yea and they're freakin not even white they're like a tan color. for 40 bux I coulda juss got sum fog lights or sum crap.
When I'm driving by and I see some other car with hyperwhite headlights and I see their light output; they might be bluer or whiter then my Silverstar. But the truth is with the light output on the ground. Mine is brighter and I just laugh that so many people still think that hyperwhite blue bulbs are brighter then stock, Cool Blues or Silverstar when they aren't.
Too bad all SUV, vans and cars can't have hyperwhite. The roads would be safer with less glare.:thumbup: Get hyperwhite PIAA, Hiper, APC, Matrix, and Optiblue, blue bulbs everybody that believes bluer is better.
PANIC NOW!!!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 0
From: In your computer
Originally posted by ACCORDDUST
what are you talking about ? ? ? ?
what are you talking about ? ? ? ?
that picture is 103kb that is a huge file for a small image
u c l a
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 585
Likes: 0
From: Hacienda Heights, S. Cali
Okay, from what i see in this post, there are four divisions of how you can rate bulbs:
by price, color, by brightness (lumens), and by effectiveness. i'm just going by what i see posted on the manufacturer sites. as reference, i assumed stock to be the sylvania standard 9006 halogens. although i know they aren't.
price: check your wallet.
stock: free
silverstars: ranging from $25 to $50 depending where and if you have the $10 rebate
Piaa: about $70+
Other Brands: $15+
HIDs: $230+
color: any aftermarket bulb will give you color. take your pick. it doesn't matter if you like green, blue, white, or pink, it's out there.
Stock: 3140k yellow
Silverstars: 4000k white
Piaas: 4000k (xtreme whtie) 3800k (platinum super white)
Other brands: whatever they claim its near. usually 4300k or bluish.
HIDs: whatever it's labeled as. (4300k(sunlight)-15000k(ultraviolet or whatever is up there))
*all assuming they're all mildly accurate
for reference, a color table...
Yellow:
1500 k Candlelight
2700-2900 k Yellow painted fog halogen bulbs
-------------------------------
Yellowish white:
3200 k Sunrise/sunset
3200 k Premium H7 non painted halogen bulb
3400 k 1 hour from dusk/dawn
-------------------------------
White:
4100 k Philips/Osram OEM HID D2S
5500 k Bright sunny daylight around noon
----------------
Blueish white
5500-5600 k Electronic photo flash
6000 k Philips Ultinon HID D2S
6500-7500 k Overcast sky
-----------------
Blue:
9000-12000 k Blue sky
-----------------
Purple:
28000 Northern sky
12000-30000 k Ultra Violet light (black light)
---------------------------------
brightness: okay the silverstars are brighter than the crappy superduperxenonhalogen knockoff bulbs in the long run (after the bulbs start to die down with prolonged use). HIDs produce more lumens, regardless.
stock: 1000 lm
silverstars: 1000lm
piaas: claims a 1870 lm.
knockoffs: varies. usually claims a 1870 lm. rarely gets there or stays there over a few weeks.
HIDs: 5200k~3200lm, 6000k~3000lm, 7000k~2800lm, 7500k~2400lm
effectiveness: how well your eye responds to the light. the human eye responds to the light scheme of natural sunlight best. in bad weather, yellower is better.
stock: best all around
silverstars: near-stock. better for standard nights.
piaas: pretty good
knockoffs: crap
HIDs: pretty good due to high intensity (lumens), not color.
besides, the actual measured silverstars vs. standard halogen, you paid $40 or so to get a whiter light, not any stronger, resulting in a slightly better result for standard weather at night.
by price, color, by brightness (lumens), and by effectiveness. i'm just going by what i see posted on the manufacturer sites. as reference, i assumed stock to be the sylvania standard 9006 halogens. although i know they aren't.
price: check your wallet.
stock: free
silverstars: ranging from $25 to $50 depending where and if you have the $10 rebate
Piaa: about $70+
Other Brands: $15+
HIDs: $230+
color: any aftermarket bulb will give you color. take your pick. it doesn't matter if you like green, blue, white, or pink, it's out there.
Stock: 3140k yellow
Silverstars: 4000k white
Piaas: 4000k (xtreme whtie) 3800k (platinum super white)
Other brands: whatever they claim its near. usually 4300k or bluish.
HIDs: whatever it's labeled as. (4300k(sunlight)-15000k(ultraviolet or whatever is up there))
*all assuming they're all mildly accurate
for reference, a color table...
Yellow:
1500 k Candlelight
2700-2900 k Yellow painted fog halogen bulbs
-------------------------------
Yellowish white:
3200 k Sunrise/sunset
3200 k Premium H7 non painted halogen bulb
3400 k 1 hour from dusk/dawn
-------------------------------
White:
4100 k Philips/Osram OEM HID D2S
5500 k Bright sunny daylight around noon
----------------
Blueish white
5500-5600 k Electronic photo flash
6000 k Philips Ultinon HID D2S
6500-7500 k Overcast sky
-----------------
Blue:
9000-12000 k Blue sky
-----------------
Purple:
28000 Northern sky
12000-30000 k Ultra Violet light (black light)
---------------------------------
brightness: okay the silverstars are brighter than the crappy superduperxenonhalogen knockoff bulbs in the long run (after the bulbs start to die down with prolonged use). HIDs produce more lumens, regardless.
stock: 1000 lm
silverstars: 1000lm
piaas: claims a 1870 lm.
knockoffs: varies. usually claims a 1870 lm. rarely gets there or stays there over a few weeks.
HIDs: 5200k~3200lm, 6000k~3000lm, 7000k~2800lm, 7500k~2400lm
effectiveness: how well your eye responds to the light. the human eye responds to the light scheme of natural sunlight best. in bad weather, yellower is better.
stock: best all around
silverstars: near-stock. better for standard nights.
piaas: pretty good
knockoffs: crap
HIDs: pretty good due to high intensity (lumens), not color.
besides, the actual measured silverstars vs. standard halogen, you paid $40 or so to get a whiter light, not any stronger, resulting in a slightly better result for standard weather at night.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 437
Likes: 0
From: Kansas :p
Nice post there.
But there is no proof and only a claim that PIAA Superwhite or Plasma white can put out 1870 lumens of light assuming its 9006. Since we'll use the 9006 as our example. PIAA claims that since a 55 watt 9006 PIAA puts out 1000 lumens then our 85 watt 9006 PIAA must put out 1870 lumens.
55 = 85
--- ---
1000 X
It doesn't work that way. There will always be a compromise either in filament life, gas insert, obviously price which is over priced and what your paying for is the name and the shiny packaging the bulbs come in, and needed wattage to keep the bulb at the optimum performance.
Since this thread is about PIAA vs Silverstar. The better choice would be Silverstar. Not only is Silverstar half the price of PIAA, but the output is the same if not greater since the point of the Silverstar is a brighter and whiter light. Not a bluer and better HID wannabe light that is written on the PIAA boxes.
I could care less if my light is yellower then PIAA. But I know that I have an extra $30 in my pocket from not paying for the PIAA name. Its brighter then stock and not ricey blue.
All that matters in head light is the light output that you see as a driver. Not what color it is, how cool you look because your light is bluer then everybody elses, or how much you spend on a pair of light bulbs. To everybody else they don't care how much you spend on your PIAA, or the fact that you have $70-90 PIAA and they can't see you anyways with your dim blue bulbs.
So just get Silverstar and just accept that its the best affordable light upgrade that money can buy. Besides HID that is. (This post ain't directed at Jon or anybody.) Just telling the truth logically, honestly and realistically.
But there is no proof and only a claim that PIAA Superwhite or Plasma white can put out 1870 lumens of light assuming its 9006. Since we'll use the 9006 as our example. PIAA claims that since a 55 watt 9006 PIAA puts out 1000 lumens then our 85 watt 9006 PIAA must put out 1870 lumens.55 = 85
--- ---
1000 X
It doesn't work that way. There will always be a compromise either in filament life, gas insert, obviously price which is over priced and what your paying for is the name and the shiny packaging the bulbs come in, and needed wattage to keep the bulb at the optimum performance.
Since this thread is about PIAA vs Silverstar. The better choice would be Silverstar. Not only is Silverstar half the price of PIAA, but the output is the same if not greater since the point of the Silverstar is a brighter and whiter light. Not a bluer and better HID wannabe light that is written on the PIAA boxes.
I could care less if my light is yellower then PIAA. But I know that I have an extra $30 in my pocket from not paying for the PIAA name. Its brighter then stock and not ricey blue.
All that matters in head light is the light output that you see as a driver. Not what color it is, how cool you look because your light is bluer then everybody elses, or how much you spend on a pair of light bulbs. To everybody else they don't care how much you spend on your PIAA, or the fact that you have $70-90 PIAA and they can't see you anyways with your dim blue bulbs.
So just get Silverstar and just accept that its the best affordable light upgrade that money can buy. Besides HID that is. (This post ain't directed at Jon or anybody.) Just telling the truth logically, honestly and realistically.
u c l a
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 585
Likes: 0
From: Hacienda Heights, S. Cali
Hehe, don't worry about it. I fully agree with you on this one (since you're not bashing on HIDs).
I used to have Piaa's (thank God I didn't pay for them) and I thought they were the coolest thing in the world...on the box. Once i plugged them in i was just as disappointed, if not more than when i plugged in silverstars and it didn't match with the corners. The piaas claimed an 85w output which is utter BS. that's where i got the lumens from as they claim draw at 55, output at 85, and the lumens at 170 lm/10watts.
For $80, I would much rather have a dinner with my gf in pasadena.
I used to have Piaa's (thank God I didn't pay for them) and I thought they were the coolest thing in the world...on the box. Once i plugged them in i was just as disappointed, if not more than when i plugged in silverstars and it didn't match with the corners. The piaas claimed an 85w output which is utter BS. that's where i got the lumens from as they claim draw at 55, output at 85, and the lumens at 170 lm/10watts.
For $80, I would much rather have a dinner with my gf in pasadena.