I am hearing a lot of info that really is not relevant to the poll question asked.
I have spoken with Hortilux reps, even they will tell you that a single and double ended HPS lamp are different animals.
Most notably being the type of class the outer jacket is constructed of. (And Hortilux is working on one)
So basically, we still have no one testing a COB system directly against a DE.
In comparison, saying cob is going to produce better results with 3590 cobs against a SE HPS is like doing a grow of DE HPS against a Mars Hydro.
horrible analogy
1850umols for "mogul base"(not called single ended)
2050umols for a DE
Not that different of animals. Life span improvements are a bigger benifit than the greater output. Plus are forced to run bare basically and growers are now noticing the difference in bare.
If it wasn't 100* here for the last few months and me running fresh air... I would already have a DE to set president again.
And Apache has offered to buy one for me to do side by sides again. But it's too hot. People forget I have a necessity in addition to my addiction for LED's.
I have been in many DE rooms in the last 6mo-1yr. All very impressive, but not a complete revolution for the guys already killing it. One less fixture per row of 12 than with mogul and same results for the person I admire most and am thinking of.
Vertical and with undercurrent is still the most impressive g/sqft I have ever seen. If I wasn't there I would believe it. Their volume is amazing and mind blowing.
G/w not record breaking by any standards...but they will out yield you all day by lbs with moguls out the ass.